Am I Playing This Hole Right?

[Seeking70s]

This is hole 2 at an area 9 hole track, Meadowlark Golf Course.

It's a 414 yard par 4 which doglegs dogleg right. The pinched space between the water and the trees right is ~50-55 yards.

The relevant detail not captured in the image below: the ground slopes down towards the water from all directions, which takes Driver out of play (~270 yards to the water edge but effectively much shorter - have tried and ended up dropping multiple times).

Currently, I try to hit a shot that ends up going 240 yards at the white marker pictured and accept that at my skill level (~5 handicap) this is a par 4.5+ and double bogey avoidance is what's most important.

Even with this strategy, I often end up at an angle where one of the small straggling trees or the larger treeline past the water makes a near-GIR difficult and I have to hit a fairly conservative 2nd shot.

Just making sure I'm not missing something here.

[Ty_Webb]

How are the trees on the right? Is that lost ball jungle or findable but difficult (low canopy) or findable and playable (high canopy)? My initial impression from the picture is you're aiming 70+ yards away from the trees on the right - can you play closer to them at the 240 range? Or is the slope taking the ball over to the white marker anyway?

[saevel25]

I don't know what your shot zone is. If those trees just before the water are tall enough to impact your 2nd shot, this is just a tough hole. 

I suspect this hole plays much easier for a fader of the ball. They can then hug the tree line more and play against the slope to the water. 55 yards wide is wide enough to hit driver in my opinion. If the golfer can only draw the ball, then maybe just lay it back enough to have sub 200 in. If you hit it right, they should be able to draw it towards the green. 

It might not be too bad to press those trees before the water. A 160 yard low punch shot that runs up to the green isn't that difficult of a shot. Compared to a 200+ yard 2nd shot? 

 

[Seeking70s]

29 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

How are the trees on the right? Is that lost ball jungle or findable but difficult (low canopy) or findable and playable (high canopy)? My initial impression from the picture is you're aiming 70+ yards away from the trees on the right - can you play closer to them at the 240 range? Or is the slope taking the ball over to the white marker anyway?

They are very high - lost ball jungle. Could probably aim slightly more to the right though, valid point.

The trees along the right do come into play there on your tee shot if you take it too far right and don't launch it high.

28 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

I don't know what your shot zone is. If those trees just before the water are tall enough to impact your 2nd shot, this is just a tough hole. 

I suspect this hole plays much easier for a fader of the ball. They can then hug the tree line more and play against the slope to the water. 55 yards wide is wide enough to hit driver in my opinion. If the golfer can only draw the ball, then maybe just lay it back enough to have sub 200 in. If you hit it right, they should be able to draw it towards the green. 

It might not be too bad to press those trees before the water. A 160 yard low punch shot that runs up to the green isn't that difficult of a shot. Compared to a 200+ yard 2nd shot? 

 

I am a push-drawer with a moderate to high amount of curvature (working on tightening that up). Depending on where exactly my ball ends up, those trees can affect the 2nd shot.

Another good idea here though, could take 1 more club up and really try to get as close to the water as possible (safely).