That One Blowup Hole Per Round

[iceman777]

I only manage to get in 9 holes a week . On a good day , I'll shoot 44. Invariably though , I always have one super bad hole , ie snowman , which ruins my chances to have a really good round . Usually it comes on a par 5 , where I hit my 5 hybrid on my second shot . It's either feast or famine . I just can't bring myself to put the club away and go with maybe 2 consecutive iron shots. Should I keep trying or take that club out of the bag . The funny thing is , when I use the hybrid on the range , I usually hit it pretty good . Unfortunately , on the course I don't get any "do-overs "

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by iceman777

I only manage to get in 9 holes a week . On a good day , I'll shoot 44. Invariably though , I always have one super bad hole , ie snowman , which ruins my chances to have a really good round . Usually it comes on a par 5 , where I hit my 5 hybrid on my second shot . It's either feast or famine . I just can't bring myself to put the club away and go with maybe 2 consecutive iron shots. Should I keep trying or take that club out of the bag . The funny thing is , when I use the hybrid on the range , I usually hit it pretty good . Unfortunately , on the course I don't get any "do-overs "

Snap that sucker in half.

[David in FL]

Let's play with this a little.  I'll make some rough yardage assumptions and you can go ahead and correct them as needed.....

Let's assume a 500 yard par-5.

You hit driver a modest 220.  If you hit 5h, 180 yds on a "good" swing, that leaves you 100 yds, maybe a PW into the green.

If you decide to replace the unreliable 5h, with say a reliable 6 iron that you tend to hit only 150 yds, you now have 130 yards in to the green.  An easy 8 iron, even for a relatively short hitter.

How would you like to know that you're going to be hitting 8 irons into the green virtually every time on the par 5's, instead of wondering if you're gonna blow up with your 5h yet again?  Are those extra 20 or 30 yards worth it?  Not to me....

Just one "made up" example, but that's the type of decision making process to go through.  Given what you've told us, I'm putting that damn hybrid into time out until it's ready to behave a lot more consistently!

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Let's play with this a little.  I'll make some rough yardage assumptions and you can go ahead and correct them as needed.....

Let's assume a 500 yard par-5.

You hit driver a modest 220.  If you hit 5h, 180 yds on a "good" swing, that leaves you 100 yds, maybe a PW into the green.

If you decide to replace the unreliable 5h, with say a reliable 6 iron that you tend to hit only 150 yds, you now have 130 yards in to the green.  An easy 8 iron, even for a relatively short hitter.

How would you like to know that you're going to be hitting 8 irons into the green virtually every time on the par 5's, instead of wondering if you're gonna blow up with your 5h yet again?  Are those extra 20 or 30 yards worth it?  Not to me....

Just one "made up" example, but that's the type of decision making process to go through.  Given what you've told us, I'm putting that damn hybrid into time out until it's ready to behave a lot more consistently!

This. Absolutely.

On a long par 5, my second shot is typically gonna be my 3 wood. Because I either hit a good shot with it, or I hit it super thin and it worm burns 150 yards...almost always one of the other. Either way, it works out well for me. If it's something I have a tendency to hit OB or into big trouble, not worth it...

[boogielicious]

For the second shot, you need to look at how the hole is designed.  If the risk/reward merits going for the green, then do it.  But if it is set up to penalize deeply, then do as David suggests. This is how you get your scores to be more consistent.

The other situation is a bad tee shot.  Sometimes it is smarter to get the ball in play and try to get on the green in 3 than trying to do a hero shot.

[Pappy091]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Let's play with this a little.  I'll make some rough yardage assumptions and you can go ahead and correct them as needed.....

Let's assume a 500 yard par-5.

You hit driver a modest 220.  If you hit 5h, 180 yds on a "good" swing, that leaves you 100 yds, maybe a PW into the green.

If you decide to replace the unreliable 5h, with say a reliable 6 iron that you tend to hit only 150 yds, you now have 130 yards in to the green.  An easy 8 iron, even for a relatively short hitter.

How would you like to know that you're going to be hitting 8 irons into the green virtually every time on the par 5's, instead of wondering if you're gonna blow up with your 5h yet again?  Are those extra 20 or 30 yards worth it?  Not to me....

Just one "made up" example, but that's the type of decision making process to go through.  Given what you've told us, I'm putting that damn hybrid into time out until it's ready to behave a lot more consistently!

I'm actually planning on doing pretty much this the next time I play. When I am in a groove I can hit my driver straight all day. The trouble is that I haven't been able to find that groove lately. Next time I go out I am going to leave the driver in the bag and stick with 3W/Hybrid shots of the tee and see how it affects my score.

[Dave2512]

Blow up holes are part of the game for everyone. I don't focus on that as much as making the most of scoring opportunities. A double after a bad shot into a hazard is an understandable result. Missing a short putt for par is a bigger problem. The little mental errors is where I pile on the strokes.

[iceman777]

Thanks . I'm going to try the 5 iron and leave the hybrid home , so I won't be tempted .  Trouble is , it's relatively new and I treated myself to a  Ping g25 . Ouch...  $$$$

[RickK]

I know the feeling.  One of my home courses #1 handicap hole is a treacherous par 5.  On occasions, I catch a good drive and have a shot about of about 220 to the green.  There is water on the right from about 140 in.  The smart play is to hit 2 gap wedges and hope to be close for a reasonable birdie putt.  But, 7 out of 10 times, I probably am going for the green.  There is OB left and right and water inside the OB right and up to the green.  My chances of hooking it OB are greater than I would care to talk about.  I guess the real problem...I have made eagle there before and want another one.  No, the real problem is between my ears.

[clearwaterms]

Originally Posted by iceman777

Thanks . I'm going to try the 5 iron and leave the hybrid home , so I won't be tempted .  Trouble is , it's relatively new and I treated myself to a  Ping g25 . Ouch...  $$$$

Don't swing so hard.

I recently picked up a 3h Ping G25, and the feel of the club was a little lighter than my irons.  At first I was over swinging.  The net result was a lot of inconsistency.  I grooved the feeling of a shorter back swing with the club (slower, more controlled, and stopping earlier) and worked on grooving the tempo with that back swing and the result was alot more consistency with the club.

think about trying to hit the hybrid 10 yards shorter than you are capable of.  So if it is your 180 club, try to hit it 170.

It might not be your problem, but I can tell you that alot of people in our ability level (bogey golfers) have a tendency to try over swinging.  Especially on shots when we are laying up to a distance of "as close as possible"

[WhySoSerious]

I'd learn to hit the 5H, don't let an obstacle that you've created for yourself keep you from playing better.If you hit it well at the range then pay more attention to why.

[rustyredcab]

I call it, "Suckerville" -- that distance where I am tempted to go for the shot. The 10th at my home course is a very simple 3-shot par five. But, IF I crank a drive and catch the speed-slot, and then hit a very precise 3-Hybrid, I can have a putt for eagle. I'll bet my scoring average is better when I leave myself 260 or more for the second shot and avoid the temptation of going for it. I know my standard deviation is smaller when I avoid Suckerville.

Avoid the temptation. Hit a 3-wood (or your lovely new hybrid) off the tee. Play short of Suckerville. Remember Zach Johnson the year he won the Masters. He never laid up on every par five that week and played the fives better than anyone in the field.

[stealthduffer]

I am learning (painfully slowly) to play the shot that leaves me the next best shot (per Tommy Armour).  In many cases that means hitting iron from the tee - especially on "nemesis holes".  We played at the Pete Dye River Course at VT last weekend and hit 5 iron off the tee several times, and 3H several more.  I can generally hit the 5I 200-210 yards though a little shorter last week (it was wet, wet, wet).  I was hitting greens with 7I or 8I after that and making pars.  At my home course I always mess up my drive on #4.  Started hitting my 5I - willing to take a bogey rather than a 7 or 8 (and in one moment of briliance a 9 when I hooked 2X out of bounds!).  Does wonders for the attitude to not blow the whole round before you get to the 5th tee.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

I just get on in one. 500 yard drives FTW.

But seriously if you can't hit the green in 2 with the hybrid I think it's an easy decision. If you can, then the decision I think comes down to how much trouble there is on the hole whether to play it safe or let it rip.