235 Out on This Par Five - What's the Play?

[iacas]

The situation: +1 on the day, E on the back nine, and you drive it into the right side of the fairway on the par-five 13th.

The wind is into you a little bit. You have 235 yards to a back right hole location and 215 to clear the middle of the right bunker. Your hybrid flies about 225-235, your 3W about 245, and your 3I 210, 4I 200, etc. You're playing well and hitting the ball solidly.

Long and left of the green is a big steep drop-off (it's tough to see this in the pictures) of about 15-20 feet in height. There's a big bowl in the front-left corner of the green.

What's the play?

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Here's as much supporting information as I can provide.

The shot (on a straight line). 215 yards carries the middle of the right bunker:

This shows a bit about how the green is built up:

A view from the fairway, pretty close to where I was playing from:

This is the green (showing off the bowl - the pin was behind where I hit the putts):

 

 

The hole on Lake View's site:

http://lakeviewcc.com/course/holes.php?hole=13

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So again, basically, answer this question in detail, ideally as if you're me (given the yardages, skill level, etc. above) and then as yourself if you'd like:

What's the play? Why?

[Jeremie Boop]

As you, hybrid with the wind into you should land just passed the bunker and end up on the green considering striking the ball well. Even if you end up just short and in the bunker  you should have a decent shot at getting up and down for birdie.

As me the right play would be lay up with 5i short and left of the green to pitch up and back to the hole location, but I'm typically going to play the hybrid shot.

Probably way off on my call but that's what I think.

[0ldblu3]

I would hit an 8 or 9 iron to a comfortable wedge distance so that I am on 3 (GIR) and have a putt for birdie. This is the way I play the par 5's on my course unless I get a good roll on a drive which green lights going for it. There doesn't seem to be big trouble right around the green, so I would be tempted to pull my 3 hybrid and go for the green, starting toward the left bunker and trying to fade it back, but that is a much, much lower percentage shot. The big trouble is getting the shot swatted down by the trees on the right.

OK, a little bit of stream of consciousness there. Obviously can't play both shots, so I'll go with the layup iron (favoring the left half of the fairway to provide an angle to the flag) and wedge into the green. I'm comfortable with those shots. Specifically, an 8i and then my 53 degree.

[Ernest Jones]

If I have your skillset I aim for the left edge of the green and hit a straight fade to try and cut it around the trees and up through the opening between the two traps. If I get the fade I'm looking for I'm in business, if it doesnt fade or doesn't fade enough I should still be on the green and putting or just shy of it with a wedge (possibly Texas) in hand. I think there is far too much trouble in play if I take a straight line at the pin.

If it's me I still aim for the left edge but I lay up to my 56* yardage around 95-100 yards out.

If I'm Logman I just don't use my wrists and hole out for Albatross.

[Golfingdad]

If I am you:

Because the wind is into me a little bit, I assume it's safe to say that hybrid will be closer to the 225 number than the 235 number, which should take that steep slope behind the left side of the green out of the equation.  So, as you, I'd play my hybrid at the middle of the green.  Basically, my target line would be directly over the left edge of the right bunker.  I'm likely to end up in the bowl, but that just means I have an uphill putt. :)

If I am me:

When it comes to hybrids and fairway woods, I am wildly inconsistent, so I would just take a 5-iron (190 or so) directly at the right edge of the left bunker, leaving myself a fairly straightforward pitch for my third.

My hybrid, when struck well, goes about 225, but more often than not, it is not struck well, so there are too many variables I'm bringing in to play if I hit it.  If I go at the green, I could see myself thinning it into the trees right in front of me, or if I try to hit a cut around them, could also easily see myself hitting it straight or drawing it into the trees on the left.

[UncleRobot]

I would aim for the bunker on the left and play a fade with my 3W. The wind might stop the shot short leaving a simple chip, but if it didn't, the shot shape would allow for the ball to land softly on the green. This would take the steep drop off to the left out of play, but might introduce the bunker on the right as a possible landing area. It being a par 5 2nd shot, the right front bunker would still be a nice place to be pitching from for eagle. The green being elevated also should be accounted for when picking a club for maximum distance. I would go with the 3W based on that consideration.

[bplewis24]

Do you have a particular shot shape you are comfortable with?

[Dave2512]

I haven't played anywhere but CO since I got back into golf so I have no idea. If that same hole was here with the trees I'd hit a 7i and pitch it after for whatever is left.

[boogielicious]

You did not state how tall the trees on the right are, so I am assuming I cannot hit over them. I would fade a 3 iron aiming at the left bunker and try to run it on the green if I am hitting the ball solid with the long iron.  The hybrid will be too long for my lower flight.  If I hit the green left with the hybrid, it will go in the drop off.  I would need get it to stop if it faded toward the pin, which is doubtful.  So the 3 iron would be my best bet if I was going for eagle.  The left bunker has more green to work with than the right and I don't have to worry about the drop off if I go long on the bunker shot.

If the long irons aren't good, I lay up to 100 yards with my nine iron or choke up 8 (135 yard shot).  I use my 54 wedge to drop it near the pin.  I can get one hop and stop with the wedge.

[MS256]

If I am most of the good golfers I play with.

I'm hitting the hybrid at the center of the green. (Because they are all very good at long straight shots).

If I am me.

I'm starting a cut 3 wood at the middle of the green. (Because I like to work the ball either direction anyway and from the pictures it looks like it would suit me).

Either way I'm not laying up because my short irons suck lately and I'm trying to make an eagle to make up for the 2 bogeys I just made.

[cipher]

I choke up on the 225-235 club slightly and hit a fade.  You won't go long and hitting into the bunker is not a problem.  You don't risk going over the back and if you end up in a bunker you should not risk worse than par.

[jamo]

Stream of consciousness a bit here: So 235 to the pin, 215 to clear that bunker, guessing about 225 to get to the back tier of the green. Wind slightly in basically cancelled out by the hole playing a bit downhill. Trees on the right easily cleared with normal height with a hybrid. Over the green is much worse than short, right, or left, so 3-wood is out. Choice is then between hybrid and a long iron. If I'm going to hit iron, I would throttle back and take probably a 5-iron, in order to avoid the bunker and aim for the front fringe. If I'm hitting the ball well, I'd probably pick hybrid. The shot doesn't require a cut, but with those trees there I'm not sure my brain would allow me to hit anything else. A high cut has been my stock shot lately with long clubs. Note: my natural inclination is to over-club.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

A view from the fairway, pretty close to where I was playing from:

Originally Posted by boogielicious

You did not state how tall the trees on the right are, so I am assuming I cannot hit over them.

Here's a picture from where his ball sat.  I may have incorrectly assumed that first tree in the picture is the tallest one you have to hit over.  It kind of looks to me like the biggest tree(s) - the ones that are "framing" the first one - are behind the green.  Which led me to believe that the trees (for somebody of Erik's caliber) are not really an issue at all.

[Dave2512]

Looks like the ball would have to fall out of the sky immediately after the line trees to stick it if you hit over them. The other pic shows them backing pretty close to the green near the center of the trap. Tough to do with a longer club, even a soft landing hybrid rolls a bit.  If that's what he did that would be sick.

[iacas]

You can't hit over the trees. Not with anything below about an 8-iron.

[Big C]

Originally Posted by iacas

You can't hit over the trees. Not with anything below about an 8-iron.

The picture must not do it justice. From that photo, I would estimate about a 6-iron would generate enough height for me to clear (granted I have a higher than average ball flight).

My original answer would have been just that - a 6 iron to make sure I cleared the tree line, even in the event that I pushed it a touch to the right. If the trees were too high, then I would play a 9 iron to about 100 and leave myself a full gap wedge.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Big C

The picture must not do it justice. From that photo, I would estimate about a 6-iron would generate enough height for me to clear (granted I have a higher than average ball flight).

My original answer would have been just that - a 6 iron to make sure I cleared the tree line, even in the event that I pushed it a touch to the right. If the trees were too high, then I would play a 9 iron to about 100 and leave myself a full gap wedge.

All clubs go the same height, but they reach their peak heights at different points in the flight.

The only clubs that would clear the trees are going to land amongst them if you take a direct line to the flag.

[MS256]

Now I have a strong urge to hit the shot.