How Would You Play It? (14ledo81)

[14ledo81]

Even though this hole is short, it gives me trouble.  If I lay up to the area I normally do, it gives me about a PW to a shallow green.  Long on this green is very bad, and with the sand, short right is no good as well.

In mid-summer, the hole typically plays downwind.  It is also mostly downhill.  In these conditions, depending on how I am hitting, I have hit driver.  If I catch it clean, I can carry the 225 bunker with the downhill and wind helping.  Even though the fairway narrows a bit (it is rough between the fairway bunker and greenside bunkers), if you can get it to that area, for me it is preferable to the lay up area.

Any other ideas?  Other than learn how to carry 225 in all conditions.

[David in FL]

How bad is the rough?

Assuming I'm not missing something, I'm hitting driver and am going to favor the left side.  I'm guessing that they like to tuck the pin back right.

I'm not long, but I comfortably carry 225 and even if I end up in the rough, I only have to gouge a little wedge of some sort onto the green.  Downwind, I imagine the greenside bunkers can be reached.....what are they, 270ish?   Nothing wrong with that either.

I'm just not seeing anything here that says I'm going to gain strokes by laying back....

[LuciusWooding]

Why can't you go left of the bunker? The area over there seems pretty immense with only 2 small trees and some rough, plus there's no bunkers to carry on the approach so you can play a flyer. If you could hit it into the bunker, I don't see why you couldn't get it past that tree. It'd help if you could carry a bit farther, but I've learned that rough is usually fair game if you have an angle, and often not worth aiming away from if it brings other trouble in play. That bunker would probably make you miss the GIR, but sometimes the rough is part of the challenge of a hole for me, and the fairway is only part of the target area.

Unless you hit a low fade I'd just hit it as far as I could left of the bunker, carrying that seems like it's tough for you but I'd hit right over them if you could get a 240ish carry. At least if you have to think about how to play the hole, you're probably playing the right tees.

[MikeRanaldo]

i would probably hit a 3 wood off the tee. i can carry that around 250 or so, sometimes more. that would give me a wedge into the green. i might hit 5 wood, if the hole is playing downwind, i'd probably be able to carry the 225 bunker

[saevel25]

I'd go for the green, hit a draw off the right green side bunker. If it goes straight it would probably be in the bunker which wouldn't be too bad.

[inthehole]

Looks tight, so wouldn't challenge it .... go with easy 2h - 195 or so off tee, wedge in for par (maybe a birdie putt if I'm lucky)

[colin007]

im hitting driver, if it goes straight great, if it fades like i have a tendency to do, then it should be right where the white box saying "fairway narrows..." is.

[14ledo81]

  David in FL said:

How bad is the rough?

Assuming I'm not missing something, I'm hitting driver and am going to favor the left side.  I'm guessing that they like to tuck the pin back right.

I'm not long, but I comfortably carry 225 and even if I end up in the rough, I only have to gouge a little wedge of some sort onto the green.  Downwind, I imagine the greenside bunkers can be reached.....what are they, 270ish?   Nothing wrong with that either.

I'm just not seeing anything here that says I'm going to gain strokes by laying back....

Rough is not bad.  That is why I mentioned that I would definitely prefer to be over the fairwary bunker (with a shorter club in hand), and in the rough, than be at the 110 mark with a PW.

  LuciusWooding said:

Why can't you go left of the bunker? The area over there seems pretty immense with only 2 small trees and some rough, plus there's no bunkers to carry on the approach so you can play a flyer. If you could hit it into the bunker, I don't see why you couldn't get it past that tree. It'd help if you could carry a bit farther, but I've learned that rough is usually fair game if you have an angle, and often not worth aiming away from if it brings other trouble in play. That bunker would probably make you miss the GIR, but sometimes the rough is part of the challenge of a hole for me, and the fairway is only part of the target area.

Unless you hit a low fade I'd just hit it as far as I could left of the bunker, carrying that seems like it's tough for you but I'd hit right over them if you could get a 240ish carry. At least if you have to think about how to play the hole, you're probably playing the right tees.

The trees are larger than they look, and my mishits with driver tend to be either a push (into the fairway bunker) or a hook (in jail amongst the trees to the left).  That is why I have typically laid up unless I am hitting it very well that day.  If I wanted to play the hole safe (regardless of pin placement), I would lay up to the 110 mark.  Then I would favor the left and short side of the green.  If I am on the front edge, great.  If not, I have a reasonable chance to get up and down.  Hopefully, worst case would be a bogey.  If I wind up in the fairway bunker or left in the trees, it brings doubles or worse into the equation.

[Dave2512]

Did you say how long this hole is total? Looks to be around 300ish. I am going for the green. Probably won't get it there but there doesn't appear to be any trouble unless those trees are closer than they look. The bunkers aren't much of a threat.

[M2R]

I would tend to hit the longest club I have confidence in trying to get as close to the green as possible.

The FW bunker doesn't look penal enough*, excepting getting unlucky with the lie, to make me thing the risk of trying to drive over it isn't worth the risk. But all that depends on how deep and fluffy it is.

And the greenside bunkers are going to be a problem regardless so better to potentially (not likely for me though) bounce a drive into them in 1 stroke than plug a spinning wedge shot into them in 2 strokes.

Anyway at my level a flubbed drive still may, by accident, end up as well as a layup shot I intended.

*In the Google Earth photo but the hole description says deep FW bunker and the OP clearly considers it penal so idk.

  Dave2512 said:

Did you say how long this hole is total? Looks to be around 300ish. I am going for the green. Probably won't get it there but there doesn't appear to be any trouble unless those trees are closer than they look. The bunkers aren't much of a threat.

Roughly 320 back 290 front on the scorecard.

[14ledo81]

  M2R said:

I would tend to hit the longest club I have confidence in trying to get as close to the green as possible.

The FW bunker doesn't look penal enough*, excepting getting unlucky with the lie, to make me thing the risk of trying to drive over it isn't worth the risk. But all that depends on how deep and fluffy it is.

And the greenside bunkers are going to be a problem regardless so better to potentially (not likely for me though) bounce a drive into them in 1 stroke than plug a spinning wedge shot into them in 2 strokes.

Anyway at my level a flubbed drive still may, by accident, end up as well as a layup shot I intended.

*In the Google Earth photo but the hole description says deep FW bunker and the OP clearly considers it penal so idk.

Interesting point.  I do not think that the fairway bunker is so penal as not to allow me to get close to the green with the second.  Worst case, I may be a bit farther away than my PW aimed at the front edge.  Still should be able to get a bogey.  Maybe I should start playing it toward the left side of the fairway bunker with a driver.  If I carry it, great.  If not, I could still try to get close to the green and hopefully down in two from there for a bogey.  If I draw it a little, best case.  On the fairway with a short club in hand.

[Golfingdad]

  14ledo81 said:

Even though this hole is short, it gives me trouble.  If I lay up to the area I normally do, it gives me about a PW to a shallow green.  Long on this green is very bad, and with the sand, short right is no good as well.

In mid-summer, the hole typically plays downwind.  It is also mostly downhill.  In these conditions, depending on how I am hitting, I have hit driver.  If I catch it clean, I can carry the 225 bunker with the downhill and wind helping.  Even though the fairway narrows a bit (it is rough between the fairway bunker and greenside bunkers), if you can get it to that area, for me it is preferable to the lay up area.

Any other ideas?  Other than learn how to carry 225 in all conditions.

Based on scaling it with my eyes, I'm inclined to say that I'd just hit driver over the fairway bunker because 225 carry downwind should not be a problem for me.  It shouldn't even be a problem with a 3-wood, so if I was struggling with the driver, I think I'd still hit it long.

I'm trying to get away from overthinking things, because it wasn't that long ago that I'd play real safe to avoid trouble and hit an iron to stay short of the bunker.  But that's silly because it eliminates most all chance of a birdie and if I happen to mess up the lay up it makes par tougher than it needs to be as well.

Just out of curiousity though:

1. What is the length of the hole to the center of the green?
2. How far to reach the greenside bunker?
3. What is the distance remaining from the fairway bunker to the green?

[MS256]

Looks like a green light to hit the ball whatever distance I could hit the ball.

If clearing the bunker was at the borderline of my distance it would still be a go, but I would aim just left of the bunker.

If it goes in the bunker, so be it. I've been in worse places from further out than that.

[14ledo81]

@Golfingdad ,

1) Length is about 290 from the whites (where I play), 305 from blues +or-, and 315 or so from blacks?

2) Not sure exactly, but 275 from the whites should do it.

3) 75 to center +or-

To me this would not be that difficult of a hole if you can consistently carry the fairway bunker.  Past the fairway bunker, it opens up a bit (wider), even though its rough on the right.  Still would leave a pretty short club for the second.

My main problem with this hole (IMO) is that I can't consistently carry the fairway bunker.

[Golfingdad]

  14ledo81 said:

@Golfingdad ,

1) Length is about 290 from the whites (where I play), 305 from blues +or-, and 315 or so from blacks?

2) Not sure exactly, but 275 from the whites should do it.

3) 75 to center +or-

To me this would not be that difficult of a hole if you can consistently carry the fairway bunker.  Past the fairway bunker, it opens up a bit (wider), even though its rough on the right.  Still would leave a pretty short club for the second.

My main problem with this hole (IMO) is that I can't consistently carry the fairway bunker.

OK, then, yeah, I'd likely just smack a driver or 3 wood over the bunker.  Two more questions:

1. How thick is the rough over by theose 3 trees on the right?
2. And, what is the area to the left of the hole?  OB?  Inbounds but probably lost ball?  Just rough?

If it's just rough, then definitely green light with the driver.  If it's mucky muck stuff or OB, then 3 wood or even hybrid, which maybe could clear the bunker with a little wind help.  Maybe.  But it certainly won't go far enough left to reach the goop.

[boogielicious]

The old me would have hit a 4 iron or 3H to layup before the fairway bunker.  This year, I would take out driver and aim for the fairway bunker. If it draws like it has been, I will be left of the bunker.  Otherwise, I am in the fairway bunker.  I carry 210.  If I have wind from behind, I am over the bunker.

[14ledo81]

  Golfingdad said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

@Golfingdad ,

1) Length is about 290 from the whites (where I play), 305 from blues +or-, and 315 or so from blacks?

2) Not sure exactly, but 275 from the whites should do it.

3) 75 to center +or-

To me this would not be that difficult of a hole if you can consistently carry the fairway bunker.  Past the fairway bunker, it opens up a bit (wider), even though its rough on the right.  Still would leave a pretty short club for the second.

My main problem with this hole (IMO) is that I can't consistently carry the fairway bunker.

OK, then, yeah, I'd likely just smack a driver or 3 wood over the bunker.  Two more questions:

How thick is the rough over by theose 3 trees on the right?

And, what is the area to the left of the hole?  OB?  Inbounds but probably lost ball?  Just rough?

If it's just rough, then definitely green light with the driver.  If it's mucky muck stuff or OB, then 3 wood or even hybrid, which maybe could clear the bunker with a little wind help.  Maybe.  But it certainly won't go far enough left to reach the goop.

1) The rough is not bad, but those tree are bushy and fairly tall.  If you are behind them, and close to them, you are pitching sideways.

2) Left of the hole is OB or woods, and fairly close.  Not a good place to be.

[Golfingdad]

  14ledo81 said:

1) The rough is not bad, but those tree are bushy and fairly tall.  If you are behind them, and close to them, you are pitching sideways.

2) Left of the hole is OB or woods, and fairly close.  Not a good place to be.

3 wood it is !!! Driver stays in the bag.