How Would You Play It? (16th at Whispering Woods)

[mdl]

So the risk of hitting 3 wood is having to hit your third from 60-80 yards out of the rough, most likely, after a drop, whereas the risk of the driver is hitting a 30 yard bunker shot.  I will take the "reward" of avoiding the hazards all day long.

I didn't read the map and pic on their site like that.  It looks to me that where Erik put the "3" actually clears the water left, and a pull just runs down the hill into the rough.  Still could lose it in the trees left, but to me it looked like 3W cleared the water left, which is why I went with that club.  If I'm not carrying the water part of the danger left with a 3w, then I agree, I'm either going driver or hybrid or even long iron.

[Golfingdad]

I didn't read the map and pic on their site like that.  It looks to me that where Erik put the "3" actually clears the water left, and a pull just runs down the hill into the rough.  Still could lose it in the trees left, but to me it looked like 3W cleared the water left, which is why I went with that club.  If I'm not carrying the water part of the danger left with a 3w, then I agree, I'm either going driver or hybrid or even long iron.

Here's what I see:

As I interpret it, a 3 wood puts both hazards in range, a hybrid takes one of them out, and only a driver or something less than a hybrid takes both of them out.  Without more to go on, I'll go driver.  But if I'm hitting my driver poorly that day, or have been struggling out of the bunkers, or have been hitting my irons pure and knocking my wedges stiff, then maybe I'll go iron.

But anything in the middle seems too risky.

[pepsiplusconker]

I haven't read any replies yet but I'd go with the 3w.

I think 60 yards, plus the elevation would be good for my 58 wedge and give me the best chance of stopping the ball on the green.

I have a few holes on my home course with elevation changes like this, maybe one is even worse, you have to really muscle a high lofted club other wise the ball will hit the green almost at the top of it's arc and run straight through, very tough hole.

[sopel10]

At my level, something that flies the hazards and gets me the closest to the whole usually works out the best.  I could lay up very very short and have an iron into the green, but my GIR percentage is not the greatest.

I would hit the driver, hope for the best, worst case scenario, flying the hazards and dealing with the rough/bunkers (which could have also happened if I layed up).

Nice course. :)

[MS256]

Here's what I see:

As I interpret it, a 3 wood puts both hazards in range, a hybrid takes one of them out, and only a driver or something less than a hybrid takes both of them out.  Without more to go on, I'll go driver.  But if I'm hitting my driver poorly that day, or have been struggling out of the bunkers, or have been hitting my irons pure and knocking my wedges stiff, then maybe I'll go iron.

But anything in the middle seems too risky.

Wish I could say that.

For me a driver brings all of the hazards in the picture (and probably some that are not in the picture) into play.

[Lihu]

Wish I could say that.

For me a driver brings all of the hazards in the picture (and probably some that are not in the picture) into play.

Part of the setup for the situation is:

"For the sake of this discussion, let's assume that you're playing a set of tees that puts your driver where the D is, your 3W where the 3 is, and your 3-hybrid where the "H" is."

So, the only thing I can think of is if you overdrive the green

Seriously, the picture from the website looks like the water on the right is very small, almost like a mud puddle with plants growing in it or something like that. The chances of hitting it while aiming for the bunker looks pretty minimal. The place I would not want to end up is downhill and in the larger patch of water to the left.

[mdl]

I didn't even see that mini hazard to the right...  From @Golfingdad 's picture it sure looks like he's right.  I took my impression largely from this pic from their site:

From this I took that the actually hazardous part of the hazard to the left (right in the pic) is actually quite small, and if a good 3w ends up at the 3 in the OP picture, you'd have to hit a weak pull or low hook not to clear that little circle of reeds/bushes growing out of where there is actually water.  But the more I think about it, I think this might be a driver hole, or mid+ to long iron depending on the needed carry for the creek if the driver's really cold that day.

[iacas]

Let me know when y'all want what I'd say are the answers. It's been given at least once correctly, I'll say that much. :)

If I drew arrows, the hills are fairly steep. I'd say more, but I'd give it away.

[CarlSpackler]

Let me know when y'all want what I'd say are the answers. It's been given at least once correctly, I'll say that much. :) If I drew arrows, the hills are fairly steep. I'd say more, but I'd give it away.

I've been waiting for your thoughts.

[k14]

I'd go hybrid, purely because that is the club I know I can hit the straightest. Hitting 3w and Driver (for me) both bring into range the deep rough and it isn't worth it for reducing the shot into the green from ~90 yards to 60 yards or less. That way I can put a full swing on the club and get it to check on the right yardage.

Purely from reading the lowest score wins thread etc I am guessing Erik will say hit driver cause the closer you are to the hole the lower score you are going to get. But for me hitting driver or 3w bring in double bogey to the equation. Even if I hit a poor tee shot with the hybrid I am still able to most likely have a shot to the green and at worst get bogey.

[Pretzel]

I personally would hit my hybrid to the 90 yards out from the green. This takes the hazard out of play by making it unreachable, while leaving me with a short enough shot that I should be able to hit the green. In addition to missing the hazard, having 90 yards out versus 40-60 (you said that the driver shot would roll back) gives me a steeper landing angle and more spin in order to better hold the green should it have fast conditions.

If I pulled the driver into the left side bunker, I'm left with a shot that I personally don't like in a 30 yard bunker shot. The 3-wood for me just puts the hazards much to close to my landing areas for comfort, the 30 yards closer just isn't worth the risk to me if I mis-hit the 3-wood just a bit and it went left or right.

From 90 yards out I feel I have a good chance at putting the ball on the green, and it can get close if I hit a good shot depending on hole location and course conditions. I just feel like I have a better chance to put my ball on the green and give myself a birdie putt (not sure what the green looks like and where the pin is, that could affect how I feel about the sand shot) with a full wedge than a 30 yard bunker shot. Depending on the slope of the green and the pin placement, however, I may be more inclined to hit driver if the bowl would funnel the ball to the hole.

With the hills being pretty steep and those on the right (in hybrid range) sloping towards the fairway I'd like to say that I feel more confident with that answer now than I did before.

- Going just past the hazard on the right with a driver would wind up in the water, courtesy of the mentioned hills

- The only "bad" miss with a hybrid is a slight pull just off the fairway, with that being the only shot with a chance of ending up in the hazard.

- My personal miss, a hook, misses the hazard on the left because it doesn't go so far left as to bring the "finger" of the left hazard into play.

- A miss in the right rough leaves you with a wide green to hit to, as I tend to miss left and right more often than long or short.

- As an added bonus, being on the right side of the fairway means less deviation from the cartpath if the conditions are wet, you're riding, and carts must stay on paths.

Just a couple more thoughts as to why I'd favor the hybrid myself while I wait for the answer from Iacas.

[David in FL]

I've been waiting for your thoughts.

Ditto

[BuckeyeNut]

The photo's don't to the hole justice.   How I play it depends on those hazard areas to either side and the sloping terrain.   Depending on the severity of the slopes and those tall grassy areas to either side, I may play short of them to leave myself 120yds or so.    If those areas are playable, I may play more aggressive and leave myself a 60yd approach from short of those bunkers.  Under no circumstances do I see a reason to challenge that tiny neck of fairway between the bunkers.

[flopster]

This hole reminds me of #2 at my home course http://www.roddyranch.com/golf-course the way I play it is a 2 hybrid to about 85-90 yards and depending on the wind either a 54* or a 58* to an elevated green of at least 30' . I simply prefer this play because I don't want to take any unnecessary risks with a hole that is a good birdie opportunity without going for it plus laying back 85 or so yards allows me to put a full swing on a wedge so I know I don't have to worry about the ball rolling through if I hit a pitch a bit too strong. Just want to add #2 is the photo on the bottom for members on my home course website.

[chris3putt]

I'd swing a Driver, and not be too upset if I was in the sand.

The hazards are the deciding factor - that, and the need to stop the ball fairly quickly once it's on the green, due to the drop off if you go long. With the green being elevated, approach shots will tend to run on more, so the closer you can be for your second shot, the better.

[BuckeyeNut]

That line of reasoning is partly why you're a 15HC.........  just an observation.

[Golfingdad]

That line of reasoning is partly why you're a 15HC.........  just an observation.

Or perhaps his good decision making has him at 15 instead of 18, and your poor decision making has you at a 3 instead of a 1. Just as likely, no??

[Aguirre]

I golf left handed.  So I'm aiming way right and hitting driver.  If I hook or pull it, I'm fine.  If I hit it straight, I'm in the rough, hitting over a bunker that is set decently far from the green.  If I push/cut it, I'll lose distance but be in the fairway short of the bunkers.  I am concerned about those trees on the right just short of the hybrid landing zone.  If they preclude me from hitting driver, then I'm skipping 3 wood and hitting the hybrid, which in my case would be my 7 wood.