How Would You Play It? (5th Hole at Rancho Park)

[mdl]

Let me clarify.....

"I'd try to fade a full driver down the fairway"------>  Smart Play

"When my slice puts it in the wrong fairway"------>  Poor Result

I'm glad to hear that a similar handicap has also had similar results......

Haha.  Yeah.  Like I said above, when my driver results were pretty much only something in the range of baby fade -> push-fade -> push-slice, this was my strategy as well.  When it worked it was super satisfying, turning an often difficult hole into a short wedge approach where you like your chances of a solid birdie putt. It was always a bummer on this hole when I hit a tee shot terrible enough that I thought at least I'd gotten all the way over to the other fairway and would have an open look, then hit what I thought was a great approach, only to walk up to the green and see that, yup, it hadn't quite cleared the last tree again and I was now only hoping it'd made it far enough that I didn't have to try to punch a chip into a green where too long might be dead!

Funny about the HC.  I remember when I was playing in the 12-15 range thinking that I just needed to make it to 8-9 to not be hitting balls out of the wrong fairway regularly and whatnot.  How we learn...

[CarlSpackler]

It's rather difficult to come up with a game plan from an overhead shot only. Golf is a three dimensional game. For all I know, those were small trees to give you the option of getting there from the next fairway. At any rate, I would probably have to lay back on this hole with an 4- iron given my tenancy to miss left with the OB over there. A fade with the driver would be ideal, but it's not my normal shot.

[dsc123]

If you're like me, and your driver "miss" is to the right, I'd hit the driver.  A little right could put you in decent position.  Otherwise I'd hit the 3W.

[rehmwa]

At any rate, I would probably have to lay back on this hole with an 4- iron given my tenancy to miss left with the OB over there. A fade with the driver would be ideal, but it's not my normal shot.

No place for this type of thinking - it's smart, considers your normal shot shape in the decision, and allows a decent iron tee shot on a short par 4 if your driver or 3w is not fitting the tee shot.....

how dare you sir

[jakepalm]

Golf is a three dimensional game. For all I know, those were small trees to give you the option of getting there from the next fairway.

Honestly, screw even going for the trees. I will just use my 4 iron and smack it off the tee and then progressively use irons and wedges until I get to the green.

[CarlSpackler]

No place for this type of thinking - it's smart, considers your normal shot shape in the decision, and allows a decent iron tee shot on a short par 4 if your driver or 3w is not fitting the tee shot.....

how dare you sir

Well, I say that here on the innerwebs, but when I get out on the course and the voices inside my head say, "You got this shot homes.", I would probably try a cut with driver...

right before teeing up my third.

If this hole was turning left, I'm definitely pulling the big dog. How dare THEY design a hold for slicers. We all know that they should be punished.

[WUTiger]

I would go with a 3W fade. It would carry higher than the Driver, and would cross the edge rather than fly the main part of the tree on right. With the positioning, it would not likely go OB, and probably wouldn't go downhill if the fade turned to a slice.

A too-hot driver could run into the first left bunker, leaving one of those tricky long sand shots.

A 9i approach is manageable, and would allow me a full shot - with backspin - into a narrow green.

[Aguirre]

Driver.  Sand wedge.  Sink the ten footer.

PROFIT

[Dave2512]

I may have missed but is this a sub 400 yard par 4? If so I would cut the corner with a driver. My parents club has a hole like this, #9 at The Ranch CC, but there is a really long trap to discourage men from taking it over the trees. About a 250 carry gets me to the trap on that hole but it plays dang near straight uphill so got to crack it.