How Would You Play This Hole (500 Yard Par Five)?

[GoodGuyGreg45]

Driver off the tee trying to split the fairway between the right rough and the bunker. If I have 225 or less from the fairway I'd go for it. If I'm outside of 225 or in the bunker I lay up to the 100 yard line trying to hit the right side of that landing area. Appropriate club from there aimed at the middle of the green and hope to have a birdie putt of some sort.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

If I hit the sand.....no big deal.   I can still go for the green from the bunker if I catch a lie....it's a very long bunker, so unless I roll all the way to the far end, there probably won't be lip issues. That bunker is no penalty...IMO.

We're not even playing the same game then. I wish I could strike the ball well enough to trust a 3W, hybrid, or long iron out of a fairway bunker. Any bit of sand before the ball and its in the creek before the green. For me, the bunker is a factor visually off the tee, and it would penalize me by taking away any choice at going for the green in 2.

[David in FL]

3 shot hole for me, I'm just not long enough to get the angle necessary for a shot at the green in 2. Probably just hit 2 hybrids down to the end of the fairway to set up the best/shortest pitch into the green.

[MacDutch]

3 shot hole for me, I'm just not long enough to get the angle necessary for a shot at the green in 2. Probably just hit 2 hybrids down to the end of the fairway to set up the best/shortest pitch into the green.

Dont be too modest. When the wind is in your favour you could hit your power-fade driver and reach the green in two.

[saevel25]

If I only hit it 260 yards, then you'd still have about 250 yards in because going down the right side lengthens the 2nd shot. I would doubt you could make that with a 3 wood if you only hit a driver 260 yards. I think advancing the ball as far as you can down the fairway would be the best option.

For me personally and my game. I would hit an easy driver, and try to get the ball towards the end of that bunker. That would probably leave me about a choke down easy swing hybrid into the green.

[David in FL]

Dont be too modest. When the wind is in your favour you could hit your power-fade driver and reach the green in two.

Only if I get more power than fade .....!

If I only hit it 260 yards, then you'd still have about 250 yards in because going down the right side lengthens the 2nd shot. I would doubt you could make that with a 3 wood if you only hit a driver 260 yards. I think advancing the ball as far as you can down the fairway would be the best option.

For me personally and my game. I would hit an easy driver, and try to get the ball towards the end of that bunker. That would probably leave me about a choke down easy swing hybrid into the green.

I hate you.....

[DeadMan]

This is pretty easy for me, especially after looking at the hole in google maps. If count the bunker as part of your landing area, you have 75 yards to land the ball and not be in the rough. That's a lot of room to miss. I don't see the bunker has being that big of a deal. If you hit it, you're looking at going for the green with your 3rd shot instead of your 2nd. And I've had good success hitting fairway metals out of bunkers, so I think even being in that bunker might not stop me from going for it. If I chunk that shot, I'd still have a ~150 yard shot into the green. Not ideal on a par 5, but not in trouble either.

So, my play:

Driver off the tee - I'd probably aim at the right edge of the bunker. Unless you absolutely cannot get out of the sand in one shot (or can't keep your driver on the planet), I think that should be the play for everybody here. The bunker just isn't as penal on a par 5.

Second shot will depend on where I end up.

If I'm on the left side, I'm laying up to as close to the end of the fairway as possible. Then I'll hit a wedge into the green and probably end up with par. Trying to a shape a shot in to the green here is too risky. Too much trouble. If I don't have a clear look at the green, I'm laying up.

If I'm on the right side, this is a green light special. If I hit an average drive, I'm looking at a 5W into the green. It's a bit tight, but definitely worth it. A drive under 250 would have me lay up same as if I hit the left side.

If I'm in the bunker, I'm probably still going for the green. Unless I hit it far enough that I couldn't hit a 5W into the green. I don't trust a long iron out of the sand. I might still think about it because I still think I'm unlikely to leave the ball in the sand, but I'd probably end up hitting a 150 yard shot to the end of the fairway.

To sum up: bunker doesn't you from making par on this hole. Don't worry about it off the tee - the only real danger is not hitting the 75 yard landing area. If you have a look at the green with your 2nd shot, then go for it.

[vangator]

Why hit a driver to layup on this hole? I'd only think about a driver if I could make it in two. There's too much trouble off the tee and too much trouble around the green. Hitting a driver and going for it in two sounds like a double bogey to me. From the description, this is not a hole to attack. Maybe playing it would change my mind. Get on in three for a chance at birdie. There must be other holes where you can make a score.

[DeadMan]

Why hit a driver to layup on this hole? I'd only think about a driver if I could make it in two. There's too much trouble off the tee and too much trouble around the green. Hitting a driver and going for it in two sounds like a double bogey to me. From the description, this is not a hole to attack. Maybe playing it would change my mind. Get on in three for a chance at birdie. There must be other holes where you can make a score.

I'm not sure if that's directed at me, but I feel pretty good about having a ball in play, and it will be further down than any other club. Again, your landing area is 75 yards wide here. That's huge.

If you lay up off the tee, you're looking at a 200 yard shot to a good lay up spot. From the beginning of the bunker to the end of the trees on the left (which is where you'd have to be to have a decent shot at the green on the 3rd shot) is about 185 yards. You're still looking at a big landing area (~55 yards wide), but that's a long second shot for a par 5. Personally, i feel more confident in executing a driver with 75 yards to land than a 2 200 yard shots with a 75 and 55 yard landing area. I feel really confident in both, but I don't think there's much of reason not to hit driver, even if you end up laying up.

Also, if you hit driver and lay up, you're looking at a 150 yard shot at most for the lay up. Personally, I strongly prefer a 150 yard shot to a 200 yard shot. I'd also prefer (albeit not as strongly) a 150 yard shot out of the sand to a 200 yard shot out of the fairway.

[dbuck]

I hit my driver fairly straight and could probably work it right of the trap, but 500 in two shots is marginal for me, especially with a forced carry on the second. Since I am playing it as a 3 shot hole, there is no need to risk hiitting the trap. Since my second shot is only going to be 160-180, hitting from the trap isn't too much of an issue, but I would prefer fairway over sand. I am probably hitting 3W right of the trap, a 4-6 iron near the 100 in the center, then whatever 3/4 club gets me to the green.

[dbuck]

I'd bust a driver down to the 150 and hit a wedge into the green.

Wait, I was having Rory delusions. I'd probably hit a 3-wood to ~ 230. Hit a 7 - 5 iron to near the end of the fairway. Hit a wedge on the green and sink the putt. Easy birdie.

This is me except for the easy birdie part. Probably a 3 putt bogey--my go-to strategy.

[Dave2512]

I'd hit driver right at the bunker knowing I'll probably miss it if I am in it NBD. This is a two shot par 5. These short par 5's rarely lead to worse than par. No reason to not take the risk. Miss the green in two and you are pitching on to get it closer than you would laying up and wedging on. We have a similar hole at one of the course I play. Sand all over. I am in those bunkers often and even a bad lie can usually be played close to the green with a long iron.

[DrvFrShow]

Now from the red tee (407 yds), I'd hit my driver and clear the fairway bunker. Lay up with a 9 iron, and then hit a 56 wedge over the ravine to the green. 2 putts for par.

[DeadMan]

I'd hit driver right at the bunker knowing I'll probably miss it if I am in it NBD. This is a two shot par 5. These short par 5's rarely lead to worse than par. No reason to not take the risk. Miss the green in two and you are pitching on to get it closer than you would laying up and wedging on. We have a similar hole at one of the course I play. Sand all over. I am in those bunkers often and even a bad lie can usually be played close to the green with a long iron.

The only thing that scares me is that the green seems small and is well protected with the trees. I still think it's an easy go-for-it decision, but hitting a 230 yard shot into a 30 yard window (I think that's about the width of the landing area at the green) doesn't leave a ton of room of error. Even then, though, I'd rather be in trouble around the green, hitting my 3rd, then trying to

[Golfingdad]

Yep. Northern Michigan old-growth hardwoods. Hopefully the link below will work:

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.2452413,-85.7311865,357m/data=!3m1!1e3

After looking at the link, it appears as though the green is very small (about 20 yards wide and 22 yards long) and there is very little room to miss around the green.  Further, a perfectly placed, perfectly struck driver (dead center of the right fairway, 275 yards long) leaves me with a 233 yard second shot that actually still has to be hit over the trees on the left or drawn around them.  That is not a realistic shot for me considering that anything in the trees appears to be death.

I would amend my strategy to say that unless it was downwind or downhill and I caught it perfectly out to 295-300 (300 leaves me with 208 that just barely has to skirt the trees on the left, so I'd probably aim for the right center of the green), then I'm laying up down to the end of the fairway, leaving an open and straightforward 75-80 pitch for my third.

On paper, it may look like a 2 shot par 5 but on google maps it's really not, but for the longest of hitters.

[vangator]

I'm not sure if that's directed at me, but I feel pretty good about having a ball in play, and it will be further down than any other club. Again, your landing area is 75 yards wide here. That's huge. If you lay up off the tee, you're looking at a 200 yard shot to a good lay up spot. From the beginning of the bunker to the end of the trees on the left (which is where you'd have to be to have a decent shot at the green on the 3rd shot) is about 185 yards. You're still looking at a big landing area (~55 yards wide), but that's a long second shot for a par 5. Personally, i feel more confident in executing a driver with 75 yards to land than a 2 200 yard shots with a 75 and 55 yard landing area. I feel really confident in both, but I don't think there's much of reason not to hit driver, even if you end up laying up. Also, if you hit driver and lay up, you're looking at a 150 yard shot at most for the lay up. Personally, I strongly prefer a 150 yard shot to a 200 yard shot. I'd also prefer (albeit not as strongly) a 150 yard shot out of the sand to a 200 yard shot out of the fairway.

No, not directed at anyone in particular. In a scramble, it would be driver, but not for my own ball. I originally wrote I'd hit a 3-wood to ~230. I meant I'd hit a 3-wood 230 off the tee, leaving ~270. Hit a mid iron to the edge under 100. I'm pretty accurate with my wedges, so I could get it to within 15-20 feet most of the time, maybe closer. So that makes a good chance at birdie. Hitting a driver could land in the bunker or be blocked by trees either way, requiring a layup anyway. So, say I hit a driver 280 to the right of the trap with a good, unobstructed lie. That still leaves a 220+ shot into a green protected on all sides. Only in a scramble would I do that.

[JonMA1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

If I hit the sand.....no big deal.   I can still go for the green from the bunker if I catch a lie

This was bit of a surprise, but on the other hand, I don't suppose you get to a HI of under 3 without a lot of skill and confidence. The angle would require a draw - the trees on left do a good job of protecting the green from anything middle or left. If you get on in two, you'll have a chance for eagle (I assume you are good putter).

From the description, this is not a hole to attack. Maybe playing it would change my mind.

At my skill and experience level, it's hard for me to make a credible assessment, but yeah, this hole is very unforgiving. Get anything close to the edge and it's in the marsh and creek. There's a little bit of room off the front and back but not much.

Get on in three for a chance at birdie.

While I've never birdied this hole from 500yds, even I can occasionally get on the green in three. Once on, it's not a particularly difficult green for an average putter. I would think this would be an easy birdie for a low capper if they layed-up close to the ravine.

Now from the red tee (407 yds), I'd hit my driver and clear the fairway bunker. Lay up with a 9 iron, and then hit a 56 wedge over the ravine to the green. 2 putts for par.

I just moved back to the blues from the whites (450yds) at the end of the season. From the whites, I carried the bunker a couple of times and still layed up almost exactly as you've described. From the blues I still expect to be able to get a GIR but I don't always. The downhill lies surrounding the bunker are not always easy to hit from and I will often get behind the trees on the right.

I've hit the green from as far as 165 (5 iron for me) but obviously prefer to use the gap wedge from inside 100. The key is getting that second shot as close as possible to the ravine. That's where the GPS really has come in handy. More so than finding the distance to the green, finding which club I can take a full swing with without hitting it too far.

FWIW, I played this hole with a very skilled player last year (I didn't ask what his HI was but I'd guess he was low single-digits). From the black tees (531yds), he landed his tee shot perfectly just right of the bunker. He then tried to hit the green with a hybrid but lost it in the trees left of the green. I think he still made par by greening it from the drop zone in front of the ravine and one putting it from there.

[DeadMan]

Hitting a driver could land in the bunker or be blocked by trees either way, requiring a layup anyway. So, say I hit a driver 280 to the right of the trap with a good, unobstructed lie. That still leaves a 220+ shot into a green protected on all sides. Only in a scramble would I do that.

This is my only hesitation. It really depends on what is around the green, and it's hard to tell from the information. What's dead for someone else may not be dead for me. And if it's a lateral hazard around the green, I'm definitely going for it, because at worst I get a bogey, but at least I get an eagle.

[turtleback]

Piece of cake, strategy-wise for me.  I hit the driver because I cannot reach the bunker.  Then, assuming a successful drive, it is a fairway wood or hybrid layup, depending on lie & distance.  Then a pitch, probably into a greenside bunker.  Then a thinned bunker shot over the green  Then a chunked chip to the fringe.  3 putts later we are carding a smooth 8.

Who said golf is hard?