What spot would you aim for.

[9wood]

You have 138 yds to the green. The green slopes off to the left rear and no matter which part of the green you hit you can be sure your ball will roll off the green and down a hill. So do you aim for a spot just to the right of the green which leaves you with a down hill breaking chip or putt depending on which cut of grass your ball lies in, or do you aim for a spot on the left side and just off the green which gives you an uphill chip shot or putt depending on whether you're in the first or second cut of grass

[Ernest Jones]

I'd need a better visual. Absent that, I aim for wherever gives me the shortest path to the hole. Likely choose short of the green rather than long, as I generally find there is more trouble long than short. 

[Patch]

For me, uphill is always easier than down hill. I have better control of the chip/putt. 

[BlackandGold]

uphill 100%.

[billchao]

4 minutes ago, 9wood said:

The green slopes off to the left rear and no matter which part of the green you hit you can be sure your ball will roll off the green and down a hill.

I'm trying to understand what kind of diabolical architect designed such a green to begin with.

The answer is shorter is better, even if it's going downhill away from you.

[saevel25]

8 minutes ago, 9wood said:

You have 138 yds to the green. The green slopes off to the left rear and no matter which part of the green you hit you can be sure your ball will roll off the green and down a hill.

How far down a hill? 

Also, lets say you have to chip from the front what are the odds you are going to be going down that hill? 

Is this green so severe that anything just rolls of if it isn't a lightly tapped putt?

If it was my game, hit a very high iron to the front half of the green 

[bkuehn1952]

Assuming I understand that the ball is going to roll left and toward the rear, I aim somewhat right and short.  Not so far right or short that I might miss the green but far enough over to possibly allow the ball to stop rolling before it goes off the green.

Then, when the ball rolls off the green and down the hill I start cursing the m'fer that created this mess.  There really should never be a green complex that doesn't accept some version of a golf shot, even if it is a 138 yard bump & run.

[iacas]

I can't answer because I've never seen such a green.

Generally speaking you're better off closer to the hole. The whole uphill/downhill thing is one of those things golfers get wrong all the time. You're better off closer to the hole if the lie of the ball (i.e. not bunker vs. fringe or something) are equal.

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, 9wood said:

You have 138 yds to the green. The green slopes off to the left rear and no matter which part of the green you hit you can be sure your ball will roll off the green and down a hill. So do you aim for a spot just to the right of the green which leaves you with a down hill breaking chip or putt depending on which cut of grass your ball lies in, or do you aim for a spot on the left side and just off the green which gives you an uphill chip shot or putt depending on whether you're in the first or second cut of grass

A photograph would be nice.

[boogielicious]

I've played greens that slope front to back, but they are not that severe that you can't hold the green with an 8 iron (my 140 yard club). I do play a long par 4 that slopes that way, but I am usually hitting a 5W or 3H to the green. In that case, I want the ball to land short of the green and roll on. 

[pganapathy]

Assuming the flag is roughly in the middle of the uphill / downhill, then definitely the uphill shot.  If a lot closer to the downhill then take the downhill shot and baby it.  Assuming there is no way to hold the green even if it rolls on.  If not just run it in and keep it here

[9wood]

14 hours ago, saevel25 said:

How far down a hill? 

Also, lets say you have to chip from the front what are the odds you are going to be going down that hill? 

Is this green so severe that anything just rolls of if it isn't a lightly tapped putt?

If it was my game, hit a very high iron to the front half of the green 

1. Usually about 20 yds downhill

2. If you end up short of the green you can chip but be prepared for your ball to break quite a bit to the left

3. If you try to hit the green from 138 out, I have yet to see a ball stay on the green

4. What iron would you hit from 138 yds out? I could imagine it might work if you can hit a 56 degree wedge 138 yds. I know that for me I could reach it with a 8 iron, and I have but no matter where I hit the green the ball rolls off.

[No Mulligans]

Is the green so hard that you can't even leave a divot with a high shot from 138 yards?  Thats what I'm imagining since you can leave a putt on the green but nothing will stick from 138.  If that's the case I'd try to leave it just short of the green so it might trickle on leave me a putt from the fringe or a short chip.

Seems to be a poorly designed and/or maintained hole.

[Lihu]

49 minutes ago, 9wood said:

1. Usually about 20 yds downhill

2. If you end up short of the green you can chip but be prepared for your ball to break quite a bit to the left

3. If you try to hit the green from 138 out, I have yet to see a ball stay on the green

4. What iron would you hit from 138 yds out? I could imagine it might work if you can hit a 56 degree wedge 138 yds. I know that for me I could reach it with a 8 iron, and I have but no matter where I hit the green the ball rolls off.

My 9i is about my 132-135 club, so that's what I'd use to get close. If it rolls correctly then I get another 5 yards at most depending upon the spin I can get on it. If everything rolls that much anyway, I would putt off the green. Layup with PW?

We have lots of island greens on the courses I play most, and putting is a successful strategy no matter the conditions for greens like this.

Altadena GC 4th hole is 172 yards, and tough to hold because even the green is convex. Everyone I know lays up unless they can reliably hit the spot between the bunker and the green. I typically switch off between 7i and 6i only if I feel really confident. No matter what, I putt around the green even if in the "rough"/hard pan around it.

 

[iacas]

2 hours ago, 9wood said:

1. Usually about 20 yds downhill

2. If you end up short of the green you can chip but be prepared for your ball to break quite a bit to the left

3. If you try to hit the green from 138 out, I have yet to see a ball stay on the green

So you have a green that you can't hold, and which if you hit the green, you're faced with a shot where the green is 60 feet above your ball?

Huh?

I can't answer this question because I've never seen anything like that, really, in golf.

[Lihu]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

So you have a green that you can't hold, and which if you hit the green, you're faced with a shot where the green is 60 feet above your ball?

Huh?

I can't answer this question because I've never seen anything like that, really, in golf.

That's a hell of a long putt off the green!

I misread that statement, I just assumed he stated 20 feet! We've discovered a new sport combination. Rock climbing and Golf!

 

[Ernest Jones]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

So you have a green that you can't hold, and which if you hit the green, you're faced with a shot where the green is 60 feet above your ball?

Huh?

I can't answer this question because I've never seen anything like that, really, in golf.

 

1 minute ago, Lihu said:

That's a hell of a long putt off the green!

I misread that statement, I just assumed he meant 20 feet!

No kidding! 60 feet is like a six story building. Has to be a typo. 

[Lihu]

5 minutes ago, Ernest Jones said:

 

No kidding! 60 feet is like a six story building. Has to be a typo. 

Yeah, rock climbing and golf all combined into one sport!  I can imagine the banter around the green: "On belay"; "Belay on"; "Putting, Four!"; "Rappelling down to the ball"; "Belay on"; "Climb on". Hammering giant pitons into the green would be shunned upon, so they would need "Sport" anchors.