Pros not going for the pin @ Northern Trust Open

[chspeed]

At the Northern Trust Open last week, hole #13 (below) had a tough pin placement in the back, upper-left tier.

Watching the leaders come in on Sunday, a lot of them just shot to the fat part of the green to take their pars (or bogeys) and get out. Many of them even had 7 or 8 irons, and ostensibly wanted to take double bogey out of play by avoiding the back bunker. Still, I was surprised, because the tier didn't seem all that small on TV, and the conditions seemed pretty decent. Jason Kokrak went for it and birdied the hole.

http://www.pgatour.com/video/2016/02/21/jason-kokrak-is-dialed-in-at-northern-trust.html#ooid=gweG80MTE6ugBMH5T5dfJ6Iq_-P8nFue

Why were they being so cautious?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MrFlipper]

14 minutes ago, chspeed said:

At the Northern Trust Open last week, hole #13 (below) had a tough pin placement in the back, upper-left tier.

Watching the leaders come in on Sunday, a lot of them just shot to the fat part of the green to take their pars (or bogeys) and get out. Many of them even had 7 or 8 irons, and ostensibly wanted to take double bogey out of play by avoiding the back bunker. Still, I was surprised, because the tier didn't seem all that small on TV, and the conditions seemed pretty decent. Jason Kokrak went for it and birdied the hole.

http://www.pgatour.com/video/2016/02/21/jason-kokrak-is-dialed-in-at-northern-trust.html#ooid=gweG80MTE6ugBMH5T5dfJ6Iq_-P8nFue

Why were they being so cautious?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ummm, your picture is of the sixth green, really famous for the bunker in the middle of the green. Seventh tee behind it---

I watched the video, it is of the 13th hole, but the reason hardly anyone shot for that pin is that if you miss it left it is down in the barranca 10 feet or so below the green level, hardly anyone gets it up and down from there. Hard to tell the depths from the TV.

Haven't played there but I walked it during the tournament a few years ago. One of the all-time great old time courses.

[iacas]

Because even a PGA Tour player's Shot Zone is bigger than you might think from 153.

[saevel25]

I think that middle bunker gives them fits. You do not want to be on the wrong side of it. It takes middle of the green away. 

From Every Shot Counts PGA Tour players are 6-7% median leave distance from 150 yards. So they average 30 ft from the pin. This means they produce a 60 ft wide diameter shot zone. That takes up half the green. 

 

[Patch]

The best players in the game know their own games well enough to know their own limitations. This would be my guess as to why they were being so cautious.

[freshmanUTA]

It could also be because They're just trying to make it through the weekend without trouble? 

 

Edit: I mean just on this hole, looks like your misses right, left, or long are SOL

Edited February 27, 2016 by freshmanUTA