Hit it Over the Ditch or Lay up Short?

[9wood]

I think this might be interesting. Here's a scenario. You're about to tee off on a 412 yd. par 4 hole and you would really like a birdie, yet you will settle for par if you have to. You know if you get off a really good tee shot that your chances of scoring well just increased. Between 220 and 230 yards out there is drainage ditch that runs all the way across the fairway and beyond. So here's the question. Would you try to drive across the ditch, or hit short of the ditch and be left with about 200 yds still to go for your second shot?

[iacas]

I hit it over the ditch.

You should buy a book I wrote… talks a lot about stuff like this.

[SavvySwede]

9 minutes ago, 9wood said:

I think this might be interesting. Here's a scenario. You're about to tee off on a 412 yd. par 4 hole and you would really like a birdie, yet you will settle for par if you have to. You know if you get off a really good tee shot that your chances of scoring well just increased. Between 220 and 230 yards out there is drainage ditch that runs all the way across the fairway and beyond. So here's the question. Would you try to drive across the ditch, or hit short of the ditch and be left with about 200 yds still to go for your second shot?

Kind of a weird question as it is highly dependent on your driving distance. If someone can only barely clear it they're aren't gaining a whole lot anyway because a drainage ditch is typically quite narrow. If you can carry the hazard fairly easily it isn't even a issue you need to consider.

[pganapathy]

I guess the question is simple.  How far do you carry your driver on average.  Is it at least 250 on normal shots and 275 to 300 on extra well hit shots or is it like 200 on normal shots and 225 to 250 on extra well hit shots.  Based on this you should decide whether you go over or lay up short.  For me the answer is go over

[Patch]

I would lay up short of the ditch. My drives put that ditch right at my normal driver distance @ 220-230 yards.  Even when I get one out there 250 yards, the roll after the carry would put the ball in the ditch. 

Ironically I play the same hole you described when I visit Texas. Two 3 woods put me on the green most of the time. 

[vangator]

I shoot the ditch if the carry was too great.  Laying up presents a long approach.

I play a course with a somewhat similar hole.  Ditch is 240 from the tee with 20 yard carry uphill.  Trouble on both side of the fairway if you clear.  So, this requires a tee shot with 260 carry and accurate.  The hole is only 360 yards though. 

When I was a lad, I'd drive the ditch all the time, once within 30 yards.  Now I typically lay up with an iron and hit an 8 iron in.

If the tee is up so that the carry id only 245 or so, I go for it, but that extra 15 yards or so is right in that zone I don't like to mess with especially on a 360 yard hole.  The hole was obviously designed as a layup.  The back tees requires over 300 yards to carry ditch.  That's not part of my game.

[bkuehn1952]

32 minutes ago, 9wood said:

Would you try to drive across the ditch, or hit short of the ditch and be left with about 200 yards still to go for your second shot?

What do you do?

[SavvySwede]

2 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

What do you do?

He log's in to TST on his phone and asks for advice.

[bkuehn1952]

As I read the question, the carry is around 225 yards. A decent drive for me carries 210. Unless there is something that gives me the idea I can carry the ditch 75%+ of the time (downhill, strongly down wind), I layup.  Now if the ditch is really shallow, very narrow or dry most of the time, I might take my chances of running it through.

This is a tough question for someone who can carry a good drive 225 yards.

 

Edited March 2, 2016 by bkuehn1952
Clarify my CARRY is 210.

[9wood]

8 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

What do you do?

Last time I played this hole I laid up about 10 yards short of the ditch using my 3 wood. For my second shot I used my 3 iron which put me about 15 yds. short of the green. So I got on in three using my 56 degree wedge and had about a 25 foot putt to make for par, but had to settle for a bogey.

If I used my driver I could put it in the ditch but not over unless a strong gust of wind was at my back

[Lihu]

48 minutes ago, 9wood said:

I think this might be interesting. Here's a scenario. You're about to tee off on a 412 yd. par 4 hole and you would really like a birdie, yet you will settle for par if you have to. You know if you get off a really good tee shot that your chances of scoring well just increased. Between 220 and 230 yards out there is drainage ditch that runs all the way across the fairway and beyond. So here's the question. Would you try to drive across the ditch, or hit short of the ditch and be left with about 200 yds still to go for your second shot?

Over.

The strategy depends upon your length. We have many holes like this in our area, and the longer hitters would just carry the ditch. Shorter or less accurate hitters have no choice but to layup, and hope for a scramble.

[No Mulligans]

Is the ditch a lateral hazard?  What's in the ditch?  Can you play a reasonable shot out of it?  

[Lihu]

1 minute ago, No Mulligans said:

Is the ditch a lateral hazard?  What's in the ditch?  Can you play a reasonable shot out of it?  

OB in the middle of a fairway would be really penal. Ouch if it is. . .

[9wood]

1 minute ago, No Mulligans said:

Is the ditch a hazard?  What's in the ditch?  Can you play a reasonable shot out of it?  

The ditch is about 15 or so feet wide and about 7 or so feet deep. It is filled with scrub brush and water. 

[TimS65]

My carry is right in that area, so for me it would depend on the weather, and whether I was feeling confident with my swing that day. So for me it would be an interesting hole!

 

[No Mulligans]

Easy for me then, if I were to hit 10 balls my guess is, 3 would be in the ditch, 1 would clear it, and 6 would be short.  I'm laying up.

[newtogolf]

I would lay up and hit 3 wood on my 2nd shot.  

[pganapathy]

@9wood, from your distance the obvious answer is lay-up, unless you are having the driving distance of your life in that round, then you risk carrying the ditch.