Hit it Over the Ditch or Lay up Short?

[Lihu]

6 hours ago, 9wood said:

I visualize playing this hole with someone, and he goes and pulls out his 460 cc driver, and I say to him, go ahead and show me how to thread that needle.

 

4 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

I'll tell him "what ever you do, don't hit it into the water on the left."

 

2 hours ago, vangator said:

Or they hit a great shot that threads the needle and gets buried in the face of one of the bunkers. 

 

You guys must have a pretty bulletproof 150 yard club to be able to land that really narrow smooth sloping in 2 directions thin strip of grass they call a fairway. That narrow landing sloping fairway strip is less than half the shot zone of the 3W landing area. My 8i shot zone is not less than half that of my 3W.

We'd have to see it, and play it.

[DrvFrShow]

10 minutes ago, Lihu said:

 

 

 

You guys must have a pretty bulletproof 150 yard club to be able to land that really narrow smooth sloping in 2 directions thin strip of grass they call a fairway. That narrow landing sloping fairway strip is less than half the shot zone of the 3W landing area. My 8i shot zone is not less than half that of my 3W.

We'd have to see it, and play it.

I looked and from the diagram, 165 looks pretty safe. I don't hit my 7 iron further than 165. If the ground is hard I might go to my 8 iron for a roll out to 150 - 152. I'll laying up on the wider area, not the narrow finger. But putting the thought of the water hazard in my opponent's head who just took out his or her 460 cc.... lol.

[Lihu]

44 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

I looked and from the diagram, 165 looks pretty safe. I don't hit my 7 iron further than 165. If the ground is hard I might go to my 8 iron for a roll out to 150 - 152. I'll laying up on the wider area, not the narrow finger. But putting the thought of the water hazard in my opponent's head who just took out his or her 460 cc.... lol.

Or she blasts a 230 yard drive past the trouble.

[Lilfrier]

I don't drive this far. The longest drive I've hit this season is 195, so I have no real worry on this. I also have no real chance at birdie, MAYBE par with a really good wedge shot. I'd have to drive, 3 Wood, then have a good PW or 9i, depending.

[Mike Boatright]

Easy depends on the pin placement green type and wind direction. Assume your not a long hitter and that kinda carry normally would be out of the question but with wind help your getting the correct odds to blast one over the ditch. Let's say you pull this off and are left with 182 to the hole it's slight downwind into a big green that receptive to long shots... This is the key if you got a big green that's receptive to shots that release and it's a back pin then it's nonsense to carry the ditch when a 200 or 212 shot is essentially the same type of shot. If it's stagnant wind and it a middlish pin to a small up hill green than nailing one over the ditch to leave a 8 iron in makes sense if you have the fire power to do so. The only scenario where hitting it past the trouble makes more sense regardless of the green type is when it's so close or so downwind that a lesser shot is to tentative and might just roll in the water if you hit it thin or to much club etc..

Edited March 13, 2016 by Mike Boatright

[vangator]

4 hours ago, Lihu said:

You guys must have a pretty bulletproof 150 yard club to be able to land that really narrow smooth sloping in 2 directions thin strip of grass they call a fairway. That narrow landing sloping fairway strip is less than half the shot zone of the 3W landing area. My 8i shot zone is not less than half that of my 3W.

We'd have to see it, and play it.

I actually do have a pretty accurate iron game from 150.  But now that I look at it again, that green is drivable for me, so I'll take the big dog out for a stroll.  I hit a draw, so I'd have to start it down the right side, maybe even over the trees, but it looks like a generous bailout to the left of the green.  Screw the birdies, I'm going for a hole in one.

[Lihu]

59 minutes ago, vangator said:

I actually do have a pretty accurate iron game from 150.  But now that I look at it again, that green is drivable for me, so I'll take the big dog out for a stroll.  I hit a draw, so I'd have to start it down the right side, maybe even over the trees, but it looks like a generous bailout to the left of the green.  Screw the birdies, I'm going for a hole in one.

Exactly, it's either having high precision playing that first shot 150-160 yards a little left and hoping it doesn't roll too far off left for a clean second shot or go for it.  Land right and trees could be in your way for a blind second shot. Go for it has more appeal to me for several reasons including yours.

Btw, a righty making a draw might be close to that tree on the right, unless your plan is to draw left to that flattish area left of the green. If you can carry 203-220 do it. If you can't, this hole is really difficult.

[9wood]

The safe shot for me would be a tee shot out to 165 yds which is no problem for me, yet in my mind I want to get my big dog out of the bag and blast away and see where I end up just for laughs

[vangator]

Now I need a road trip to play this hole.  Might as well take on the hole with the ditch too!

[9wood]

35 minutes ago, vangator said:

Now I need a road trip to play this hole.  Might as well take on the hole with the ditch too!

Master both of those holes and I'll reward you with a sleeve of Volvik DS 77's

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, 9wood said:

The safe shot for me would be a tee shot out to 165 yds which is no problem for me, yet in my mind I want to get my big dog out of the bag and blast away and see where I end up just for laughs

If you really hit 3W 220 or 230, as you mentioned in an earlier post regarding the OP hole, then your driver should carry 203-220 which would make this hole less difficult. My median 3W is only 13 yards past yours and I'm pretty confident I can carry the trouble with it.

 

1 hour ago, vangator said:

Now I need a road trip to play this hole.  Might as well take on the hole with the ditch too!

Was thinking the same thing. It might ba possible since my son is interning at a medical facility this summer in NJ. NJ to Niagara is a pretty long road trip, though.

 

1 hour ago, 9wood said:

Master both of those holes and I'll reward you with a sleeve of Volvik DS 77's

Okay. I'd try the OP hole with hybrid/something and this hole 3W/LW.

I'd prefer a sleeve of proV1 if I get within 15 yards of the greens in regulation. If I get GIR, a box of them

[9wood]

Got out and played my first round of golf of the year. The ditch hole was one of them. I was rusty and got off a terrible drive as I did on the previous two holes until I adjusted my new driver. Nevertheless I almost parred the ditch hole but ended up with a bogey. Missed getting a birdie on a par 4 and a difficult par 5 by inches so had to settle for pars.

[Lihu]

Just saw this video a few minutes ago about dealing with nemesis holes.

i suppose the OP is one of yours?

 

 

[DrvFrShow]

I have one of those "nemesis holes" and it is the 17th. I've just determined the way around the problem is to swing my driver as hard as I can and likely the ball will carry past the trouble even if it goes right.

[vangator]

11 hours ago, 9wood said:

Master both of those holes and I'll reward you with a sleeve of Volvik DS 77's

DS 77s as a reward.  I'd prefer a used Pinnacle and a beer.

I was planning a trip this summer to Jamestown, but I went at Thanksgiving.  Not sure I can do two trips.  My wife and girls do an annual road trip without the spouses.  This year they're going to Savannah and Charleston.  I might have to wait another year.  If so, I need to look you up for a round of golf and a couple of beers at your home course.  I promise I can stink up the course, but have fun doing it.  Haven't thrown a club since I was a teenager.  But I can still swear like a truck driver (not really).

I played today and shot a 77, but really hit a few crappy shots that really cost me.

[9wood]

12 hours ago, vangator said:

DS 77s as a reward.  I'd prefer a used Pinnacle and a beer.

I was planning a trip this summer to Jamestown, but I went at Thanksgiving.  Not sure I can do two trips.  My wife and girls do an annual road trip without the spouses.  This year they're going to Savannah and Charleston.  I might have to wait another year.  If so, I need to look you up for a round of golf and a couple of beers at your home course.  I promise I can stink up the course, but have fun doing it.  Haven't thrown a club since I was a teenager.  But I can still swear like a truck driver (not really).

I played today and shot a 77, but really hit a few crappy shots that really cost me.

If you plan on coming any time in the future let me know in advance and I'll reserve a tee time for the course with the ditch 

[Lihu]

On 3/14/2016 at 6:34 AM, 9wood said:

If you plan on coming any time in the future let me know in advance and I'll reserve a tee time for the course with the ditch 

The course with the hole with the nice scenery up front looks a lot more compelling. It looks more fun to play. I might be able to come out this summer from NJ with my son if he's not working. I'll PM you in the summer. In fact, you're not far from Erie, and I'm not going to miss out on that opportunity again as I did last year when I went to Niagara.

 

On 3/12/2016 at 0:20 PM, 9wood said:

Got out and played my first round of golf of the year. The ditch hole was one of them. I was rusty and got off a terrible drive as I did on the previous two holes until I adjusted my new driver. Nevertheless I almost parred the ditch hole but ended up with a bogey. Missed getting a birdie on a par 4 and a difficult par 5 by inches so had to settle for pars.

Just noticed this post. Are you sure you're not a 9.1 handicap as opposed to a 19.1? The leading one seems out of place given the bold text above. . .

 

[9wood]

1 hour ago, Lihu said:

The course with the hole with the nice scenery up front looks a lot more compelling. It looks more fun to play. I might be able to come out this summer from NJ with my son if he's not working. I'll PM you in the summer. In fact, you're not far from Erie, and I'm not going to miss out on that opportunity again as I did last year when I went to Niagara.

 

Just noticed this post. Are you sure you're not a 9.1 handicap as opposed to a 19.1? The leading one seems out of place given the bold text above. . .

 

The course with the hole with the nice scenery is an elite Country Club and the only way I can get to play on it is if I am someone's guest or if there is a benefit tournament I can pay a fee to enter. But Ido have a friend who is a member and I could ask him to play along with him as a guest.

I don't know what my handicap is. All I know is that if I get two good shots off in a row I can have a decent chance at par or if I'm lucky a shot at a birdie. When I played 9 holes at the course with the ditch hole, I got off a short drive and had a long way to go on my second shot just to clear the ditch. On my second shot I hit my 6 iron which barely cleared the ditch. On my third shot I tried to put the ball on the green using my 4 hybrid and the ball went 20 yds off to the right but pin high. On my 4th shot I hit my PW and nearly holed it for par but was left with a 18 inch putt which I sunk for the bogey.

On the par 5 hole I teed off from the senior tee box and got off a decent drive. On my second shot I took less than a full swing using my 4 hybrid to lay up short of a creek with about 80 yds still to go to the pin. On my third shot  I hit my 6 iron to get up onto the green. A big mistake. I don't know why I used my 6 instead of my PW, nevertheless my ball was lying 10 feet left of the green and about 25 feet more to the pin. On my forth shot I chipped the ball with my 7 iron and nearly holed it for the birdie but was left with a 1 foot putt for the par.

But it was my first golf outing since the middle of December and I was a bit rusty, plus I was using 3 new clubs which I added to my bag including a new driver, a hybrid and a new 6 iron. I was really surprised how accurate my pitching and chipping game was. My driving sucked through the first 4 holes until I got out my adjusting tool and made some adjustments on my new adjustable driver. 

I'm looking forward to this season and believe the new clubs I've added to my bag will really help improve my game. At the end of last season I was shooting in the high 80's to mid 90's

Edited March 16, 2016 by 9wood