How Would You Play It? (Hole 14 at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge)

[phillyk]

This hole is the fun hole during the Boeing Classic.  I just played The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge yesterday in a pro-am and I had no clue what to do on the tee shot.  I'll set it up.  You get to the tee, and whip out the range finder to get some of the distances shown.  You don't know how wide the fairway is and you could only approximate how much added distance you'd get from the drop.  It is about a 50-75ft drop I'd guess, and you have a wind from behind of 5-10mph.  The fairway to the right of the bunker (when looking from tee box) is partially blocked, so what I measured was 220yds to carry it versus 200yds.

4iron for me might clear it, and I assumed my 2 hybrid may go through the fairway.  I could aim more towards the green but the fairway gets skinnier and more hillier.  Or I could take 3 wood and go for it.  I thought what the heck, just go for it.  I practically topped the ball into the crap, I was scared to hit my 3 wood full.  Then took 4 iron and smacked it to the middle with 130 out and put my wedge 2 inches away from the cup.  I thought I might've holed it, but it lipped out.  When you get down to the FW, you do realize how wide it is.  Then at the green, those green side traps are pot-like deep but manageable.

How would you play it?  Safe or go for it?

[Golfingdad]

13 minutes ago, phillyk said:

It is about a 50-75ft drop I'd guess,

Just happened to already have google earth open so I checked.

Elevation at the tee you're using ~ 785

Beginning of fairway ~ 733

Lowest point of fairway (between the bunkers) ~ 705

Green ~ 715

So, yeah, 70-80' drop from the tee.  Eek. 

---

As to how I'd play it, I'd probably choose the club that I thought would hit the middle of the fairway directly over the fairway bunker.  Because of the angle you're coming from, the fairway is like 80-90 yards wide at that point if you can hit a shot that is between 235-265  With an 80' drop, and a tailwind, I imagine that is probably a 4 iron.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Golfingdad

[David in FL]

Sometimes it's good to be a short hitter.  I'm hitting driver right at the bunker.  My normal fade will keep it right of the bunker itself and my 230ish carry keeps it from running through the fairway.  Wedge it in from there.

[Jack Watson]

I'd play safe.  I like my chances from inside 150 with a good lie.  No reason to be aggressive here.

[saevel25]

Since it is such a severe dog leg the fairway becomes very wide at your landing spot. I would either take 3-wood, or swing easy on a driver (I know, this might not be my type of shot ). Eitherway, I am pretty certain that I can carry that junk and have a very wide landing area. 

I would aim between the green side bunker and the small bunker through the fairway. Then I would hit a shot I know would carry somewhere between 250-270 yards.

[MasonAsher2014]

I would hit a 3 wood right at the right greenside bunker.

[Golfingdad]

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

Since it is such a severe dog leg the fairway becomes very wide at your landing spot. I would either take 3-wood, or swing easy on a driver (I know, this might not be my type of shot ). Eitherway, I am pretty certain that I can carry that junk and have a very wide landing area. 

I would aim between the green side bunker and the small bunker through the fairway. Then I would hit a shot I know would carry somewhere between 250-270 yards.

For you, a 250 yd shot downhill 80 feet with a 10-15 mph ain't going to be a driver or 3 wood.  ;)

I would bet it's closer to a 3 or 4 iron.  80 feet is a loooooooooong way down.  There's a par 3 at my course that drops "only" 55 feet in 190 yards and it's never more than a 7 iron for me, many times it's been an 8 iron.

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, Golfingdad said:

For you, a 250 yd shot downhill 80 feet with a 10-15 mph ain't going to be a driver or 3 wood.  ;)

I would bet it's closer to a 3 or 4 iron.  80 feet is a loooooooooong way down.  There's a par 3 at my course that drops "only" 55 feet in 190 yards and it's never more than a 7 iron for me, many times it's been an 8 iron.

The 4-iron would be a bit scary to try to carry that junk. If I wanted to hit something at full speed then I would hit the 2-hybrid I have. 

[ZappyAd]

There is a hole almost exactly like this at the course I played last year.  (Same drop off, same dog leg, same trees).  After much trial and error the strategy that worked best for me turned out to be a 5w aimed just over the trees on the inside of the dog leg (so just before the fairway bunker on this hole).  That way a miss left or right is still probably playable and a good shot leaves easy wedge into the green.  So closer to your four iron play than the 3w.

[span3636]

Years ago in my youth I would say go for it. Now much wiser, lol, I would put it in the wide part of the fairway. I look at it like this. If I played the hole 10 times what could I reasonable pull of 8/10 times. Boring answer I know.