Bump and run for par 3s?

[swffjvl]

2 hours ago, Moxley said:

Thanks all, some really encouraging responses. 

 

 

I agree with Moxley, I've learned allot from this thread. My home course is a par 29, either front or back and being new, I hit a bump and run more that I want to. I guess I really shouldn't learn, too much, how not to. Sounds like a tool to keep in the head.

[WUTiger]

On 7/13/2017 at 11:36 AM, DaveP043 said:

(Phil) played the ball back in his stance and took about a half swing, hit a low shot that carried maybe 150 yards, and bounced and rolled all the way to the middle of the green.  He walked off with a huge grin.  If you can imagine the shot, there's no reason you shouldn't give it a try at least once.

This is how I have played some longer Par 3 holes in the past. Down in Oklahoma, the Ft. Sill course had a 200-yard No. 4 with a large green, bunkers front right and full left side, with overhanging trees around the edge, and a gusting left-to-right crosswind. The soil on this part of the course was hard clay.

After a couple of frustrating seasons, I started playing a 3/4 punch with my 3i. The little draw would hit about 30 yards short of the green and roll up on the fringe. From there I could run a putter or have an easy 8i chip if things were a bit fluffy. That summer, I had more pars than bogies doing this.

Another hole is No. 14 at nearby Far Oaks, 185 yds. into a crowned triangular green with front bunkers left and right. Hole normally plays into headwind. Here I take 4i and run it up. A decent chip to correct node of green usually yields up-and-down.

On both these holes, a full shot on a windy day usually is followed by regret.

[klineka]

16 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

This is how I have played some longer Par 3 holes in the past. Down in Oklahoma, the Ft. Sill course had a 200-yard No. 4 with a large green, bunkers front right and full left side, with overhanging trees around the edge, and a gusting left-to-right crosswind. The soil on this part of the course was hard clay.

After a couple of frustrating seasons, I started playing a 3/4 punch with my 3i. The little draw would hit about 30 yards short of the green and roll up on the fringe. From there I could run a putter or have an easy 8i chip if things were a bit fluffy. That summer, I had more pars than bogies doing this.

Another hole is No. 14 at nearby Far Oaks, 185 yds. into a crowned triangular green with front bunkers left and right. Hole normally plays into headwind. Here I take 4i and run it up. A decent chip to correct node of green usually yields up-and-down.

On both these holes, a full shot on a windy day usually is followed by regret.

I would say playing this method too basically eliminates double bogey too. Even a duffed chip you can still 2 putt and just have a regular bogey. You'd have to hit a couple very bad shots in a row around the green to get anything worse than a bogey.

Double easy comes into play on that 200 yd Hole #4, if you went into the bunker, duffed the chip/didnt get out of the bunker in 1 shot, went into the trees and had to chip out, its easy to see how many ways that could turn into a 5. 

I am definitely going to try this strategy the next time the conditions allow it.

[WUTiger]

Just now, klineka said:

(No. 4) ...if you went into the bunker, duffed the chip/didnt get out of the bunker in 1 shot, went into the trees and had to chip out, its easy to see how many ways that could turn into a 5.

It gets even better... pull the ball into the left bunker, and you likely will have to blast the ball over the lip of the bunker and under the overhanging tree branches.

[Moxley]

Finally tried this yesterday with the initially mentioned holes, and it worked as expected, both run just off the green and both give me very short putts for par. 

Appears to be a fairly straightforward trade off between a lack of distance control in return for more lateral accuracy. Not so good if you want a birdie, but can be appealing otherwise. 

[Sandhills Golfer]

3 hours ago, Moxley said:

Finally tried this yesterday with the initially mentioned holes, and it worked as expected, both run just off the green and both give me very short putts for par. 

Appears to be a fairly straightforward trade off between a lack of distance control in return for more lateral accuracy. Not so good if you want a birdie, but can be appealing otherwise. 

Matthew, High capper here. Ironically, I have had recent success with this approach. I mainly use this swing between 60 and up to 100 yards.Basically, I think of it as a long chip. Weight a bit forward and I take the club back 1/4 to half way with no wrist hinge (I don't think no wrist hinge, it just happens when I think, long chip). When I take a good swing at it, the distance is about one club less. So, if I am going for a 100 shot, I normally hit a 9, I will take an 8 with this chip swing. It produces a low and straight shot. It's been especially helpful around 80-100 yards. Previously, these situations would be very inconsistent with a traditional approach. Cheers, SG

Edited July 20, 2017 by Sandhills Golfe

[Lefty-slice]

I am a high handicapped golfer around 20-22. Their is a course I have played six or seven times now that has a par three 160-170 yards. The hold has a really high incline from the tee to the green. Wind is usual at your face as well too. The pin is usually at the front of the green as well. The first four times I had played that hole I had used a three or four iron and tried a normal shot. Problem was that if you hit short, the ball can run back down the hill a good 50-60 yards until it has a plateau. If you would hit a solid shot and hit your long iron and landed mid green, the ball could roll off the back. It was just a horrible hole for me. Like double bogey was my standard. 

I had then one time just figured I would hit a hard punch/bump and run shot up the hill. I find that on that hole it is a lot more forgiving. I think I had pared once and bogeyed twice doing that. I will not set myself up for birdies often with that type of play but it is usually a chip shot, then a putt or two after my tee shot.