18 impossible pin positions

[JustOne]

Played today at Pyecombe on the outskirts of Brighton

To protect the greens every single pin was cut 4 feet from the front and 4 feet from one of the sides, some even less than that!

It was almost impossible to play well. What's the best strategy for playing a pin that's 4 feet on and 4 feet from the edge?

If you're short of the flag then you're screwed and hoping for a good up and down. If you're pin high then you have to hope it's on the correct side of the pin otherwise you're off the green and any putt you have will try to fall off the green. If you're long then you're having to putt back towards the front edge (downhill on most greens) and you'll be racking up the 3putts like they're going out of fashion. Also bear in mind the greens were pretty frozen so any brave shots were likely to bounce on a bit

 

[haplesshacker]

Forget them.

I guess that it wasn't a comp. But I'd probably just make the hole with a 3 foot diameter. If the ball goes inside that 3 foot, that's as good as holed. I've occasionally done it on some very wet, frozon or bouncy greens during the winter.

Let's face it winter greens, even if not on temporay ones, are fickle things anyway. Why let them ruin a perfectly enjoyable round.

 

[RGDave]

I know how you feel. Sometimes at mine, they go mad with the pin positions (I thought there was supposed to be a mix??) and it's bad enough even without winter conditions.

 

[ADB]

I like a couple of miles from Pyecombe and have played it a number of times. Funnily enough even in Summer they have some strange pin positions that can be very close to the fringe.

TBH I can take or leave the course, a few nice holes but some real 'nothing' fillers. Be interested in your thoughts.

 

[kid2]

Our club does this also to protect the greens.....
It can be tough to play them but for the winter for the most part there always like this especially as there are always societies out and without offending anyone every tom dick and harry can play with there work society and etiquette usually goes out the window with them......
Our course also has most of its trouble spots to the back and surrounding edges of the greens so if your not deead accurate and dead straight your in a spot of bother...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wouldn't get too stressed and be happy they were on full greens and not some part mown circle forty yards short with a bucket as a hole. At least you were out for a game anyway

 

[greensman]

I don’t see the problem, your playing full greens, it’s a challenge and gets the old grey matter working, you have softer ‘holding’ greens so target golf is easier, winter greens are slower, so a down hill putt shouldn’t present too many problems. My advice is to hit the green and two putt, you don’t always have to go for the flag every time.

From a greenkeeping perspective, winter golf presents many pressures from the member. A few years ago, winter golf was quiet, that was before gortex waterproofs were invented. Nowadays winter golf is very popular (we have a full time sheet every day) so we have to protect the course. However many golfers want and pay for full greens, tees, fairways, have trolley and buggy use all year. Yet they want a perfect course come spring (Augusta) time.

We have to protect the course somehow, by using strange or different pin positions during the winter we are protecting the middle areas and the more popular summer placements. The greenkeeper has a thankless job at times, but remember that all that he does is in the best interest of your course.

Regards

 

[DMC]

Our course is the same,i am happy just to be able to play into the greens.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I actually enjoy it at this time of year as our greenkeeper puts them in some very strange places. In fact its probably the only time of year I've seen some in our club championship positions other than the big day itself (usually back and tucked behind bunkers). It makes holes like our 3rd, 5th, 8th in particular, 12th, 14th and 18th (front right literally just over the pond) a different challenge. Sadly today he could put them where he likes as no-one is able to shoot at them thanks to all the snow

 

[JustOne]

I like a couple of miles from Pyecombe and have played it a number of times. Funnily enough even in Summer they have some strange pin positions that can be very close to the fringe.

TBH I can take or leave the course, a few nice holes but some real 'nothing' fillers. Be interested in your thoughts.

I thought it was 'playable' and I'd play it again if you fancy a knock? Wouldn't mind playing it full length on a Summers day. It's not exactly long but I felt it was wide enough to at least try and drive every green
Some of the flags really were in the most sublime positions, I was playing with Craphacker (from the forum) and on the 1st hole he had to putt off the green and back on to it just to get to the flag Looks like low scores are possible around there if you get a decent tee shot away, I limped my way round to a not overly impressive +8, mostly down to missing the greens from 80 yards about 6 times It felt like target practice with ZERO margin for error. I thought it was better than Waterhall and Hollingbury, I haven't played East Brighton or The Dyke yet so can't compare to those.

Flags were as follows
1 front 6 on 3 from left
2 front 6 on 3 from left
3 front 4 on 3 from left
4 front 4 on 3 from left
5 front 6 on 6 from left
6 front 3 on 6 from left
7 was on a temp
8 front 3 on 3 from right
9 front 6 on 3 from right
10 was on a temp
11 front 6 on 6 from left
12 front 6 on 4 from left
13 front 3 on 12 from right
14 front 6 on 4 from left
15 front 6 on 6 from left
16 front 6 on 4 from right
17 front 4 on middle
18 front 5 on 3 from left