AmandaJR
Money List Winner
So, Brampton Park GC (my new course) and the Par 3 4th, SI1 and well worthy of its tag as one of the most difficult Par 3's in the country. I'm sure some clever bod can find some sort of google earth thingy with it on BUT in essence it is a longish Par 3 with water in front, behind, down the left, down the right and also a tight shot with many trees and overhanging branches. It's 155yds off the reds with about 148 of that being carry if you're going for the heart of the green. The left hand side allows for some inaccuracy as the water hazard in front doesn't carry all the way across but there are trees and water all the way if you stray too far left.
With me so far??
Ok...so there is a "lay up" between the pond in front of the tee boxes and the water in front of the green. It isn't very nice ground though as it gets so little sunlight so sparse grass and generally, at best, a scruffy lie.
My coach and the club pro tell me it is a shot I should always take on as 1. I can do it, 2. I need to start thinking like a single figure golfer. BUT it is not a % shot for me. Currently I'm averaging 1.1 over having only hit the green 25% of the time. Sometimes I have taken the lay up option within that as when it was winter rules you could pick and place on the middle "fairway". Two medals so far and a 5 in one (splash) and a 3 in the other (genuine birdie chance). My problem is I tend to cut the shot just a tad and leak right which means there is nothing but water to land in!
So on Tuesday in the medal my partner told me she had played a few times with a county champion of many years who played off 2. She never went for it but play the on in two option and often close enough for a good par chance and at worse walked off with a 4. I said I wasn't keen on the lay up as playing a tricky chip off a bare lie and a short carry over water was risky. She said though that said player would take a club off the tee that ensured a full shot to the green and therefore less troubled by the lie.
Still with me....?!
Today I hit gap wedge, wedge and was a bit past the middle of the green and a bit long for the pin but easily walked off with a 4. Another day it would be 2 x gap wedges or the same if the pin was at the back. My lie was bare on the approach but as it was a full shot it didn't bother me too much and just made sure I committed to the shot.
It feels the right option to take unless I can improve my accuracy when going for the green off the tee. I don't often go against what my coach advises but this one has me wondering...
What do you think?
Tomorrow's practice round I plan a different approach as it should be well within my 5 iron distance but I take my hybrid - generally more accurate with the 5 iron and certainly never cut it but it's one of those daunting shots where it's tempting to take a bit more club. County Champs on Friday - 36 holes - and I'm thinking I'd take 2 4's thank you very much!
With me so far??
Ok...so there is a "lay up" between the pond in front of the tee boxes and the water in front of the green. It isn't very nice ground though as it gets so little sunlight so sparse grass and generally, at best, a scruffy lie.
My coach and the club pro tell me it is a shot I should always take on as 1. I can do it, 2. I need to start thinking like a single figure golfer. BUT it is not a % shot for me. Currently I'm averaging 1.1 over having only hit the green 25% of the time. Sometimes I have taken the lay up option within that as when it was winter rules you could pick and place on the middle "fairway". Two medals so far and a 5 in one (splash) and a 3 in the other (genuine birdie chance). My problem is I tend to cut the shot just a tad and leak right which means there is nothing but water to land in!
So on Tuesday in the medal my partner told me she had played a few times with a county champion of many years who played off 2. She never went for it but play the on in two option and often close enough for a good par chance and at worse walked off with a 4. I said I wasn't keen on the lay up as playing a tricky chip off a bare lie and a short carry over water was risky. She said though that said player would take a club off the tee that ensured a full shot to the green and therefore less troubled by the lie.
Still with me....?!
Today I hit gap wedge, wedge and was a bit past the middle of the green and a bit long for the pin but easily walked off with a 4. Another day it would be 2 x gap wedges or the same if the pin was at the back. My lie was bare on the approach but as it was a full shot it didn't bother me too much and just made sure I committed to the shot.
It feels the right option to take unless I can improve my accuracy when going for the green off the tee. I don't often go against what my coach advises but this one has me wondering...
What do you think?
Tomorrow's practice round I plan a different approach as it should be well within my 5 iron distance but I take my hybrid - generally more accurate with the 5 iron and certainly never cut it but it's one of those daunting shots where it's tempting to take a bit more club. County Champs on Friday - 36 holes - and I'm thinking I'd take 2 4's thank you very much!
