Par 3 stress! Watery grave....

[RGuk]

I went down for a summer eve' 9 hole club comp yesterday. I played OK, went OOB on the SI 1 and didn't bother taking 3 off the tee and continued on my way. I got to a par 3 (normaly 140-ish) to discover the whites are back in the woods at 190 yards. Now, this wouldn't normaly be a stress, but there's a massive pond short of the green. The pond stops, then the green starts. I took a deep breath, pulled out my 3H and boshed it straight at the flag, except the first bounce was in the pond about 5 yards short, never to be seen again.

Now, in the bar afterwards the serious players were saying how they hit 4/5/6 irons into this and got enough spin to stop, but I can't get there with an iron.

I went down this evening and tried the hole off the whites again. 3H = straight in the pond. Tried a 5 wood = landed on the front, went straight over the back, tried another, same result, tried slicing a 3 wood = ended up on the next tee, tried a 7 iron short of the lake, slid under a SW (out of rough grass) into the pond. You get the gist......



what am I to do?......I'm thinking it'll just have to be a 5 wood and take my chances with the 4" rough off the back.....what an impossible choice.

Anyone else have a hole they can't find an answer to?.....is it fair to mid/high players to have such a card wrecker??? What am I to do. Should I ask them to cut the rough short of the pond for mere mortals???

 

[TonyN]

Aint really come across this but I would be happy to play short in your shoes then try approach as close as poss, and save par... Bogey at worst.

 

[RGuk]

play short then try approach as close as poss, and save par... Bogey at worst.

Yes, this would be exactly my idea, but it's all rough from the ladies tee (125) to the pond.....I reckon this is a bit unfair.....

Apparently, some of the old geezers deliberately try to hit the next tee, drop off and then pitch on from the side.....it's nicely mown and there's no bunker on the right.

 

[TonyN]

Stay with the Old geezers dave!

 

[AliB]

Dave
Feeble woman that I am, I get this sort of problem all the time, though luckily our rough isn't usually so punishing.
I actually purchased a 7 wood for reaching par 3's over water/bunkers without going through. Have you thought of that or are 7/9 woods just girly things?

AliB
(retiring to safe distance)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

At least it'll give you something to work on for a few weeks. I presume all these balls weren't new Pro V's?

Can you easily hit to the womens tee with little chance of bouncing into an unplayable or difficult lie in the rough or is that shot difficult in itself. If you hit the hybrid well and came up short there is little chance of getting the extra carry you need. I guess it is 5 wood for carry and then pray for a good lie in the rough. Failing that is there a bunker you can aim at and take your chances from sand

 

[RGuk]

Ali.....I can understand where you are coming from.

A 7 wood is going to be about the same distance as the 3H/4 iron = has to be sweetly (and high) struck. 9 is too short.

I have to say I find it all a bit odd......there's another tee on the course (also white) where unless you can draw the ball, there's no route to the fairway or take 5 iron, 8? iron to a very short par 4. The big boys were crushing 280-290 yard draws to the front edge. It's an issue I thought was dead......I don't mind tough holes, but holes where there is clearly no answer for all but the longest hitters (or fade/draw) seem just harsh. Everyone had warned me that the 15th was tough of the whites.....not at all, just longer (I parred it), but this par 3 and the short par 4 are just plain badly thought out.....

 

[nomadpaul]

Is there no way you can hit the 5-wood a little higher to take off some of the length? - Maybe tee it up a tad higher ?

 

[theeaglehunter]

I must admit it seems to be a very tricky situation. How about landing it on the front with your 5 wood and judging it so it hits the pin and doesn't run though the back . That's the only immediate way I see out of it.

Is there any sort of run off area at the side of the green you could aim for? Any chance of a link to a course website that has a plan of the hole?

 

[TonyN]

Why dont you just put it in the hole so it can't run off the back!

Or a fade so it comes rolls shorter, or was that the idea of the slice?

 

[USER1999]

Buy a number 2 hybrid?

 

[RGuk]

I had considered the 2H idea.....pretty drastic, but I do have an old BB 2 iron in the shed. I might invest in a nice grip for it and try. I used it back in the old days for tight driving holes.....although I hit it a bit weak (my swing ain't good enough for a great hit) it was a solid 190+ club. Certainly well short of my Callaway 5 wood which is the same loft but longer shaft.

When I was learning, I used to get frustrated by 2 things in particular. Long holes (4s and 5s) where you had to hit a decent distance to clear the cabbage and par 3s with no "bail short" possibilities. We had a 240 yarder which I just hit a 3 wood to and always came up short, but often made par.

I really do wonder what goes through the minds of the staff that set up courses. If they want to make holes long....fine, doesn't bother me, BUT if there really is no option but to hit the green or over-club safely and risk a double, then I get a bit cross. If you are going to have two lakes, make it sensible to lay up short....that way, nobody can complain.

 

[USER1999]

I am with you on the course design issue. It is not such a problem with rough, but a monster carry over water can be a joke for people who don't carry a long ball. there should always be a bail out option (at a bit of a penalty, or there woudld be no reward for going for it).

On the other hand. I love it at Woodhall when they have a 190 carry over heather and gorse to the fairway, with a 10 ft deep pot bunker at 170. If you are in it, all you can do is flop it out into the gorse. Some sense of humour is required.
I wouldn't want to medal round there.

 

[OldWindy]

I agree with nomadpaul in teeing the ball a tad higher - this is my answer to getting the ball to stop on 200yd'ish par 3s with my 19* Rescue.

No bail out it a bit rough on the club golfer, though. Does your club have a suggestion box?!