Risk and reward part 2

[One Planer]

You may remember a while back I posted a picture of a risk/reward hole at my course.

Work is a little slack at the minute so I decided to do another.

This is the 12th hole at my track. It's a 255 Yard, par 4 with a S/I 16.

The white line all the way up the left is the course boundry OOB

The orange dot is the Tee box

The red dot is the rough position of a wall bunker that can only just be made out on the picture.

The 150 marker is roughy in lin with the first tree of the dotted tree line.

A little info.

You cannot see the green from the tee box as it is hidden by the tree line and the copse at the end of the tree line. All you can see is the front bunker. You also can't see your landing zone if you lay up because of the blind dip (mentioned later)

Anything left off this tee with fly OOB barring and extremley lucky kick off a tree. The copse at the end of the tree line are very thick with un-even ground so if you go in here a pitch out in any direction is not guaranteed.

After the 150 marker the course runs down hill for around 100 yards before running up hill (final 50 yards) to the green. The ground in the depression between the 150 marker and the green is bumpy and extremley un even with dips and mounds so in the summer the bounce you'll get is a lottery at the best of times.

Off the back of the green behind the bunker is heavy rough, which is also the case as you clear the copse infront of the green. You can see the colour difference in the grass as it switches from fairway to rough. This also extends into the tree line above the green (on your picture)

How would you play it?

 

[Jonny]

Probably with a 2 or 3 iron hoping for a kick forwards. I draw the ball so it suits my eye and shot shape. I see no reason to mess with the OOB really when you can move it around the corner and if it gets a good kick then so be it. Worst way... pitching it onto the surface from an uneven lie.

 

[brendy]

To me the shadows from the trees make it look narrower than it is. Id be lumping something down just right of the green and hoe for my draw to pull it back to the green , if I miss there seems to be plenty of room around the green.

 

[ForeRighty]

Rip my 4 wood with a nice soft draw. I cannot see any risk in not going for it?????

 

[EZprophet]

I think on your last "risk/reward" post I opted for the super-conservative PW off the tee but I think this time I would be a tad more aggressive I like taking a 3 wood and aiming for the greenside bunker. Looks like theres a big enough room for error up there and if you pull or push it a bit it sounds like you would still be in good shape. Also the shape of the hole looks ideal for that shot.

If that fairway bunker was 40/50 yards closer to the green then I think that laying up short of it would definitely be the play and if it was 20/30 yds closer, it would be an option worth considering, but laying up to leave youself a 170+ shot seems a little bit too conservative considering it doesn't actually look that tight up there.

Secondary option would be to take a 4 iron or something and hit a 200 yard-ish shot and just deal with it if I get an uneven lie.

 

[DaveM]

I would try to leave it just short of the wall bunker, on the right side of the fairway. That would be about a 6 iron off the tee. It would leave around 100yrds to the pin. Nice easy wedge in. Then 3 putt?

 

[Monty_Brown]

At 255 yards, it's not going to take a career shot to get on the green, so I'd say tee it high and let it fly with a 3-wood. Line would be right side of the green. There's enough leeway with the club and layout of the hole to make it worth a go.

255 is the shortest par 4 I've seen for ages. Is that the shortest on the course?

 

[One Planer]

At 255 yards, it's not going to take a career shot to get on the green, so I'd say tee it high and let it fly with a 3-wood. Line would be right side of the green. There's enough leeway with the club and layout of the hole to make it worth a go.

255 is the shortest par 4 I've seen for ages. Is that the shortest on the course?

Yes Monty, shortest Par 4, hense the S/I at 16

 

[bladeplayer]

Rip a 3 wood down the righ hand side , when i do it draws , dont know how or why it just does , decent bounce should get me there , other option would be solid (hopefuly) 3/4 iron leaving me betweem 30/50 yard chip to set up birdie ...( before i duff it twice & walked of with a 5 )

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Take something to leave a straight line to the flag with an easy wedge, one putt and on to the next hole. Seriously, take whatever club of the tee leaves the simplest pitch to the flag depending on course conditions on the day and try and knock it close. No point in playing it like a clown and taking 6,7,8 or worse. See it all the time on short par 4's people racking up big numbers due to making a bad choice off the tee.

 

[Junior]

7I, SW for me. Keep it stress free.

 

[wull]

depends on how i'm scoring but i'd probably play a 3 wood with a wee draw and hope for the best.

 

[EZprophet]

Just realised I completely misunderstood the distances on the hole when I made my first post. I thought that laying up in front of the bunker would give you a 170+ shot into the green for some reason...

So scrap my first answer, I would leave my tee shot short of the wall bunker and give myself a SW into the green and once in a while I would grab the 3-wood and aim for the front greenside bunker if I was feeling confident.

 

[CMAC]

go for it everytime, love risk and reward shots, whats the worst that could happen? OB first ball with a probable 5 with the second, so 1 dropped shot, isnt that what risk and reward holes are all about. You could make a 1 at a par 4, how often will that happen so go for it.

 

[Yer Maw]

On a normal driving day go for the green with either driver or 3W depending on wind and high fade over the trees which is a shot I can do to call. Worst that can happen is a bunker second and as I'm good from bunkers then no issue.
If driving erratic then 3i off the tee on a draw to be left of front bunker and sw from 50yds on top of the flag.

I like the hole which could be improved by making the front bunker scary deep and a steep run off at the back with the green sloping front to back.

 

[Imurg]

With the uneven ground before the green I'd probably lay-up to the bunker and wedge it in from there.
I'd have to be swinging well to get the fairway wood out on that hole as I am extremely capable of hitting a humungous draw which will see it sailing into the trees or worse.
Had a similar hole at my last club, a bit straighter and uphill but similar length with a ditch to carry at 180, then dead ground for the next 70 to the green. Went for it a few times and made the green now and again but more often than not it resulted in a par. Mainly played it 6 iron/9 iron to get as close as possible to try and 1 putt.
The number of times I layed-up but walked off with birdie or par while those that went for it walked off with a bogey left me in no doubt that fortune doesn't often favour the brave.

 

[BTatHome]

Driver straight to the green for the first 6 months of playing there .... then after seeing myself in the woods/bunkers/over the back week in-week out with bogey/double on the card, then I would decide to hit 6 iron, and wedge

 

[timchump]

a casual game id go for it everytime

if its a medal depends how ive played the previous 11 holes

playing a few shots under my handicap i'd play safe

a few shots over my hanicap id go for it

if its a stableford, go for it


wind against play safe,

how high are the trees?

 

[patricks148]

3 wood, tap in for eagle.

 

[richart]

Try and leave a full wedge/sandwedge in. The last second shot I would want would be a 30-50 yard one especially over a bunker. Wrong shape of hole for me to go for the green, as I don't do a draw only a snap hook.