"Tee shot doesn't suit my eye" How do you play it?

Maninblack4612

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To say SI doesn't come into it is either arrogant (probably) or ignorant. We are all handicap golfers. That's why we get shots and we have SI

What complete cobblers! You play each hole with the object of getting the best score, taking the amount of risk you personally think is appropriate. The only time you would take the SI into account would be if you thought the best you could do was a double bogey. I've thought back to the times over the last 60 years I've played the difficult holes on my course & can't once think of when I've taken the SI into account. Often I've played for a two putt bogey, with the hope of a one putt par, but not because of the SI but because trying to reach in two was too risky, or impossible.
 

HomerJSimpson

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What complete cobblers! You play each hole with the object of getting the best score, taking the amount of risk you personally think is appropriate. The only time you would take the SI into account would be if you thought the best you could do was a double bogey. I've thought back to the times over the last 60 years I've played the difficult holes on my course & can't once think of when I've taken the SI into account. Often I've played for a two putt bogey, with the hope of a one putt par, but not because of the SI but because trying to reach in two was too risky, or impossible.

And yet again a stunningly arrogant response just because it doesn't fall into your line. Call it course management if it helps but I will always look at SI especially on away courses and know if I have a shot especially on a hole that doesn't suit my eye. If I do get a shot chances are I will play it conservatively and hope to make a par, knowing a bogey doesn't damage my score and takes away (well reduces) the chances of a big number.

As for "cobblers" I think you'll find it's a point of view and one I'd ask you to respect whether you agree with it or not
 

Spear-Chucker

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To play an uncomfortable shot you need to hit ONLY what you are confident of pulling off. If that's a 4 or 5 iron, so be it and work from there. If that's not proving enough to consistently play the hole well, work on an alternative during practice.

From the description of the hole I'd play a Crossover (hybrids work well here too) either with a preferred gentle draw or fade, this being dependent upon the wind direction. Would look to hit it 210-220 and then a mid iron from there.

SI is irrelevant to the strategy of playing the hole.
 

One Planer

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And yet again a stunningly arrogant response just because it doesn't fall into your line. Call it course management if it helps but I will always look at SI especially on away courses and know if I have a shot especially on a hole that doesn't suit my eye. If I do get a shot chances are I will play it conservatively and hope to make a par, knowing a bogey doesn't damage my score and takes away (well reduces) the chances of a big number.

As for "cobblers" I think you'll find it's a point of view and one I'd ask you to respect whether you agree with it or not

Would you take the same view Martin if you were playing a format where stroke index is irrelevant?
 

garyinderry

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You will greatly reduce you chances of having a three pointer if you are aware of the stroke index and play safe.

Think of a strategy to at least make par on the tee. When that goes tits up, fall back and try to make at least bogey. When you then find out its a shot hole it's a relief.

There are two or three holes on my home course I know a bogey is not a bad score. I play some of them as three shots sometimes but only if into a big wind or I cannot get close enough after the drive leaving a very risky second.

I prefer to find out after I have bogied a hole that I had a shot and it's worth 2 points to my score.
 

Maninblack4612

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And yet again a stunningly arrogant response just because it doesn't fall into your line. Call it course management if it helps but I will always look at SI especially on away courses and know if I have a shot especially on a hole that doesn't suit my eye. If I do get a shot chances are I will play it conservatively and hope to make a par, knowing a bogey doesn't damage my score and takes away (well reduces) the chances of a big number.

As for "cobblers" I think you'll find it's a point of view and one I'd ask you to respect whether you agree with it or not

No, I'm quite happy to accept that you have a different Pont of view, what was cobblers was calling my approach arrogant or ignorant. It is neither, it is, as you, yourself say, a different approach. I expressed my point of view & you called me arrogant or ignorant. If you knew me you'd realise that I am neither. Looks like I may have a completely wrong impression of you, you surely can't be like that in real life.
 

Orikoru

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I'm not very good, so take this with a pinch of a salt, but I also tend to draw my tee shots so I'll chuck my 2 pence in anyway.

Personally I'd probably take my 5 wood out, to try and cut the corner very slightly, the added loft of the 5W lessening the risk of catching those trees on the right. But I might not be picturing the hole right from your description. If the trees are too tall for the added loft to make any difference, then I'd probably just 3 wood it and aim as close to the trees on the right as I dare without clipping them.
 

Val

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And yet again a stunningly arrogant response just because it doesn't fall into your line. Call it course management if it helps but I will always look at SI especially on away courses and know if I have a shot especially on a hole that doesn't suit my eye. If I do get a shot chances are I will play it conservatively and hope to make a par, knowing a bogey doesn't damage my score and takes away (well reduces) the chances of a big number.

As for "cobblers" I think you'll find it's a point of view and one I'd ask you to respect whether you agree with it or not

You ask him to respect your point of view but you call his arrogant????

I don't see what SI has to do with anything. When a hole doesnt fit your eye it doesn't really matter the stroke index, the aim is still to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.

If the hole is stroke index is 14 and the tee shot requires a draw to get you into prime position and you can't hit a draw to save yourself then you still have to try and manufacture a score in some way, similarly if SI2 suits your game to a tee the same premise is still applied. Im sure there are many on here who have more pars on holes where they have shots and have more bogey's on holes they don't.
 

Maninblack4612

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You ask him to respect your point of view but you call his arrogant????

I don't see what SI has to do with anything. When a hole doesnt fit your eye it doesn't really matter the stroke index, the aim is still to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.

If the hole is stroke index is 14 and the tee shot requires a draw to get you into prime position and you can't hit a draw to save yourself then you still have to try and manufacture a score in some way, similarly if SI2 suits your game to a tee the same premise is still applied. Im sure there are many on here who have more pars on holes where they have shots and have more bogey's on holes they don't.
Quite a few arrogant & ignorant people on here by the look of things http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?88408-Does-stroke-index-dictate-way-you-play-hole
 

patricks148

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You ask him to respect your point of view but you call his arrogant????

I don't see what SI has to do with anything. When a hole doesnt fit your eye it doesn't really matter the stroke index, the aim is still to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.

If the hole is stroke index is 14 and the tee shot requires a draw to get you into prime position and you can't hit a draw to save yourself then you still have to try and manufacture a score in some way, similarly if SI2 suits your game to a tee the same premise is still applied. Im sure there are many on here who have more pars on holes where they have shots and have more bogey's on holes they don't.

Like the 16th at the Jubilee Martin;)
 
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... Im sure there are many on here who have more pars on holes where they have shots and have more bogey's on holes they don't.

I've just made what are the effective SI's for last season (most under par = SI 18, most over par = SI 1):

Some holes agree to what the card suggests, ie, holes 2 & 15 (SI2 & 3) are my 2nd and 3rd worst holes. But some are entirely different, hole 9 for example is SI 4, but I have scored well on it this season, making it my 6th easiest hole. Number 16 conversely is SI 15, but is my 6th hardest hole.
 
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