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

Break90

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Sounds similar to the 3rd hole on our Old Course, albeit without the slope. slight left to right, trees all the way down both sides, bunker at around 200 on the inside of the curve.

I've tried everything, with varying levels of success, but my current play is a 3 wood, carry the bunker with a slight draw and hope it holds the fairway. Currently it generally does due to softish fairways, but in the summer it rarely does.

Leaves a 6 or 7 iron in.

I suppose the correct answer is whatever tee shot will give you a shot at getting on in 2. I'd much rather be hitting a 180-190 yd second shot than having to chip out or play from the flag.
 

fundy

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The slope is right to left, whereas the hole is left to right, so a draw will go with the slope off the fairway.

If the semi rough will stop the ball it might not be too bad an option though.

unless its a big slope 5 to 10 yds of draw shouldnt kill him still, if it does then its learn to hit a necky fade or lay it up with a mid iron then
 

HomerJSimpson

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Isn't that course management though, we all want birdie or par on every hole, but if it's a shot hole and you constantly "mess it up" going for it, wouldn't you/me/anyone be better playing it as 3 to the green and guarantee a bogey possibly a Par than ruining the card?

Yes, but the stroke index doesn't come into it.

Totally agree, play for a bogey and net par and move on. I'm sure many of us have a hole on our home course that doesn't suit and all you do is make a confident swing and hope to make par, but take a bogey every time without trying to force anything and risk a double or worse.

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
 

bladeplayer

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We have a par 4 dog left -right mate , its bout 220 to corner i punch driver down the middle with a fade , if it works im perfect , if it doesnt i have a long second but at least i have a shot all be it a long one

I think the key is to fully commit to the shot u choose , its quitting or swinging too hard that causes the real problems


Easier said than done tho
 
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RGDave

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I play these holes as par 5s. Take all the pressure off, sometimes make 4.

Actually, today, I made a great par teeing off with a 5 iron (wrong shape hole) and mashing a 3-wood to 5 foot. Just couldn't help myself once the 'sweep to the right/dog leg' had been taken out of the hole.

Shame I never made the putt.... I was still laughing too much at my jammy-ness.

I'm annoying like this, especially in matchplay.... nothing confuses like showing no intention of hitting the green GIR. :)
 

Region3

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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

Which am I?

Yes there are holes that bogey isn't a bad score, but to treat any hole depending on whether or not you get a shot is defeatist and almost accepting you've found your level.

What about strokeplay when it's irrelevant because you take hc off at the end?
If a 1hc asks the same question about SI1, do you tell him to take his 2 points and move on?
What about a +1 on SI18, has he got to go extra hard for a birdie?

Just find the best way to play each hole, whatever that may be.
 

351DRIVER

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How do you treat it? You change your mindset

When you go to the range, you hit shots as if hitting from that tee, picture it, play it and repeat... over time, the not suiting eye nonsense will be gone
 
D

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Which am I?

Yes there are holes that bogey isn't a bad score, but to treat any hole depending on whether or not you get a shot is defeatist and almost accepting you've found your level.

What about strokeplay when it's irrelevant because you take hc off at the end?
If a 1hc asks the same question about SI1, do you tell him to take his 2 points and move on?
What about a +1 on SI18, has he got to go extra hard for a birdie?

Just find the best way to play each hole, whatever that may be.
It's not defeatist if you know your ability and when to attack and when to play safe, in this thread the op has issues with one hole, until he works out the best way to play it, surely he has to consider all options.

I learnt a lot about about course management and shot choice off you and Karen at Trump, simply keeping it play and playing to your strengths was great to see and you both took time on the Tee to look at the guide, look at the hole and played it one hole, one shot at a time.

Mid-high handicappers tend, imo, to reach for the club that they believe will get them closer to the hole.
 

Region3

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It's not defeatist if you know your ability and when to attack and when to play safe, in this thread the op has issues with one hole, until he works out the best way to play it, surely he has to consider all options.

I learnt a lot about about course management and shot choice off you and Karen at Trump, simply keeping it play and playing to your strengths was great to see and you both took time on the Tee to look at the guide, look at the hole and played it one hole, one shot at a time.

Mid-high handicappers tend, imo, to reach for the club that they believe will get them closer to the hole.

Course management based on knowing your strengths, weaknesses and distances - 101% (just to annoy the mathematicians) agree.

Course management based on whether or not you get a shot - can't get on board with that.

If this hole is SI10 and he is a 10hc, should he change the way he plays it if he gets down to 9?
Reading that back it sounds like such a daft question, but that seems to be what some are suggesting.
 

RGDave

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Course management based on knowing your strengths, weaknesses and distances - 101% (just to annoy the mathematicians) agree.

Course management based on whether or not you get a shot - can't get on board with that.

I agree. The SI is only of interest to me when in matchplay. (In the event of it being relevant at the time)

I don't actually know the SI most of the time.

In terms of the OP, I'd be tempted to make up my mind on the day... no point wrecking a good card, SI or not.
 

NWJocko

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On a bit of a tangent do those that say "do you have a shot here" play mainly stabelford comps? In medal it makes zip difference.

To the OP, how consistently do you actually hit a "5/10 yard" draw with the driver? If you are consistently hitting that then just aim right edge/half of the fairway. Job done surely.

Not sure I've ever played a hole that doesn't "suit me eye" so to speak, more that they just don't suit my lack of ability to play the required shot consistently! :whistle:
 
D

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Course management based on knowing your strengths, weaknesses and distances - 101% (just to annoy the mathematicians) agree.

Course management based on whether or not you get a shot - can't get on board with that.

If this hole is SI10 and he is a 10hc, should he change the way he plays it if he gets down to 9?
Reading that back it sounds like such a daft question, but that seems to be what some are suggesting.
Maybe that's the difference in mindset between single figures and mid handicapper, if you mess up a tee shot, you have the consistencey to recover with your second or you know you can lay up off the Tee knowing you have the 2nd shot, me I hope I can put 2 shots together😃
 
D

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On a bit of a tangent do those that say "do you have a shot here" play mainly stabelford comps? In medal it makes zip difference.

To the OP, how consistently do you actually hit a "5/10 yard" draw with the driver? If you are consistently hitting that then just aim right edge/half of the fairway. Job done surely.

Not sure I've ever played a hole that doesn't "suit me eye" so to speak, more that they just don't suit my lack of ability to play the required shot consistently! :whistle:
Maybe that's were I go wrong, regardless of whether it's stableford or Medal, there are holes I know I can score well on and some holes I will be happy with a bogey as I make more mistakes when the ability in my head doesn't match my actual ability.
 

Region3

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Maybe that's the difference in mindset between single figures and mid handicapper, if you mess up a tee shot, you have the consistencey to recover with your second or you know you can lay up off the Tee knowing you have the 2nd shot, me I hope I can put 2 shots together😃

I know my thinking changed drastically as my handicap came down. I used to base my tee shot club on how long the hole was, but now it doesn't bother me leaving 200 to the green if it means I'll be in play and the downside of a bad driver is a wrecked card.

I often hit a 3 iron on the 18th at ours. It leaves me a long way back whereas a good driver leaves me 8 or 9 iron, but a bad driver means double or worse.

Oddly, when this hole first started troubling me I used to get a shot and hit driver pretty much every time. Now I don't get a shot but I'm prepared to back myself getting up and down if I get somewhere near the green in 2.
 

Region3

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Maybe that's were I go wrong, regardless of whether it's stableford or Medal, there are holes I know I can score well on and some holes I will be happy with a bogey as I make more mistakes when the ability in my head doesn't match my actual ability.

Apologies for labouring the point, but this ^^ is exactly the right way to think about it as you've not mentioned basing your shot choice on whether or not you get a shot.
 
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