AT 100 Metres from green what do you think of

[addamsmith]

Hi Guy's and Gals
I have to ask this Question,
Let's have some fun here.

Senario
Okay you are on a great Par 4 350m
You have bombed it right in the Middle of the fairway.
The flag is tucked up in the back left side of the green, 6 mtrs from the left side,4 mtrs from the back edge.
There is water in front on the green.
So complete water carry is needed to get the ball on the green,
Wind is blowing from the left to the right about 20kmh so it is quiet windy.
100 mtrs to the front of the Green. and the green is 36 mtrs from the front to the back of the green. so to fly the green it is 136 mtrs.
Behind the green is a big Paddock full of brown snakes with thick grass, so if your long your ball is as good as lost.

As you approach the ball what is the first thing you think of and do.
What club are you going to play
What shot are you goingto play.
And why.

[Moe Norman]

punched 8 iron straight at the flag.

[BrisVegas]

first thing i'd think is what distance have i got. 132m to the flag. max 136m.

Second thing i'd think is what shape shot do i need to hit. As the flag is close to the left edge and the back, id imagine coming in with a draw landing short and releasing to the flag.

20kmh wind will hurt the distance a draw shot will go in this case. Now for me, a full swing with 9 iron is about 135. The wind will probably take 10 mtrs off my shot, but that's fine, as I only want to land the shot around the 125m mark anyway.

i'd hood the face of the 9 iron a bit, aim at my target, just right and short of the flag and put a smooth swing on it.

[addamsmith]

Great anwser Dion,
Moe very strategic,

Keep em coming guys
There is a good reason for this, to do with thinking before you hit and why.

[Jarro]

I'd probably hit a nice little 8 iron at the middle of the green, then drain the putt to beat Moe off the stick ... this forcing him to buy me quite a few beers in the clubhouse (which by the way is full of topless waitresses)

[markTHEblake]

feet close together, front foot dragged back, all weight in left side. (is stance is impact position)
8 iron off the back foot, low and hard.

actually thats what i always hit from <150 so the situation doesnt make any difference to me.

[goughy]

In those conditions, full pw aimed at the left edge of the green, with the intention of the wind carrying it somewhere onto the middle of the green, and at the least the green somewhere. 2 putts from the center half of the green back. If I got there and felt a bit edgy about the shot, then same intentions with a 9 iron. I doubt with the wind it would float over the back, but the pw would feel more like the fat of the green.

And there is no pin. What pin you say? There is only the middle of the green.

[Andrew]

As you approach the ball what is the first thing you think of ?

Boobs

What club are you going to play ?

My 6 iron, because I thought it was my 9 iron

What shot are you going to play ?

A duck hook

And why ?

Because I was thinking about boobs.

[Coffs_Hacker]

9 iron punched.
thinking - Don't hit it fat into the water, don't push it, don't pull hook, don't knife it, don't hit it long

Crap i am going to do one of these so please don't miss the green by too much ------Sad but true-------

[addamsmith]

Ha ha ha
Man, some of these are good.
Keep em coming
wait till next weeks one this is just the first of 18 holes
You would think we were playing Northlakes hey andy

[perci]

What number hole would this be on as i need to work out how many cans i would have had.

[Jono]

As you approach the ball what is the first thing you think of ?

Boobs

What club are you going to play ?

My 6 iron, because I thought it was my 9 iron

What shot are you going to play ?

A duck hook

And why ?

Because I was thinking about boobs.

And the end result of thinking about boobs?

Another NCR ...

[AndyP]

8 iron, with the flag as my aiming target. No punching, no shaping. I don't do that.
I hit an 8 iron about 125m, so there's not much risk of going over the back.
If I hit the ball relatively straight, I'll be around the centre of the green, with more room to the right if I push or slice it (which is my usual mishit).

[kpac]

try to belt a 9iron, for no other reason but i thought it looked closer than what it is (happens all the time)
i'd aim 30 to 40 left of the flag to alow my shot to drift with slice and wind to end up off the green on the right.
then i'd try a flop shot fromthe fringe to blade it though the green into the drink.

ps: the above -unfortunatelly- is NOT taking the piss, that is a very likely outcome fromthat position.

Oh, and as for "what i'm thinking" -> mmm good drive, let's see if i can't f*&k this up...

[perci]

8 iron, with the flag as my aiming target. No punching, no shaping. I don't do that.
I hit an 8 iron about 125m, so there's not much risk of going over the back.
If I hit the ball relatively straight, I'll be around the centre of the green, with more room to the right if I push or slice it (which is my usual mishit).

BORING!

[Matt 3 Jab]

I would be stupid and fire at the pin with a 8 iron, drawing it against the wind to try and hold the left side of the green, start it middle and try and turn the hell out of it. Either end up right of the green (if it didnt draw) with an easy up and down for par or 3 ft from the pin and 3 jab for bogey.

[Grunt]

Skull an 8 iron to skim thru the water and run up to the pin for a tap in birdie:P No other chance of getting it close.

[Moe Norman]

Great anwser Dion,
Moe very strategic,

Keep em coming guys
There is a good reason for this, to do with thinking before you hit and why.

with 6m left of te flag, there is still plenty of space left of the flag, especially from 130m. Seeing as there is 20km wind coming from the left and I usually get a slight draw on my punch shots, I figure going at the flag takes the left side out of play, but still leaves a chance of getting it pretty close. Usually fly an 8 iron around 145 m, but with a punch it will shorten to around 135 and generally stop where it lands.

[just]

7 iron and aim for the middle of the green. I have developed a pull to the left so this would nicely counter the wind.

[Peter]

You've established that distance control is key, but what about the preferred side to miss? Is the green elevated? Which way does it slope?

[Webster]

Ok.

Short is dead (water), long is dead (lost ball) and left is dead (short sided, down wind to close pin). Its 132 to the hole, 136 to the back. Left to right wind, plenty of green to the right of the flag. Based on 20 k wind from the left. it should play true to the yardage if the ball is played straight, a little shorter if a fade rides the wind.

I do not want to go short, left or long. Yardage to the middle of the green is 118, leaving 50 feet to the hole. So ideally, the shot will be played to the centre of the green, landing middlish (to avoid the trouble short) and leaving another 50 feet of roll to pin high. My 9 iron carries 126 in still conditions, my 8 carries 138 metres. 8 iron will go too far, 9 iron will be the choice, assuming the green will hold the full shot (if not, it would be a wedge shot which carries 115).

Conservative play to the centre of the green with a nine iron, hoping to land 126 metres and roll about 10-15 feet of so. Leaving a birde putt of 20-25 feet max, and taking all the trouble out of play. It sounds like a difficult hole so i assume i would get a shot here. Happy with a 4, a 3 is a bonus. Avoid the trouble and move on to the next hole.

[Courty]

For me it depends on what is on the shortside of the green. If it's bunkers or nasty hazards, I'd start a 9 iron at the pin and let the wind bring it back to the middle. If there is nothing to worry about on the short side, I'd attack the flag with an 8 iron. My club selection is based on the greens being receptive.

[Flowergirl]

I'm going to hit a 7 iron - which is probably one more than I need - but it will make me swing slow and steady . I tend to pull if I swing too fast and think I've got to hit this further. I'll just try to hit it to left of the green - bit of a natural fader and with the wind - hopefully it will go to the right . I'll stand over the ball and just say "trust your self - you know it's the right club and you know the right swing to make".
I'll not even think about the water - and I know it wan't go over the back into the snakes that are "more scared of me than I am of them" ( especially if I'm angry and have a 7 iron in my hand!!!!)
Then I'll make the putt.

[addamsmith]

Okay here are the results of the first Senario test here on Ozgolf.
From a teacher to a student giving a Course managment. This is what I beleive is the best thing you should do.

For the guy's that said they would Go attaching the Flag.

NO
Why
In a situation like this, by trying to attack the flag is a low percentage shot, why because of all the Hazzards around. the Flag is to close to the back and side of the green. you could hit 10 balls and maybe get close 3 time.Also because of the wind being fairly strong it make it much harder. If there was no wind the Percentage would be a bit better of course.

For the Guy's that want to draw the ball into the flag

NO
Why
What does a draw do? creates top spin.
So there is a good chance the ball would hit the green and run through. A fade has change to stop quicker.
Most pro's will fade the short irons into the greens.
Also because the wind is left to right, if you said to draw the ball into the green.The wind may stop and cause you to overhit the back or overdraw the green to the left side and into the MAGOOMBAH
So again a low percentage shot.

If you Said punch it to the center of the green.
better
But again a punch shot is a lower percentage shot, than a full smooth swing. So the idea of a punch if the wind was into you face, to the center of the green would be a great shot to play, but the wind is coming across not into so there is no need for a punch shot.
95&#37; of punch shots are to keep the ball under the wind when the wind is into your face.

All in all the best shot here would be what?
hit a full swing with whatever club hits 110 metres.
aim to the center of the green and go for the par.

This shot is by far the best way to get the best result. If you pull th ball or push,slice or hook it. hit it off the toe or heel it should still clear the water and get to the front of the green at worst.

Always remember the, the best shot to play when there is a hazard or lots of harards around, is always play for the center of the green and take a club that you can do a full smooth swing with.

If you where 2 down with 2 to play in match play, then yes Hit the little shit of a ball right at the hole only if the other player has hit his shot first and is in the center of the green. Because you have nothing to loose. But if you where to play first play to the center because I can tell you now. If he was 2 up he would be not attacking the flag.

This is how I would teach any of my students to play this hole.
I hope it has helped in some way.
Would you like another senario?
Addam

[Moe Norman]

Completely disagree - a punch shot for me is a higher &#37; shot that a full swing, I get far more control and better spin.

With the wind coming from the left, aiming at the flag with 6m (which is a truckload) of room to the left of the flag, means that the wind can only bring the ball to the middle of the green at worst.

If I aimed a smooth swing at the centre of the green, I could easily lose it way right with that wind, as I hit the ball VERY high. A punch for me is the high % shot, and going straight at theh flag takes the trouble out of play, as the wind can only push it one way, and thats right into the heart of the green.

Trouble is, its unlikely I'd be in the middle fo the fairway

Everyone is different though !