Par 3...lay up?

There's a nine-hole par 36 course fairly close by where I might play tomorrow. It's a good course for someone like me, because it doesn't attract a lot of high-powered impatient golfers. It's situated on an old farm, and the layout is pretty straightforward, nothing too tricky, and the course is immaculately maintained by the family that owns it. And it costs just $14 ($12 during the week) to go around as many times as you like!

But there's one hole that *is* tricky, I think mainly because they had to tuck a hole in this area where one really didn't belong.

It's a par 3 hole, about 160 yards. At about 110 yds, a line of trees and a gulley with a small stream cross the fairway. There's a gap in the line of trees where the cart path crosses the gulley, so you get a clear shot at the green. But the gap is only about 20 yds wide. On the other side of the gulley there are pine trees and a carpet of needles, and a very small stretch of fairway in front of the green. There's also fairway from the tee area to the gulley. There's a slight slope up from the gulley to the green.

So there it is...a simple par 3. But not so simple, because if you don't hit the ball straight through the gap, there's a very good chance you're going to land in an unplayable lie or lose it altogether. I've always played for the green on this hole, and maybe I've hit it once or twice. Occasionally I'll end up in a place where I can chip on. More likely I'll take a penalty.

I guess I already know the answer, but would it make more sense to lay up just short of the gulley and try to pitch it on from about 60 yds? It seems like a shame not to go for the green, but that gap seems really small when I'm lining up my shot, and if I'm off to either side I'm in bad bad shape.

What would you folks do?

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Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

I would hit a 6 iron into the centre of the green.

Remember Todd, the obstacles in front of the green don't exist (I know they're really there, but it is a par 3 after all), and when you say the green is only 160yds, then you should easily reach this with a 5 or 6 iron. If the obstacles are about 110yds, then you would probably clear this easily with your 9 iron, so it is likely to be confidence and direction off the tee that makes you tremble.

However, you are also right to consider course management as this will help you improve on your overall game. If it takes you two to get on the green, and two putt. It's still only a bogey, (net par or birdie) depending on your handicap, so this is still good. If you did this on every hole, you would definitely score under 100. Food for thought, eh!

Cheers.
Lee.

SImple really, do what is going to give you the lowest score 70% of time. I tend to be meat headish sometimes and go for broke. This year I have played more conservative and have see my scores lower.

btw
next time you swing the club ask yourself "do we have free will?"


I was never a fan of Philosphy. Perhaps it was the mandatory 150 dollar book that we had to buy even though the professor said it was garbage and that we were to read the book but 80% of his summaries on tests would be his beliefs not the dumb-ass authors.
Ed

160 yards. I can hit my 8 iron that far. I get alot of hight I can hit over most trees. So I guess that would be straight at the green. If you can't fly the trees. then you should look at laying up and hope to get it up and down for par.

If you're not confident enough in your game, then take the extra stroke, lay up, and consider bogey a good score on this hole.

When you're hitting the ball consistently (8/10 or better close to how you want it), then try going for the green. It sounds like there's no trouble behind it, so grab one more club, and fire away.

Course management is ALWAYS the way to play any hole. If you are not going to make the shot you are attempting 7 or 8 times out of 10, don't waste your time and balls trying to make it. Play the odds. I have read a lot of your posts and by laying up and playing that extra shot will keep you positive and if you get on in two, your confidence will go up. After a few times successfully playing the two shots into that green, you may be ready for the next step. in making the 160 yard shot straight through a 20 yard alley, at that time.

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Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

If this is not the first hole of the course, would it help to see how you do for the other holes in front, before deciding whether to go for it or not? Does course management best practice take previous strokes (for the day) into consideration?

I think it does. If that doesn't come under the heading of course management, it surely comes under shot selection--and I don't think the two can be separated, really.

It's the 5th hole, in fact, and I think it makes sense to base the decision in part on how things are going up to that point. If I'm not striking the ball well then laying up be a sort of pre-emptive damage control. Of course, I don't want my game always to be guided by thoughts like "I'll probably screw this up, so I'd better wimp out," but on certain days that's probably an accurate thought to have.

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Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

I understand about the course management, but I am a firm believer that a person should when given the oppurtunity practice or attempt realistic shots, I think that helps a person improve. Since it is not a lack of distance or totally impossible shot, I would recomend to continue practicing or using your 5 or 6 iron off the tee until you have confidence in that shot. Now if money is on the line thats a different story.

But the bottom line is that golf is supposed to be fun so do what will give you the most enjoyment.

Bob

The practice course I go to has two par 3 holes. One with a pond right in front of the green, the other one has a tree slightly left front of the green. I go for the latter but play safe with the former - for the simple reason that I do not want to lose my balls should I mishit!

Maybe I should make it clear that my goal is to get the best possible score, not to conceal the fact that I suck at golf. There's no way I could possibly conceal that. On this particular hole, if you miss the green, there's a very good chance that the ball will be unplayable or lost. I realize that for a lot of players it's not especially daunting to hit through a 20 yard slot 100 yards out to a green 160 yards out. For me it's at the limit of my ability.

With a 260 yard par 3 - I'm laying up.

Heck - I had a round in mid October where I wasn't hitting the ball all that well. Came to the last hole - a 190 yard par 3. I hit my 9 iron (poorly) twice to leave myself on the fringe, then lipped out my 30 foot chip and made bogey. Better, IMO, than hitting 3 iron twice from the tee (because the first one is OB), and still having to get on the green...

I make enough poor decisions with my driver (like taking out of the bag, for instance) that the last thing I need to do is try to get on a long par 3 in one with any other club.

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PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter - www.pcsgep.com
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

I agree here. Although I don't hit my 8 iron that far, I'd say a good 7 should be WAY more then enough to hit over some trees. Since the trees are only 50 yards before the pin, a high lofted club should be mre then enough to carry them.

The only time I'd lay up with 160 yards to go, is if I drove myself into the trees, and they are 10 yards in front of me, or 10 yards in front of the pin.

I think you just need to trust yourself :-) As long as your ball isnt a ground skimmer, a little left or right should be fine.