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Posted 22 April 2009 - 12:02 AM
Shady Oaks cc, where Fl plays, the first hole is wide open, 45 yard open fairway, close rough, no trees on either side. That means you could blow it far right or left and still lay up short on the par 5 and par. A very easy hole to open your round which I like. Good for the old timers and the average patron. I hate to see some killer long ball buster par 4 right out of the chute.
So let’s examine this hole. A big ditch, a small creek, 295 out. On a good day, in the dry summer, Fl can reach it and get wet. He has to be careful. So he backs a little off the big dawg and hits it smooth to come up close, but to not go in. Only Tiger could fly this thing. Trying to fly it, that far, is big time dumb.
Now to get home in two, if he hits it long, he has a 1 iron, or 4 wood. The problem is, he can hit it that long, and his ego says, 1 iron like Hogan, rather than the higher smarter 4 or 5 wood. The problem is the green was never designed to hold a hot incoming 1 iron, or a wood, it is too small, too flat, but will hold a wedge. It was designed when nobody could reach it in 2, but times have changed.
So big gun fl hits the green in 2 with his 1 iron, and the lousy green will not accept the shot and it runs off the back which slopes badly away and FL has his first bogey of the day. He has hit 2 perfect shots and has been fooked. Welcome to Golf. When you play these old courses from past designs that went in a long time ago, you can't use today's scoring concepts on them.
There are times to be aggressive; there are times to back off. Take what the hole offers you; do not challenge it when it’s not there. FL did and he paid the price. If there is no reward, do not attack the hole. Realize there are some greens you do not hit, but you hit short and bounce on.
You will face a lot of holes that are poorly designed and made. You do not play on a perfect PGA course every week like the pros do. You face some holes that are just unfair and almost impossible.
Okie Dokie, back off, accept that, plan B dude.
At Shady Oaks, you drive with ¾ power. The plan from the tee is to lay up short. Even if you accidently nut one, and get in range of getting on in 2, you still layup. Just like Zack did at the Masters last year when he won. His plan was lay up on all par 5's. You used to be called a poo say when you lay up. They now call Zack, the Masters champion and the new millionaire.
Most like to leave a good wedge shot in. I like to get up closer and hit low chips in.
You fade the ball off the tee 250-260. No need to bust it 290. You hit a 2 or 3 iron, which just comes up short of the green but does not reach the front bunkers. You chip up close, pop in your 3’ putt; walk off with your bird or a sure par.
Your reward was being smart. The ego macho man, coming in hot in two, is now one over.
When you get this first tee, or on any tee where you can hit any shot, draw, fade, down the middle, the fairway is big, flat, simple. Look beyond it. At shady Oaks, the next hole is a dog leg right, which will call for a power fade. The next hole is a long par 3, but the green slopes left and the pin is left, so a fade is the best shot.
FL loves to draw the ball, which is his best shot. But at Shady Oaks, he should not draw his tee shot, instead he should fade it, since it does not matter, he should rehearse the fade that will matter on the next two holes coming up. Always plan ahead.
Don't walk up there and hit your favorite shot, hit the smart shot, instead.
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