A Hunter idea

[Sean_A]

On page 118 of the 1998 reprint, Mr Hunter states "Not infrequently one sees bunkers so placed as to prohibit good play.  Bunkers behind the green often deter one from bold shots to the pin."  This seems to run contrary to my idea of good play.  Is Mr. Hunter suggesting that good play is bold play?  Am I misreading this section?  What do you lot reckon?

Ciao

[RJ_Daley]

Sean, I believe Hunter is talking about the placement of the obvious hazard that deters play from a particular position, that would otherwise offer a bold or opportune next shot strategy.  To send the obvious signal to the golfer with placement of a hazard that masks the next shot consideration of perhaps internal contouring of the green as it would effect the next shot from that location, is I think what Hunter was referring to.

But don't tell Huck on the Idea thread.  He might think that a ravine is a desirable feature and so placed as to encourage strategy off the tee...

[THuckaby2]

RJD:

How Muccian of you.  But I did get a chuckle.  The rest would go more properly on that other thread, so I will not further dilute Sean's here... except to say....

A ravine sure as hell can be a desireable feature and be placed as to encourage strategy off the tee... go play Pasa or Valley Club or LACC (among many others) and ye shall see for yourself.

TH

[RJ_Daley]

Well Sean, being somewhat of a headless golfer myself, as I consistently prove over and over , I think Hunter is saying this.  

Put a bunker on the more advantageous (yet maybe not apparently or obviously favorable approach angle) and you deter the golfer, intimidate him into a safer side to avoid the obvious bunkered side.  Let that player be bold and challenge that hazard, approach from that side and receive a reward with a better set up to the pin.  Let him go at the pin that has the bunker behind, for fear of running through into it, and he misses the opportunity for the accomplished bold shot at the pin.  Intimidate him by taking the obvious safer side, and if he is headless, won't see the awaiting difficulties of the next shot.  So the bold is rewarded, the safe is suckered.  I haven't played TOC, so I can't say with specificity about the 14th and favored side to approach, and the sucked in nature of the right side.

[RJ_Daley]

Sean, I am at such a disadvantage here.  I never played TOC.  

But, if that is the case, what is the bold shot off the tee to get a shorter path to the heroic 2nd shot?  Isn't it challenging the Beardies?  The longer route, sucking you into a three shot apparently safe side is the Elysian Fields, isn't it.  If you safe yourself there, what do you have next.  The layup to the high right of Hell bunker leaves you with third shot onto the narrow and sloped away from you green into the Grave and Gingerbeer bunkers?  If you take the bold second shot over Hell, you have the fat of the green, perhaps a safe run-up corridor, and the bunker to the rear if you run through is chancey, but recoverable more so than Ginger Beer and Grave.  If an architect purposely puts a bunker behind the bold shot, that is already bold to go over Hell, then Hunter doesn't seem to like that as it discourages that bold over Hell play, yielding to the safer appearing right side.

Again, I am only going by MacKenzie's drawing of TOC... so don't hold me to my guessing to severely.  

[RJ_Daley]

Sean, first we have to take the ubiquitous modern length equation out of it and think in normal mortal golfer's terms.  The bold shot is at the pin, challenging Hell and going at the pin either in the air or run up through the channel between Ginger Been and the knob to the right of green.  If an intimidating bunker is behind the pin, the golfer is discouraged from accepting the primary challenge over Hell and threading the needle or flying and stopping it, because of a second threat of the rear bunker.  Now, perhaps that golfer is only thinking safe lay-up to the left, or even a lofted shot over Hell and short of the green.  No more heroics, if one has to take on three challenges, Hell, Ginger, and rear bunker.  

I believe if we read on, Hunter talks about the economy of using the bunkers sparingly, and I think he is making the point that this rear bunker is one too many, discouraging bold play by discouraging the heroic because it would turn into the idea of taking on one too many...

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