- a perfect shot shouldn’t be punished –

[John Chilver-Stainer]

How often have you heard this ? (I’ve even read it on this site)

One could claim it’s a contradiction in terms - the « perfect » shot shouldn’t put itself in a position of punishment.

The usual situation this comment applies to is a centre line bunker in the fairway at the end of the landing zone – just where the « perfect » drive can roll into.

What’s your deep down emotions on the centre line Bunker?

Unfair ? Fair game ? Illogical ? Masochistic ? Idiotic ? Gimmiky ?

[George Pazin]

Unless the bunker is hidden, it's not a perfect shot if you knock it in.

[Tim Pitner]

I love centerline bunkers.  Assuming there are viable options--left, right or short, there's nothing wrong with a bunker at the end of the landing zone.  

[JohnV]

A friend of mine who had never had a hole-in-one would occasionally hit a shot and say, "That was perfect".  Another friend who is his arch rival and had an ace to his credit would watch it bounce up near the hole and say, "I've seen perfect and that wasn't perfect."  Any shot that doesn't go in the hole isn't perfect so there is no right to complain about where it does go.

[Jordan Wall]

A perfect shot is NEVER punished.

If you hit a ball dead straight and into a bunker or rough, the shot just aint perfect.

[mike_malone]

 And every lousy shot should be punished---NOT. That is the beauty of golf.

[Ted Kramer]

A perfect shot is NEVER punished.

If you hit a ball dead straight and into a bunker or rough, the shot just aint perfect.

. . .what he said.

-Ted

[Padraig Dooley]

A perfect shot

Is this a perfect strike? Hit plenty of those that were far from perfect shot.

Or a perfect result? eg holed out. Hit plenty of skanked chips, putts and pitches that have gone in.

[Jim Thompson]

John,

Perfect shots are punished all the time by good design.  In fact, good designs go out of their way to punish such shots.  The real shame is that most of those who have perfect shots punished with great frequency fail to realize that they had less than perfect judgement when selecting their club.

Cheers!

JT

[John Chilver-Stainer]

The « perfect » answers have done well in defining the « perfect » shot. I especially liked John V’s version and to be more precise we can take Padraigs’s first description – the « perfectly struck » shot.

At the moment it’s a unanimous decision – the « perfect » or well struck shot that ends in a centre line bunker deserves to be punished for not having as Jim says less than «perfect judgement »


However it’s amazing how often I’ve heard this statement – usually from good players. I suppose they really mean –  shouldn’t a well struck drive be rewarded with length rather than hindered by a centre-line bunker ?

Personally I think the centre line bunker has a lot to offer strategically especially if there’s room to sneak by left and right.

[John Chilver-Stainer]

Again on a personal note.
While playing at Kilspindie on the 12th, a short Par 4, there is a tiny bunker about 3 by 3 yards in the middle of a fairway, about 45 yards wide.
After consulting my colleagues I chose the obvious strategy – aim for the bunker with the consideration I’ll miss it anyway. As you guessed I found the bunker – the « perfect » shot – voilà !!