*I feel very comfortable carrying the ball 240 yards from tee.
I'm quite sure I can carry it farther than that, but at 250 or so I might start thinking.
200 gets my attention.[/color]
*I'm not sure about your water in front of the green question.
At what distance from a green does a fronting hazard begin to bother you ?
A hazard that's right up against the green is always troublesome, but, at what distance from the green, does a hazard cease being a problem ? 10 yards ? 25 Yards ?
I wonder if the ODG's placed deceptive bunkers well in front of the greens just to create doubt in the player's mind ?[/color]
*I don't know that better players don't lay up on long par 4s.
I can't recall ever seeing a better player laying up off his drive in the DZ on a long par 4[/color]
But I feel pretty confident saying that they don't try to hit shots that they aren't comfortable with during serious competition because of what the scorecard says;
That's where we disagree.
Anytime a golfer is hitting a long iron or 3-wood into a green, they can't feel that comfortable.[/color]
the "scoreboard" might get them out of their comfort zone, but not the scorecard. They hit shots that they believe they can pull off. That is one reason why that are good players.
I don't see them laying up on long par 4's, because they feel they can't pull off the required shot. Good players usually possess good short games.[/color]
*Are you serioulsy questioning the difference between strategy in match vs medal play? There are a zillion different reasons for playing more or less aggressively during match and or medal play. I don't for one second think that you disagree with the idea that match and medal play can lead to different strategic decisions having NOTHING to do with the par designation of a hole.
I do disagree with that.
If nothing else, I've learned NOT to play the man, and to focus on playing the hole, while not ignoring the man.
It's your honor. It's a 165 yard par 3.
How and why would you play differently in match or medal play ?
Same question on every hole you play when it's your honor, and, let's assume that your opponent outdrives you by 3 yards on every hole. Why would you play the hole differently in match versus medal play ?[/color]
*I havn't played enough golf recently to have a valid handicap. I've been single digits 6-8 for the past number of years. I just shot +7 at Bulle Rock from the blue tees on Saturday through 17 holes. I hurt myself during the round and couldn't play the 18th . . .I was really bummed out as that is really one of my favorites.
Recently, it seems that more and more people I know have injured themselves during a round. Most have twisted ankles and they were perfectly sober at the time.[/color]
*In terms of the fronting hazard, one of my favorite examples is the par 5, 13th at Bethpage Black. There is a bunker about ?20-30 yards? from the green. That hazard always gets me thinking.
**Pat, I think you out-argued yourself with regards to the good player and whether or not he/she lays up on a long par 4 and I agree with with you 100%.
If the good player isn't laying up on a long par 4 it is because he/she has enough confidence in their game (long game, short game, chipping, putting, etc.) to make the best number possible more times than not by playing the shot that they have chosen to play.
If that shot is a 3 wood, I agree, they might not feel that they will "hit it close". But they do feel that hitting the 3 wood gives them the best chance to score, that could very well mean that they have a ton of confidence in the pitch, chip, lob, etc. that they will be faced with if their 3 wood misses the green.
***It is my honor, I'm down 2 with 2 to play, 165 yard par 3, water right of the green, hole cut 5 paces from the right edge. I hit a drawing 7 iron that has to carry over a portion of the water hazard in the hopes of getting it close to give me a chance at birdie, which I'll probably need to continue the match. (I really can't hit a fade very well
)
***It is my honor, I'm leading a medal play event by 3 shots. It is the 17th hole and I'm looking at the same par 3. I hit an 8 iron thinking that I wont really be able to even reach the water with that club and aim in at the front left portion of the green. I'd be happy to get my ball somewhere up near the green and do my my best to 2 putt for par.
****Regarding my "injury". I hit a shot from the tee with my trusty Sonartec 17*/Fuji 904hb on the 14th hole and heard/felt a little pop in my forearm/elbow. I felt an ache in my forearm and bicep but I could still move my arm pretty well so I rubbed it a little as I walked to my ball. I hit my next shot and it hurt like hell. I played 15, 16, and 17 in a lot of pain and couldn't play 18. I iced it this weekend and took a bunch of ibuprofin. I really don't see myself going to a Dr. because I don't need to hear someone tell me to "rest it until it feels better". I'm 99.99999% sure that I don't need surgery, so I'll just put the clubs down for a few weeks and hope it feels better in about a month or so . . .
-Ted