Have You Ever Driven A Par 4?

[Carl Nichols]

1.  Have you ever driven a par 4 hole?  If so, provide one or two memorable instances, as these are memorable experiences.

I've driven a number of par 4's.  The most recent was #5 at Cuscowilla; I proceeded to hit my first putt off the front of the green (the pin was front left), and ended up barely making par!  Later the same day, I was left of the green with my drive; chipped to about 10 feet, and then three-putted.  Love that hole.  I also tried to reach #12 both times I played it; ended up greenside in tough places; and made par.

2.  What is your current handicap (to assess your general ability)?

I'm currently a 5.0.  My strength is my ball-striking with my full swing (I'm longer than almost everyone with whom I play), so I end up trying to reach a lot of par 4's.   Unfortunately, chipping and pitching are the worst part of my game, so short par 4's play to both my biggest strength and biggest weakness.

3.  What is your success rate when truly attempting to drive the green on a par 4?

I'd say I have a putter in my hand (whether on the green or somewhere I can putt) about 15% of the time, and I'm somewhere around the green about 70% of the time.

4.  To the best of your recollection, is your average score better when you lay up?

On average, I probably do better when I lay up, but that's because I'll make a big number every once in a while when I go for it.  I make a higher percentage of birdies going for it than laying up.   

[Andy Levett]

Fascinating thread. Sean is clearly right there are more opportunities in GB&I.
But really, almost all of us know how to hit proper golf shots and do so sometimes.
Surely it should be at least a one in a year thing, rather than once in a lifetime?
If you play at a course that doesn't offer the opportunity of occasionally driving the green on a par 4, doesn't that diminish the course?

[Ally Mcintosh]

1.  Many times I guess... Most memorable was at The Old Course in 2006 when I drove both 9 and 10 and sunk the eagle putts

2.  4.9

3.  Depends on the hole I guess... but certainly a fairly low success rate...

4.  I would imagine my average score is rougly the same whether I go for it or don't...

[Padraig Dooley]

Our first hole at home, Cork GC, is a par 4 of 380 yards, right to left dogleg and a reasonable rise to the green. Our best player in the 30's, 40's and 50's Jimmy Bruen used to drive it on a regular basis.

The closest I've gotten to it is probably 30 yards short of the green. In the intervening years there has probably been a handful of people who have driven it but on no more then one occasion. So much for advances in technology  .

[Phil Benedict]

Drove one last week.  The 3rd at Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert.  Played at 285 downwind.  Choked up on the driver because I thought I might have too much club.  Three-putted of course (two days after the Dave Pelz scoring game clinic).

My home course has a 307-yard uphill par 4 that I have been pin high on but never driven.  Has to be approached from a specific ground angle because of the greenside bunkers.  Last year I told our ex-assistant pro that it was a goal of mine to drive this green once.  He asked me how old I was and said I was running out of time when I answered 55.

[Garland Bayley]

Would rather have a hole-in-one.

I have never made a hole-in-one (par three or par four), but how about a double-eagle on a par-five.  That definitely helped my scorecard that day....

Once. Wildhorse (Davis, CA) #7.

Did you drive from the 506, 487, or 467 yard tee?

I suspect you meant #16


Although the bunkers make this look like a difficult shot, there was a steep backstop behind the pin from this position.

[archie_struthers]

 


YES!

[Tim Bert]

I have only driven one that I recall.  Usually distance is my limiting factor.  The one I drove was only 249 from the tee I played, which many of you would probably discount as a par 3.  The uphill nature of the hole combined with the bunkering if what I believe make this a real par 4.

I drove the ball to the back of the green.  I made the 20-25 foot putt for eagle, so to the best of my knowledge my scoring average is 2 when I hit the green on a par 4.

To John's point, while I often hit a driver on really short par 4s, I'm usually not TRULY attempting to drive the green because I simply don't have the distance.  I would say I generally score better when I hit the driver on a short par 4, but that's probably tainted because I only seem to remember the lay-ups where I chunk and iron off the tee and make the hole unecessarily long.

 

[Mike Bowline]

Let's take an informal survey here.  Please answer the following questions:
1.  Have you ever driven a par 4 hole?  If so, provide one or two memorable instances, as these are memorable experiences.
ANSWER: Only twice, neither memorable, just downwind.
2.  What is your current handicap (to assess your general ability)?
ANSWER: 1.9
3.  What is your success rate when truly attempting to drive the green on a par 4?
ANSWER: 5%. I tend to lay up off the tee to a known wedge distance (80 yds is my preferred distance). I am not long enough to get on the green, and often the worst trouble is right around the green on driveable par 4s.
4.  To the best of your recollection, is your average score better when you lay up?
ANSWER:4.  Yes, perhaps 0.25 - 0.50 better

[Andrew Mitchell]

Let's take an informal survey here.  Please answer the following questions:

1.  Have you ever driven a par 4 hole?  If so, provide one or two memorable instances, as these are memorable experiences.

2.  What is your current handicap (to assess your general ability)?

3.  What is your success rate when truly attempting to drive the green on a par 4?

4.  To the best of your recollection, is your average score better when you lay up?

1. Yes, several times.  As others have mentioned there are many drivable par 4s in the UK even for golfers like me who are not particularly long hitters.

2.  8

3.  25% or less I would think.

4.  The 1st at Northcliffe is a drivable par 4 which goes over a ravine and dog legs over a wood which is OOB.  My tactics on this hole vary between hitting a 4 or 5 iron over the ravine into the fairway (leaving a wedge to the green) and taking driver or 3 wood over the trees for the green.  I think I achieve more birdies/pars by laying up than by going for the green. 

[Scott_Burroughs]

A few stick out in my head.

#10 at the Virginia Tech GC (the on-campus one), which is probably #1 now, with the closing of the old front nine to build a new alumni center/hotel.

#7 at now NLE Wake Forest GC a couple of times from the tips. 

Birdied all 3.

[Brad Tufts]

A bunch....most recently #15 at WW-PB.  2-putted for birdie.

0ish-2

Probably 5%

On the whole, probably score higher than I would.  I'm pretty good with my wedges, at least to give a reasonable birdie chance (under 25 ft.).

At Tedesco (see my home course) we have a hole that is 277 from the tips, although uphill.  It plays probably 295-300, basically all carry.  However, it is the wildest green on the course, and missing just a little brings 6 and 7 into play.
I've driven it once or twice, but I hit 5-iron maybe 98% of the time.

It's always hilarious when we have a qualifier and half the field whips out D.