Unforgettable England - The Third at Deal

[Mark Pearce]

I tried a half wedge and ended up at the back of the green.  An easy 3 putts for bogey, if I recall.  The day before I'd pulled my tee shot and left an 80 yard shot, from where a sand wedge gave me an easy 2 putt.  I thought about playing a ground game shot (my preferred option around links greens and one I used very succesfully at BUDA) but the slope is so steep and so high that judging that shot was too tricky.  A little short and you've got the same shot (or an even harder one from hard up against the bottom of the slope), a bit strong and you're at the back of the green.  The odds are in favour of just going straight to the back of the green!

[Sean_A]

I seem to recall trying to slice a long running shot off the front of the 4th tee to try and access that front hole location - with moderate success as the ball just ran to the far right side of the green.  There is no easy way to get at that front hole location though putting from the far right side ain't bad. 

The last time I was at Deal the strategy was a no-brainer.  The wind was hard at our backs quartering toward the sea and I told Rihc with our length its best to cut the corner and go for it.  Trying to lay-up then hit the approach with that wind would be very difficult and making a par that way would be marvelous golf.  I believe we both had tap in birdies.

Both holes are lovely and keepers. 

Ciao

[Rich Goodale]

I remember those two threes well, Sean, except for the assertion that I might have listened to you!  I smile at but listen to no man, at least on the golf course.  What I do remember is that I was playing with a Titelist Professional that I had rescued from my shag bag.  God I loved that ball.......

[John Mayhugh]

6 was another great hole and one that made you think about strategy.  Your 4th picture shows me about to play my 2nd in our singles match, I think.  I had driven pin high and, as you can see, close to the green.  The result, with a front pin posiition?  No prayer of getting it close with anything but a very high risk shot.  I would have been far better laying up 70 yards left of the green and leaving a full pitch in.  Others tried to drive the hole and I suspect that good players would rather be long (which is by no means impossible) leaving a more straightforward chip back.

When I saw where your tee shot ended up on 6, I breathed a sigh of relief.   

[Michael Whitaker]

I remember those two threes well, Sean, except for the assertion that I might have listened to you!  I smile at but listen to no man, at least on the golf course.  What I do remember is that I was playing with a Titelist Professional that I had rescued from my shag bag.  God I loved that ball.......

Rich - I've got a bag of 100 Titleist Professionals in nearly perfect condition that I bought for home practice area that never materialized... do you want them?

[Mark Pearce]

I tried a half wedge and ended up at the back of the green.  An easy 3 putts for bogey, if I recall.  The day before I'd pulled my tee shot and left an 80 yard shot, from where a sand wedge gave me an easy 2 putt.  I thought about playing a ground game shot (my preferred option around links greens and one I used very succesfully at BUDA) but the slope is so steep and so high that judging that shot was too tricky.  A little short and you've got the same shot (or an even harder one from hard up against the bottom of the slope), a bit strong and you're at the back of the green.  The odds are in favour of just going straight to the back of the green!

Coincidentally, whilst clearing out some rubbish last night I found my card for this match.  I appear to have made par, so must have holed the long second putt I left myself.  Sadly not enough, since John made birdie.

[Mark Chaplin]

In my 10 years of membership I've never seen anyone hit and stay on the 6th green off the tee.

My tip is down wind aim at the right chimney and try and get as close as possible to the green and putt up the slope to the front pin position.
Against the breeze lay back to your prefered wedge distance and hit a full shot. Fortunately the front pin position is usually a winter pin.

This is also the most wind affected green on the course.

[Sean_A]

In my 10 years of membership I've never seen anyone hit and stay on the 6th green off the tee.

My tip is down wind aim at the right chimney and try and get as close as possible to the green and putt up the slope to the front pin position.
Against the breeze lay back to your prefered wedge distance and hit a full shot. Fortunately the front pin position is usually a winter pin.

This is also the most wind affected green on the course.

Chappers

Of course, I can't say the balls hit the green on the fly, but I can say at least one ball was dancing upon our arrival to the green.  Mine was just past pin-high right, but an easy two-putt birdie and the closest to the hole.  I think Rich was middleish on the green and I seem to recall a third guy was on the back, but I could be wrong about this.  The hole was a piece of piss - tee hee.

Ciao

[Mark Chaplin]

Sean - it's often hit maybe I just play with rabbits!! The problem is the straight line from the tee is coming into a green barely 15 paces deep. To hit and hold you need to pitch into the upslope lose all the power but still have the ball pop up onto the putting surface. A little like 17th at Oakmont in the 2008 US Open it's a great par 4 1/2 short par 4. Chance of a 2 or 3 but a better chance of a 5.

[Sean_A]

Sean - it's often hit maybe I just play with rabbits!! The problem is the straight line from the tee is coming into a green barely 15 paces deep. To hit and hold you need to pitch into the upslope lose all the power but still have the ball pop up onto the putting surface. A little like 17th at Oakmont in the 2008 US Open it's a great par 4 1/2 short par 4. Chance of a 2 or 3 but a better chance of a 5.

Chappers

Yes, its not a great idea to cut the corner, but what the hell.  I still didn't like having to try the lay-up option as I thought this looked nearly as a tough a shot as going for it with a good chance of running through the fairway and losing a ball.  You gotta pick yer poison.

Ciao

[Andrew Mitchell]

John,

I know for a fact that you had two matches climax on 16, so you are excused your lack of photos.  I do think 16 was the best hole on a course with a number of really, really good holes and three great green sites (3, 12, 16).

Mark

The 16th did offer plenty of drama in my matches.  Some of that was self-induced like my blading an easy chip across the green into the tall stuff, my partner miraculously getting the ball on the green, and then me sinking a 50+ foot putt.  Ah, the joys of foursomes.

John
I was going to thank you for posting those awesome photos of the 3rd & 6th...


...but then I read the above regarding how to play the 16th in foursomes.  The memories of witnessing that incident came flooding back and the mental scars which that passage of play induced are now fully reopened

Ah, the joys of match play.  One minute the hole is won, then victory is snatched from your grasp. 

[Mark Chaplin]

I once missed an 18" eagle putt on 16 in FOURSOMES, my partner still mentions it, unsurprisingly!!

[John Mayhugh]

John,

I know for a fact that you had two matches climax on 16, so you are excused your lack of photos.  I do think 16 was the best hole on a course with a number of really, really good holes and three great green sites (3, 12, 16).

Mark

The 16th did offer plenty of drama in my matches.  Some of that was self-induced like my blading an easy chip across the green into the tall stuff, my partner miraculously getting the ball on the green, and then me sinking a 50+ foot putt.  Ah, the joys of foursomes.

John
I was going to thank you for posting those awesome photos of the 3rd & 6th...


...but then I read the above regarding how to play the 16th in foursomes.  The memories of witnessing that incident came flooding back and the mental scars which that passage of play induced are now fully reopened

Ah, the joys of match play.  One minute the hole is won, then victory is snatched from your grasp. 

I just like to keep things interesting.

[Scott Warren]

I once missed an 18" eagle putt on 16 in FOURSOMES, my partner still mentions it, unsurprisingly!!

Surely not the same partner who you put to 18" on that exact patch of dirt with a baying drunken mob looking on?