I deliberately asked Chip Gaskins how he would play a little approach shot into # 2 when the hole is located near the front of the green.
Pat-
I missed you question somehow. You should make it more clear, maybe use different colors on your responses or something!
Anyway, if I had anything inside of 50 yards, which is where my tee shots have landed on this 320 yard hole in firm and fast conditions, I would simply putt it down to a front pin. Though I may not be able to get it close to the pin by putting it I doubt I could do any better pitching it, or floping it for all the reasons you state. With that said, I would just take par and move on. I realize a player wants to make birdie on a 330 yard hole, and making birdie can be tricky if it is a pin on the edge of the green, but it certainly is not a hole than evokes any kind of fear either. Again, in an attempt to not over think the hole I simply hit driver as hard as possible at the green and then have a very short shot from there, no matter what I may choose to do at that point its probablya somewhat easy par. In summation, I missed the delicate nuance of greatness.
You mention your friend, Joe McBride, showing you so many different ways to play a hole at NGLA, I have to admit I played Sebonack the morning I played NGLA in the afternoon and think Sebonack offers many more choices on how to play holes than NGLA, especially around the green. Maybe I am just an idiot (which at this point you say yes and start typing in colors!)
Chip