Do we really want options?

[Keith OHalloran]

I learned to play golf in the US, and I am decent but not great. On this site, it seems that the first crticism of every course is whether or not it is FAF or if it offers Options. I have played several courses that offer both, and when I find myself 150 from the flag in the fairway, I always hit my ball in the air. My question is, how many of us actually utilize the options that we clamor for? For the tourney players, would you ever play the ground option from the fairway when it counts rather than flying it in?

[Mac Plumart]

I do...I love the bump and run 7 iron from anywhere from 10 to 100 yards out.

[astavrides]

Fair question.  I am used to playing the aerial game.  And I am used to always using my lob wedge around the greens.  At Bandon, its usually  not such a good idea to ever use a lob wedge.  It's kind of fun to hit different shots, although on a normal American course, it's not always the best way to score.

Anyhow, there are probably other ways to define 'options' besides aerial vs. ground game.

[Will Peterson]

As a tournament player, from 150 out in the fairway I'm probably going to fly it in unless there are signifcant factors affecting the shot.

With that said, I do like having options and being able to use them, but so often you cannot.  I spent a 15 months in the UK, and learned a variety of new shots and how to use the ground a bit more.  I've been back in the US three years, and cannot remember more than a couple of times I was able to use them.  Even on many firm and fast courses, the ground shots are not effective due to raised greens or bunkers and rough guarding the front of the green.  Playing some very long courses in tournaments (I'm not that long of a hitter by tournament standards), I wish I could bounce shots in like in the UK.   

One of the funnest holes I played in London was short par 5 (490-500) that play slightly downhill off the tee and much more downhill to the green.  A good drive would leave you 180-220 depending on the firmness of the fairway.  The best way to get on the green was to land it 30-50 yards short and let the slope take it in.  So it was usually a 6-8 iron, but you had to hit it in just the right spot to end up on the green.  I've never had anything close to that type of shot in the US.

[Greg Chambers]

It really depends on the conditions.  If the course is playing firm I'm probably going to play the ground game more, as I just don't get much spin on the ball.  I hit a low ball naturally, so if it's windy at all, I'm hitting low running approaches.  But if the conditions are softer, I may play more of an arial game knowing the ball will most likely not release much after landing.  Depends on the turf as well.  Tough to hit a bump and run on kikuyu...

[David_Madison]

From a better player's perspective, options off the tee are probably more important. That's where centerline hazards, wide sloping fairways, and green angles can come into play. Once you've hit your tee shot and your ball is in play, the approach may be all aerial, but the shot you then have in is all dependent upon which option you took off the tee and how you performed relative to that option.

[Carl Rogers]

Let's define options from 150 yards out ...
Option 1: 8 iron, full bore hit it as hard and high as possible, reasonable probablity of success
Option 2: 6-7 iron, choke down, back in the stance, lower shot ... some practice and local knowledge required to get a feel for carry and run-out
Option 3: 4 iron-hybrid, basically a bunt shot ...  how to read a 450 foot chip shot??
Option 4: putter??? clueless!  can my putter survive that hard a blow on the ball?!

Why do I want options??

Clearly a larger number of realistic options from 80 yards....

[Mike Nuzzo]

Yes
Especially if I mis-hit the ball

[Mike Benham]

My question is, how many of us actually utilize the options that we clamor for?

I am going to enjoy meeting you and discussing this very question, and it may be a brief discussion ...

[Jeff_Brauer]

Yes, interesting how options narrow as you get closer to the green. 

You can aim for multiple fw or parts of the fw, so your line of play may vary by up to 50 yards.  You might play for 300 yards or only 200 to avoid hazards, so your options cover 50 x 100 yards in come cases.  Never consider the ground game but might try to hit it high or low depending on wind.

You might aim for the middle or the front of the green, or the pin. but it is rare that you would want to aim anywhere but for the green.  Your line of play may vary by up to 50 feet laterally and the typical 100 foot depth of most greens.  You might try different shot patterns and hitting high or low, or even the run up on occasion, with wind.  Generally, equipment makes the aerial game more consistent these days, although, better turf conditions now mean the run up might actually be a better option than it ever was.

On long putts, you try to make them, or miss them close, and occaisionally play to miss them to one side if at all.  Your line of play wouldn't normally vary more than a few inches.

And of course, on the remaining putt, you aim only to put it in dead center.

[Peter Pallotta]

I'd be very happy to have just the options that Ben Hogan had/used. If the pin is back, I want to hit more club (softly) and bring it in lower and have it run back there; if the pin is up front, I want to hit less club (harder) and bring it in higher and have it stop quickly.  Yes, when I'm scared and unsure of myself, I'd appreciate being able - every once in a while -- just to use a putter off the fairway and hit it very hard; I may not get it within birdie range, but I won't have a disaster on my hands either.

Peter

[Niall C]

I think the answer is yes, unless "giving the players options" is just a euthamism for a big wide open fairway to blooter their drives into. As Will says, a lot of options on approach shots depends largely (entirely ?) on the green complex and surrounds. I'd suggest though that fast and firm conditions tend to favour the low approach in that the bounce and roll of the ball are easier to control or predict than a lofted shot played onto a hard surface with a bit of contour.

Niall

[Adam Clayman]

The alternative is an abysmal thought, and boils down to that someday, after many many rounds, you will become bored with the notion that every shot is dictated, and the thrill of stopping your stock aerial assault 8 iron, within inches of where it landed, hole after hole, round after round, will cause you to seek either more compelling thoughtful designs, or, take up Bowling. oh ... wait a minute, that's what certain designs have had you doing, bowling. Keeping your ball between certain boards on the floor, and, out of the gutter. In better golf, sometimes the gutter is where you might want to go. Mostly because you decide it's so.

[Keith OHalloran]

Mike, I am not sure if your post should have been accompanied by some foreboding music?

I would like to narrow down the focus of my question. I know everyone appreciates options for recovery around the green, I also expect that most people enjoy options from the tee and the inherent width that comes with it.
My questions is specifically approach shots from the fairway.  How many people, if given the choice of puching a shot from 150 from the fairway, or flying one in high, choose the puch and run.

[Mac Plumart]

Keith...

I just lived through witnessing this and I think you touch on a pretty good point.  Here is what I saw...

I took a group of low handicappers to Ballyneal and Dismal recently.  Their handicaps range from 1-3 and mine is currently 8.  Walking up the first tee at Ballyneal AND Dismal River I told them that the fairways and green complexes were built to accept run up shots, so the aerial approach is not the only shot available.

Besides me and my shots, the grand total of run up shots to the green played was ZERO!!!

Now, they struggled to get the ball close to the pin on a lot of occassions...as they would hit aerial shots that were repelled by the internal contours of the greens at those two courses.  However, they did score progessively better at the courses with each successive plays with a 72 at Ballyneal being the low and 74 at Dismal River being the low.  While me and my aerial and bump and run game with an 8 handi put up low rounds of 85 at Ballyneal and 81 at Dismal River.

Could they have scored better if they'd used other types of shots?  Maybe...but if you are shooting right around par...why change?  (At least, I think that is their thought process).

[Michael George]

Mac:

Unfortunately, that is the mentality of the American golfer.

Send each of them "Golf in the Kingdom".  Maybe, they will understand that the joy of hitting a great or unique shot is far better than the final score. 

Maybe I am in the minority, but I have a lot more fun getting up and down for par when I am in a crazy situation and have to hit a totally different shot, than a standard fairway, green birdie.

[Tony Ristola]

I learned to play golf in the US, and I am decent but not great. On this site, it seems that the first crticism of every course is whether or not it is FAF or if it offers Options. I have played several courses that offer both, and when I find myself 150 from the flag in the fairway, I always hit my ball in the air. My question is, how many of us actually utilize the options that we clamor for? For the tourney players, would you ever play the ground option from the fairway when it counts rather than flying it in?

Bake the fairways and you'd see players bump it in more often.

As far as width and options... the length guys hit it today has negated it to a large degree. It's sad to see what has happened to the game.

[Terry Lavin]

The alternative is an abysmal thought, and boils down to that someday, after many many rounds, you will become bored with the notion that every shot is dictated, and the thrill of stopping your stock aerial assault 8 iron, within inches of where it landed, hole after hole, round after round, will cause you to seek either more compelling thoughtful designs, or, take up Bowling. oh ... wait a minute, that's what certain designs have had you doing, bowling. Keeping your ball between certain boards on the floor, and, out of the gutter. In better golf, sometimes the gutter is where you might want to go. Mostly because you decide it's so.

I'll second this emotion.