Niall,
Are you saying it doesn’t matter what side of the fairway you drive the ball on holes 3, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, and 18? I have read your comment re: 14 but I don’t understand how you think the right isn’t a nasty, horrid angle. Aerial or not, I can't seem to hit that green from ~140 yards out from the right edge/right rough. That hole gives me fits as I always blunder right off the tee.
Best,
Ran
My original post from about a week ago seems to have provoked an interesting discussion on what constitutes "strategic". Let me try and explain my take on it. To my mind strategic golf involves making a conscious decision on a course of action where you have determined that the course of action (or strategy) chosen meets best with your game-plan of the moment. That game-plan may change over the course of a round particularly if playing matchplay.
The important point however is that the strategy employed is discernibly different than the alternative strategy or strategies in terms of either the risk of the shot being undertaken, the type of shot undertaken or what is required or offered for the following shot. In other words, the choice of shot should make a difference one way or another.
Where I think CS falls short in this regard is that too much of the golf (not all) offers little of strategic value. Possibly the biggest culprit is the 5th. (Incredibly) Wide open fairway followed by a shot to a wide open fronted green. Does it make much difference to the average golfer whether they go down the left or right ? Possibly in terms of the difference in length in terms of the second shot but in reality so much of the right hand side is redundant. It's not really an option. Whether you are on the left or middle of the fairway you are still playing pretty much the same next shot. Now is there a material difference for the pro's ? Again, I doubt it but I'm not a pro.
Similarly the 1st and 2nd (although the confinements of the hole provide the challenge), the drive off the 6th (and arguably the second shot as well as I'm not sure I'd look to go over the bunker irrespective of how far down my drive went), 7th ? (not sure I'd be at all tempted to stray away from the middle of the broad fairway as hugging the cliff top gives little advantage for the next shot so again the strategic option seems redundant although appreciate others may disagree).
Now the 9th, that's an interesting one. Having played it a number of times (4 or 5 ?) I've come to the conclusion that I'm as well aiming for the bank running down the middle of the fairway on the basis that if I tweak it left I'll have basically the same shot to that if I push it right ie. a wedge to an elevated green, although obviously on the right you don't see the green surface. For me there risk reward ratio to go left doesn't tempt me.
The 10th has certainly become more challenging since they put in the fairway bunker. Likewise the 12th has been improved greatly with the new tees that provide a diagonal carry off the tee. Before it was another relatively broad passage to an open fronted green. Now at least it has an interesting/challenging drive. The 13th ? See my comments about the 5th. The 14th is perhaps worthy of a separate thread but let me just reiterate that for me (average golfer who on a good day hits a decent but not particularly long ball) you're basically facing a similar shot whether you are on the left or right off the tee.
Basically when you get down to it, most of the holes have a relatively broad clear route from tee to green with little real danger impinging on that route other than perhaps on the lower holes that are more confined. Do you need the danger/hazards/penalties ? Possibly not but it's interesting that since the course was opened they have slowly but surely been acting out Rich's advice above by adding hazards (virtually all bunkers I think) many of which are centre line.
Perhaps when I next visit in a number of years I begin to feel the same about the course as you do.
Cheers
Niall