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Michael Felton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Inside Out of Bounds
« Reply #25 on: August 15, 2022, 06:32:37 PM »
Had a friend play the 1st hole on the Black down the fairway right of the green. I think it's a hole on the Green course? I've only played the Black and Red.


The first on the Green runs parallel to the first on the Black. Hitting it down there shaves a lot of distance off your second shot (unless you can hit it like Cameron Champ did and put it 30 yards out from the green in one), is wider and has lighter rough. The drawback is the green is shallow from that angle, so you have to be more precise with distance (but get more leeway on direction). I've only ever seen one person do it and I wouldn't want to if I was just playing for fun.


What's interesting to me is I've played a few courses where the course is split by a road or some such and on or over the road is OB, even though you might wind up on a different part of the course that would otherwise be in play. I've never considered that as internal OB.


The other thing I think is interesting is we talk a lot about width and options and how that's good architecture, but then when someone uses an option that's outside of the box that's suddenly not on. Take Oakmont - you trade off a longer second for a higher likelihood of hitting the fairway. If someone plays it the "normal" way and hits the fairway they have an advantage. When people do basically the same thing at TOC, it's a strategic decision to be praised. Play it to the right of the Principal's Nose bunkers and you get a better angle and a shorter shot, but it's narrow and there's OB right there. What's the difference? Other than the lack of crash helmets. In the Open at RSG, when the 5th hole was downwind and players were going for the green, there were crowds on the dunes to the left of the fairway on Thursday and they were not there anymore on Friday because it was dangerous. Nothing to stop you doing that at Oakmont too.

Jim_Coleman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Inside Out of Bounds
« Reply #26 on: August 15, 2022, 09:49:54 PM »
   I was thinking that a bad pull on #1 at the Black could end up on #1 on the Red.  I forgot that an intentional push to the Green could shorten the dogleg of #1.  I'd have no problem if either side were declared o/b. I'd also have no problem if either side were playable. Neither would be an architectural flaw.

Michael Felton

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Inside Out of Bounds
« Reply #27 on: August 15, 2022, 10:21:13 PM »
   I was thinking that a bad pull on #1 at the Black could end up on #1 on the Red.  I forgot that an intentional push to the Green could shorten the dogleg of #1.  I'd have no problem if either side were declared o/b. I'd also have no problem if either side were playable. Neither would be an architectural flaw.


There's 18 Black in between 1 Red and 1 Black, so that would be a heck of a bad pull! I have seen people in the bunkers between 1 and 18, which is itself a long way left, but never seen anyone all the way on 18 fairway. Looks like it's about 75 yards left of the middle of the fairway to get to the nearest edge of 18 fairway. Then it's about 275 yards from there to the green.


It is plausible that someone might try to play to 1 Red playing 18 Black. The gap between the bunkers there is so narrow (about 30 yards) that playing right to 1 Red which is much wider (about 40 yards) would leave a longer shot, but from fairway grass most of the time. Not really plausible for me - 270 yard drive which would need a pretty big slice as well (from the back tee) leaves about 180 yard approach. Might as well do what Lucas Glover did at that point. From the up tee (which is where it normally is), the bunkers are carryable unless it's into the wind.

Jim_Coleman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Inside Out of Bounds
« Reply #28 on: August 15, 2022, 10:52:48 PM »
   Yeah, Michael, you’re right. I forgot 18 was left of 1, not Red #1. It’s been a while. A bit embarrassing.