[Mike Benham]

I'm getting dizzy on these similar threads on strategy and options ... so when in doubt, start a new one ...

On one of the other threads, A_Clay_Man spoke:  
As someone who has caddied and been caddied for, I have both given and received strategic advice which changed the mindset of the golfer. Not only strategy but often listing all the OPTIONS available to the player. I won't bore you with details but they are real and some of them involve some of the best in the world.[/i]

What is the connection (if any) between options and strategy when playing golf ...

Does Strategy create options?
Does Options create Strategy?
Does Options equal Strategy, or Strategy equal Options?
Are the words interchangeable (in some of the threads people have assumed they are ... but are they?)

I'd give my opinion but Pat would tell me I'm wrong, so I will wait for him to tell what's right first ... I do agree with Pat the skill of the player greatly impacts and limits the options and strategy afforded to a player ...

[THuckaby2]

Mike:

We can't decide what "golf" is.  What makes you think we're gonna come to any consensus on what any of those terms mean?

 

But what the hell, I'll give it a try, fully expecting Mucci to come in and tell me how wrong I am here also.  

1, Does strategy create options?
No.  Strategy entails reviewing options and assessing the worth of each.  But strategy in and of itself does not CREATE options - the options are there whether they are assessed or not.  Of course this does have a chicken/egg ring to it...

2. Do Options create strategy?
No.  Again, options can exist on their own and be ignored.  

3. Neither word equals the other, and they are two different words meaning two very different things.

Or at least that's how I see it.  How wrong I expect to be, even if to me this is incredibly simple....

 

[A_Clay_Man]

Mile- These decisions (implies thought, options strategy) were all situational.

Each example would cover the gambit of both distance and directional choices, based on what the golf hole was offering. Most examples try to marry the ability or skill level of the golfer, with emphasis usually on the next stroke, not the one at hand.

[TEPaul]

Although this is paraphrasing, I like best the way GShackelford presents this in his writing here and there on golf and architecture.

Golf features (man-made or natural) are the nuts and bolts of options and options are the raw material of interesting and challenging strategies! I really don't think much more needs to be said than that---and in all this endless dicussion of what exactly are options and what exactly are strategies just needlessly complicates this rather neat and comprehensive explanation.

[THuckaby2]

Works for me, Tom.

Now go convince Mr. Mucci.

 

[Mike Benham]

Golf features (man-made or natural) are the nuts and bolts of options and options are the raw material of interesting and challenging strategies! I really don't think much more needs to be said than that---and in all this endless dicussion of what exactly are options and what exactly are strategies just needlessly complicates this rather neat and comprehensive explanation.

Nicely paraphrased ... with the caveat, that options are different for each golfer (based on their ability).

Thanks

Mike

[gookin]

When it is done right, standing on the tee your strategies or options change based upon the pin location.

[texsport]

A few observations:

A "ground game" option is not necessary to make a hole great. It is almost never the best way to get the ball nearest the hole. Exceptions would be during high winds or on very dry greens.

No good player uses the ground game on full shots unless he has to-therefore it would not be an option, but a necessity, under such circumstances.

Players unable to execute the "air game" believe that no hole is great without the "ground game" option.

All levels of  players do use the ground game option on short shots around the green.

Most courses' soil, topography and/or maintenance budgets cannot support the "ground game" option for full shots to greens.

The majority of major championship courses demand "air game" approaches and "ground game" recovery shots.

Texsport

[Dan Grossman]

Alright, here goes -

Check out these definitions from Webster -

Options - Something chosen or available as a choice

Choose - To select from a number of possible alternatives; decide on and pick out

Strategy - an elaborate and systematic plan of action

So, in my mind, options force golfers to make choices and a systematic approach to those choices is strategy.

So, if the golfer is not forced to make a decision or a choice, there can be no strategy.  Options create choices and letting the next choice influence the decision on your current choice constitutes a strategy.

By definition, Strategy cannot create options or choices.

[Doug Siebert]

Here's my attempt to define this...

Strategy doesn't create options, strategy attempts to equate options in terms of risk/reward ratios.  That is, a good strategic hole will create confusion in a player because several options look equally good -- the options with a greater chance of success increase opportunities for a better score suitably to make the player unsure which is the best option to pursue.

[Mike Benham]

Check out these definitions from Webster -

Options - Something chosen or available as a choice

Strategy - an elaborate and systematic plan of action

I think it was Huck who said this might be a chicken or the egg thing and I agree ...

So, in my mind, options force golfers to make choices and a systematic approach to those choices is strategy.
 

I’ll disagree with Dan’s statement above as I believe that you start with a strategy or preferred strategy of play based on the design of the hole.  The options presented to the golfer are based on his/her ability, conditions of the course, environment and the level of competition.

Here's my attempt to define this...

Strategy doesn't create options, strategy attempts to equate options in terms of risk/reward ratios.  That is, a good strategic hole will create confusion in a player because several options look equally good -- the options with a greater chance of success increase opportunities for a better score suitably to make the player unsure which is the best option to pursue.

I like Doug’s explanation however, the designed strategy is fixed for every golfer while  the options vary from golfer to golfer mainly based on their ability.

Mike

[THuckaby2]

Mike:  it sure does have a chicken/egg ring to it, huh?

But anyway I'll take Doug's explanation with your qualifier.  That seems to sum it up....

TH

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