Par 5 strategy at The Masters

[Ted Kramer]

I'm amazed at how many players insist on trying to reach the par 5s in two. Eagles are super-rare, and big numbers should obviously be avoided when possible. . .

Couples hit one way left, into the creek bed on 13, and was forced to lay-up . . .he made birdie.

I saw so many 2nd shots into the par5 greens land in the water or end up in some kind of "trouble". Maybe I just don't "get it" but I'd have to imagine that those guys would be making a lot more birdies and a lot less bogeys if they would just lay up to 100 yards on the par 5s . . .

Thoughts?

-Ted

[John Shimp]

Laying up on 13 and 15 can leave very tough angles and lies into those greens unless you lay well back.  Pros wont do that unless they drive into trouble.  On 15 in particular you must hit off a pretty severe downhill lie (unless you lay back at 130 yds or more) to a green that does not provide a lot of landing area on your third shot -- a miss to the front quarter to third of the green with a wedge can put you in the water and a long miss provides an up then down pitch or bump shot.

I saw a lot of very close putts for eagle on Sunday on both of those holes.  Just not too many went in.

[Mark_Fine]

Ted,
That is why they are such great holes.  The temptation clouds the thinking even for the best players in the world.  Ego might have something to do with it as well.  Hard for a pro to layup from 230 or so yards away.  Don't want to have to live with what Chip Beck still lives with  

[George Pazin]

That's an interesting take, I saw Tiger and Vijay edge put a wedge into the water on his 3rd shot on #15 & 13, respectively.

Hole position provides a lot of the temptation. Some aren't much easier to approach with a wedge.

[archie_struthers]

 


Hey Ted.

Ditto to the previous replies as to the difficulty of the third shot no matter where you hit it. Remember Weiskopf ?

It's pretty hard for a touring pro to lay up from 200 yards or less, no matter how strong his mental discipline.

Et tu Seve!

[TEPaul]

Those are great holes where temptation reigns. That's precisely the way Bobby Jones wanted it on those holes and said as much.

Plus those holes probably get even more tempting in two due to the "pack" mentality of those tour players. Part of the reason they may be additionally tempted to go for them is because they figure everyone else is.  

[texsport]

The layup areas leave very downhill lies for your third, to lightening fast greens.

Most Masters contestants are hitting iron shot seconds to 13 and 15 greens so they expect to clear the creek.

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