What courses really challenge your distance control with your irons?

[Jeff_Brauer]

RJ,

Interesting take on platforms vs lay of land.   In some ways, we have to ask if the definition of distance control is the possibility of achieving success or is it the degree of penalty recieved when you miss?

Generally, I think the platforms are bigger tests of distance control on the penalty front, as they result in frequent uphill pitches and sand shots.  Lower, ground level greens would have easier sand shot recoveries, but more INTERESTING chipping recoveries.

The lower greens certainly add the option of the run in shot, but both types, with the contours on the interior (and with run on greens, just in front of) might have the same chance of success.  Perhaps low greens, with one added option are a bit easier because of it?  Or is the extra option just mental comfort for some and the shot remains equally difficult?

[Doug Siebert]

I'm not sure I agree with the people who say that a wild green rewards distance control the most.  I think they are looking it the problem backwards.

It seems to me that flat greens would put the greatest emphasis on distance control because hitting the ball the right distance makes a real measureable difference.  Every foot closer matters a LOT more in terms of your chances of making it on a putt with little break versus one with a large break!  On a putt with a lot of break, an extra 10-15 feet due to reduced distance control is just making you work a bit harder for the inevitable two putt.

Think about an old style heavily back to front sloped green where even if you are only 15 feet to one side but exactly pin high it can be one hell of a challenge.  When the speed's up, you are better off being 30 feet short when you are 15 feet wide of the target and playing that 40 footer that has a wicked curl at the end, because there's more chance of three putting that delicate 15 footer.  While being 30 feet long instead of short is the worst outcome of all, its often not all that much worse than being pin high 15 feet away because either way you are aiming for a crazy amount of break hoping you got the speed right, and making damn sure whatever you do you don't screw up and leave yourself above the hole.  Its pretty hard to get a really makeable putt on this green unless you are very accurate, but you can be inaccurate on a flat green so long as your distance control is good.

I think none of this really matters until you are at pretty high levels of the game...say something like +3 or better handicap.  If you are worse than that, you probably don't strike the ball consistently well enough that your distance control is fine enough to matter (you can't mishit often or lose more than a yard or two average from those mishits or your mishits will swamp your distance control ability on solid shots)  You also have to be accurate enough side to side for this to matter -- if you are missing by 30-40 feet on average then being pin high versus 30 feet long or short doesn't matter much in terms of making putts, and distance control probably only helps in terms of avoiding 3 putts on the slopier greens!

[Lester George]

Most CBM/Raynor/Banks courses challenge distance control for me.  They are simply fabuluos in most cases.

Lester

[Patrick Hodgdon]

Both courses I grew up caddying at, Interlachen(Ross) in MN and Calusa Pines(Hurdzan/Fry) in Naples seem to fit this bill. But really isn't this just a question of courses demanding a very precise approach shot? All of the talk of tough/tricky/fales-fronts or backs/small greens puts the premium on the 2nd or 3rd shot of the hole. It seems like all great courses that fit this style challenge both your distance and direction as well as your(or your caddy's) course knowledge on where and where not to hit it on each green.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Having watched the pack trying to catch up with Tiger at The Old Course in the 2005 Open, I'd say that it was set up perfectly to test all aspects of approach work. Tiger could play safely to the middle of the green knowing he would 2-putt at worst. Those who had to pick up birdies to try to catch him had to play approach shots with such perfection that if they got it slightly wrong they were then in 3-putt territory.

Royal Dornoch comes to mind as another excellent example.

Both courses permit, even encourage, the ground route, but distance judgement must be inch perfect.

[John Moore II]

Tobacco Road will make you control distances very precisely. There are pin placements where you hit a shot 2 yards offline in the wrong direction and you may have a 75 ft putt left.
E.G.--Last time I played there I had 155 into the 7th green. I hit my shot 153 and it almost rolled into the hazard fronting the green.
And there are many other holes where that is the case as well.
#5 from the right side fairway
#6 from the right side tee
#7 from anywhere depending where the pin is
#8, #9, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #17
Any of those places, you hit a shot more than 8-10 feet off line on the wrong side, its dead.

[CJ Carder]

I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned Harbor Town.  In my experience, I've never played a course where I had to be so spot-on with my irons as when I played there.

[Tim Gavrich]

Having just played it a week ago, I'd nominate Callaway Gardens--Mountain View.  Not only does it place a premium on distance control, but I think it's one of the toughest iron-shots courses I've ever played (the firmness and wind didn't help much either).

I think any course whose greens are often pitched from back to front (or front to back, even) require thoughtful iron shots in order to leave oneself on the correct (low) side of the hole.  I think many of us would agree that the idea of good, interesting greens begins in the fairway, not at the green site.  Truly great greens require the player to agonize over decisions on shots from 150 yards away or more.  The anticipation of the potential danger it pretty powerful.

[Carl Rogers]

Tom, Riverfront makes the grade for this thread. 

The fairways slightly pitch and roll making an assesment approach shot trajectory problematic.  There is always wind in Tidewater Virginia and as you have stated the greens are very challenging ... not a lot of makeable putts.