Terrain and Strategy

[Matt_Cohn]

There are, by my count, only two holes at ANGC where being on the proper side of the fairway from the tee remains critical:

#10, because of the downslope and extra runout on the left side, vs. no runout and a hanging lie on the right side.

#13, actually for similar reasons - a flat(ter) lie on the left side vs. a severe sideslople on the right side.

The common thread? Both are a result of terrain, not hazards or green angles.

Anyone care to agree or disagree? If this is true, what does it imply for how the course should be managed over the coming years?

[Phil McDade]

Doesn't being on the left side of the fairway on 15 really inhibit going for the green? I remember the year Singh won, he hit a tremendous draw around the left-side trees after putting his tee shot on the left side of the fairway.

[BVince]

Matt, although I haven't played the course, I consider the 3rd hole the most strategic on the entire course.  You often see players trying to place their tee shots to the left side of the fairway, dangerously close to the fairway bunker.  Think of all the costly blunders at the drivable par 4.  Jeff Magert, Brandt Snedeker destroyed their momentum and it probably ended up costing them the green jacket.  I know the back 9 has a history if its own, but the 3rd hole is sneaky as it appears to be a birdie hole but is seldom taken advantage of and is often bogeyed.  Due to the greens, I think most of the non-par 3 holes have strategy off of the tee to get in the proper position to fire at the pins. 

[Jon Wiggett]

Matt,

isn't it a case of a great hole uses and fits the terrain so as to maximise the effect of hazards and angles.

With the 13th it is the angle of the creek together with the contours of the green and the swale left that make hugging the left side the better side. If you over do it then your in trouble. The bail out area to the right whilst easier to play to is harder to attack the green from. Surely this is what great stratergy is about.

By punishing a shot lost to the right you also make the risk of playing to the left less appealing and thus remove choice from the player. This is what ANGC has done to its course in the lst few years and why the tournament is less interesting now. A interesting viewing hole should offer a realistic chance of birdie, possible bogey when a risk is taken whilst offering a easy route for par.

[Ed Oden]

Here are a few others that may be worthy of consideration, especially to certain specific pin locations. 

1.  To a back right pin on 3, a number of players hit driver as far up the left side of the fairway as possible to get the angle for a low pitch since fuller wedge shots from the fairway were easy to spin back off the back tier.

2.  Don't you want to stay away from the left side of 5 in order to avoid a potential blind second shot to the green?

3.  On 14, isn't there a big advantage to being on the right side of the fairway if the pin is left since that angle of attack is preferential to avoid catching the ridge and trickling way right?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Trains and Strategy?  Look no further than those old scottish courses where the railway lines parallel several holes.

What? You say its terrain and strategy?

Oh, never mind......