Holes you would play differently if they were on your home course

[Tommy Williamsen]

A bunch of years ago I played Cypress Point with a member. When we got to nine I hit my drive as far as I could while my playing partner laid up. We both made fours but I had a tricky little lob wedge. He told me he made more threes laying back from the green.
When we got to 16 he hit another lay-up left while I went for the green. I have been there only twice. I was not going to lay-up on either hole. If I were a member I might play them differently. I can think of a handful of holes that I would play more cautiously if I were a member and some I would play differently if I weren't.


At Ballyhack there are two options off the eighth tee. One is to play left and hit some sort of short iron into the green. The other is to hit the shot right of the creek and a lone tree and get as close to the green as you can. The first time I took the riskier route. Now I never do, partly because I am older but even if I moved up a tee I wouldn't do it. It isn't worth the risk and I don't think the second shot is any easier.


I might play ten at Riviera differently if I were a member but what first time guest doesn't want to try and drive the green?
Can you think of others?

[Ira Fishman]

I would never hit a driver on Lahinch 13 or The Island Club 14. But even if I played CPC every day, I would go for it on 16 every time.


Ira

[Tommy Williamsen]

I would never hit a driver on Lahinch 13 or The Island Club 14. But even if I played CPC every day, I would go for it on 16 every time.


Ira

I’m with you on 14 at Island. Skinniest fairway in Ireland.

[Matt_Cohn]

I think it's more an issue of whether you're playing a) in a match/competition and b) if it's stroke play.


I just played a stroke play event at a course I've played 20 times in skins games, and there were a couple of shots I played differently. It was about the situation, not the number of rounds.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I think it's more an issue of whether you're playing a) in a match/competition and b) if it's stroke play.


I just played a stroke play event at a course I've played 20 times in skins games, and there were a couple of shots I played differently. It was about the situation, not the number of rounds.

It is probably true about match play as well. There are some pins I might go after if I need a birdie.

[Scott Warren]

When I used to play New South Wales GC once or twice a year as a guest, I always hit driver on the 5th (unless it was a strong southerly) to try to get over the plateau.


That continued through my first year as a member but ever since I’d say I hit driver a couple of times a year when the conditions all align (the right wind, tees not too far back, I’m hitting the ball well). Doesn’t help that I’ve typically not hit driver before then, so being the first swing with it for the day is an added element.


For maximising your score it’s an iron short of the ridge or a hybrid/fairway wood onto the top of the plateau in almost every situation for a stroke/stableford round.


But I would still encourage any visitor to have a rip and see what happens.

[Tommy Williamsen]

When I used to play New South Wales GC once or twice a year as a guest, I always hit driver on the 5th (unless it was a strong southerly) to try to get over the plateau.


That continued through my first year as a member but ever since I’d say I hit driver a couple of times a year when the conditions all align (the right wind, tees not too far back, I’m hitting the ball well). Doesn’t help that I’ve typically not hit driver before then, so being the first swing with it for the day is an added element.


For maximising your score it’s an iron short of the ridge or a hybrid/fairway wood onto the top of the plateau in almost every situation for a stroke/stableford round.


But I would still encourage any visitor to have a rip and see what happens.

You must be long. You don't hit driver on 4?

[Tim Gallant]

A few that come to mind:


North Berwick 16...I DO play it differently because it's my home course. Most single digit handicap players don't think about laying up in front of the burn, but I always do if there's anything but a howling west wind (helping). The rationale is that, although the green is treacherous, most big scores on that hole start from the tee. OB hard on the right and the burn bring big numbers into play, whereas if you play short of the burn, in general, you'll not do worse than a 6, which isn't a round breaker. And very often one will make a 4 or 5 with a front pin.


Barnbougle 12 - I gave it a crack both times, but unless it was downwind, I think I would take my chances on playing a hybrid out left and bumping something into the green.


Brancaster 8 - I would likely lay up a lot more with my second if I was in a medal. But even if I'm on the edge, I normally go for it in a match because pulling it off feels incredible.


Pebble Beach 8 - I'd imagine that if I played all my golf there, I would play for a 4.5 and be happy with a 20 foot putt for par. Play a hybrid / 3-wood well left, then play well left of the green to take the cliff out of play, then hope to flop something on the green and play for the 2-putt.

[Scott Warren]

You must be long. You don't hit driver on 4?

I’m not sure when you last played it, but in about 2012 there was some work done on the 4th hole by Greg Norman’s design team.


They made the fairway flatter to remove the ridge and the resulting blindness, but also installed waste bunkers left and right about 150m out, so 240m or so from the tee. Previously there was only a bunker on the right, about 30m further up.


You can’t get to the green if you’re in the waste bunkers, so I tend to hit a 4-wood or hybrid that gets some extra run off a downslope but won’t reach the waste and then you’ve got a mid to long iron in.


I’ll hit driver if it’s into an easterly.

[Tom_Doak]

Barnbougle 12 - I gave it a crack both times, but unless it was downwind, I think I would take my chances on playing a hybrid out left and bumping something into the green.

You were trying to drive the green on a hole with a green under 3000 sf?  The odds that you're going to get there and stay there are very small, like the green.  Plus into the normal wind, it's a long way.


Likewise, the green on the 8th at Pebble is so small, that hitting it from short and left on the second shot is hardly a sure thing.

[Jay Mickle]

I recall a quote in the book "Freddie and Me"Freddie about a caddie at Augusta. On 15he says something like this "never lay up on the chance of a lifetime".

[Tim Gallant]

Barnbougle 12 - I gave it a crack both times, but unless it was downwind, I think I would take my chances on playing a hybrid out left and bumping something into the green.

You were trying to drive the green on a hole with a green under 3000 sf?  The odds that you're going to get there and stay there are very small, like the green.  Plus into the normal wind, it's a long way.


Likewise, the green on the 8th at Pebble is so small, that hitting it from short and left on the second shot is hardly a sure thing.

Indeed I was


My thinking then was if I could clear the bunker at 230, which would require a great hit, then I'd be up around the green, and felt comfortable that I could chip and make 4 at the worst, so take the risk off the tee.


For Pebble, they normally put visitors off the forward tee at 8. From there, it's roughly 213/220 to the edge depending on the line. So I'd take a hybrid most times. That would leave me with a 200+ shot across the cliff to a well-protected green. As an 8 handicap, with a tail on most shots, that is a silly risk. Whereas a 7/8 iron well left would leave a fairly straight-forward 60 yard shot. Even if I duff the chip, I'm still likely looking at double as the worst score.


That would be my rationale if I played it as my home course. But I appreciate that strategy is 100% built around my game.


EDIT: Implied, but with all these decisions, it would very much depend on the conditions on the day. Wind and ground conditions play a big factor in any decision!

[Buck Wolter]

I only get to play Kingsley a handful of times/year so I invariably hit driver on 13 where I have warning track power. Best case I'm chipping/pitching to a pin that's very tough off a tight lie , worst case I'm in a bunker trying to hit a precise sand shot which is not a strength. Hybrid/wedge would likely be smarter for me but it almost always tempts me into hitting driver.


https://www.kingsleyclub.com/13th-hole