DMoriarty-
Dude, why the hostility toward me.? Where did I say anything about when YOU should or should not putt. I was making general statements about the conditions and why putting IMO would be a very bad decision (and listed all the reasons why). If you think you can putt that ball close to pin, be my guest, give it a go, but given I have never seen ANYONE for 25 years of watching the Masters (in person and on TV) try and putt from that location, including Seve, Crenshaw, etc I assume (though I didn't say it in my posts) you specifically couldn't do it either. Maybe you can?
Listen I am not about trying to make things harder than they should be...it was a freakin 130 yard shot in the center of the fairway to a benign pin. I hit the shot I thought I could get closest and I pulled it a few yards and made 7. Faced with that shot again, I do the same thing 10 out of 10 times. I just hit a bad shot. I must just not be smart enough or good enough to have the imagination to try the running shot when the situation doesn't call for it.
What in the world is a octogenarians anyway?
Chip, no hostility meant at all. Sorry if I gave you the impression that I was at all taking this discussion seriously or personally. I tend to be flippant and glib around Shivas, who is an idiot, so maybe that explains it.
Also, as I said above, I am not sure I would putt in that situation. I just brought it up as an extreme example of the variety of possibilities presented to golfers who might find themselves in this particular situation. It sure looks like a fun putt though.
My questions and comments have been intended to point out that while you and others are writing generally, you appear to be considering only a certain type of player and an certain skill level when assessing the best way to play that hole. That is not the way quality architecture works.
When I play a hole, all I have is my own game to work with, same as you. I cannot necessarily dial up the shot you or Shivas might think is proper. I sometimes have to do some pretty unconventional things, and I have putted from from some places that I am sure would seem insane for many golfers, with varying degrees of success. But I'd bet that for me when I seriously (as opposed to practicing or screwing around) go with putter from long range that it is probably the odds-on best decision for me.
I enjoyed what I saw of the British Open in part because of how comfortable Harrington seemed while hitting shots that one would never see on the PGA Tour. He was not held by the mindset that seems to grip so many American golfers. Especially good ones.
An octogenarian is 80-something years old.
There are a lot of adjectives in this quote: "the old high, spinning wedge shot with a slight draw and ground hook spin aimed at the left center of the right bunker, with as much spin as possible drawing it back to the the left."
I would also describe this shot as a standard wedge from the middle of the fairway to the middle of the green. That seems like something a high handicapper could do? no? it certainly sounds easier that some running 7 iron that flies 70 yards, land 40 yards short of the green, traverses three tall mounds and trickles onto a 13 speed green. but to each his own.
No. From the picture and description it doesn't seem easier to me. With a hanging fade lie and that shaved bank, I'll stick as close to the ground as I can, thank you.
The quote was Shivas' description of how to play the hole.