Width, the ultimate deception ?

[Patrick_Mucci]

I was thinking about a few courses with generous fairways where everything is not exactly as it seems.

On one golf course, on the first tee, an elevated tee, it overlooks what appears to be an exceptionally wide fairway.
In fact, the fairway is very, wide.

Most golfers take pride in hitting the fairway, but, on this hole, the large green is angled/slanted from far left to near right.

When the hole location is to the left side of the green, a section guarded by a large, deep and dangerous bunker, drives hit to the left center of the fairway are seriously disadvantaged.

Many, if not most golfers will end up in that bunker, usually on their way to bogey or worse.

Drives hit right must contend with a dangerous fairway/DZ bunker, but, if successful, they have an ideal angle into the green, AND, the putting surface is favorably configured to accomodate/accept approaches from that angle.

In essence, the architect has lulled the golfer into a false sense of security with the wide fairway.

It's my limited observation that MOST golfers DON'T look at the green to see where they should attempt to hit their drives, they only look at the wide, generous fairway and are content to hit it anywhere in the short grass.

I've observed this configuration of wide fairways and angled greens and find it to be a great deceiver.

And, golfers don't seem to learn from repeated play, they just see the fairway and nothing else.

What courses present this seemingly benign configuration that ends up eating your lunch ?

[JESII]

#8 at Shinnecock with the right side of the fairway being the "easy" perceived drive, but you've got little chance of holding the green from there.

A few years ago I played a three of the well known courses around Melbourne, Australia (Yarra Yarra, Commonwealth and Kingston Heath) and felt a more frequent use of the green orientation you've described than is seen here in the states...and I think it's all that is needed to make a hole interesting and challenging...

This type of hole could be built in a wide open field and it forces action...why aren't more holes like this?

[Kalen Braley]

Pat,

#6 at Pac Dunes has to be poster child for this.  I'm sure many have hit a terrific drive down the inviting/welcoming left side only to get down there and realize they've just positioned themselves for a terrifying approach, even if they are only holding wedge in thier hands.

[Michael Whitaker]

A great example of this concept is #15 at Bulls Bay... the Mike Strantz design near Charleston.

The elevated tee shot to an extremely wide fairway can definitely lull one to sleep... only to discover that the pin is located on the side of the green away from your angle! Now, to get at the pin, you must hit a great shot and shape it into the green... or be left with a LONG two putt for par.

However, place your teeshot in the correct part of the fairway and you can take dead aim.

First picture below shows the wide fairway with two angles of approach to the green.

Second photo shows the shot remaining if you choose correctly with the pin on the right side of the green.

Third photo is from behind the green looking back at the tee... you can clearly see the two possible angles of approach.  

[Lou_Duran]

"Drives hit left must contend with a dangerous fairway/DZ bunker, but, if successful, they have an ideal angle into the green, AND, the putting surface is favorably configured to accomodate/accept approaches from that angle."

Assuming the pin is still back left, I'd say the better angle is from the right.  But isn't it true that for most golfers just hitting the fairway is the main objective?  Players who can segment the fairways into halves can also typically control the distance of their approaches (at least much better than us hacks), so, unless the green is very narrow or extremely firm, the big advantage of very wide fairways is that the better golfer can swing for the fences.

[Carl Nichols]

The Jockey Club in Buenos Aires isn't particularly wide, but it's still a pretty easy course to drive the ball on -- if all the golfer cares about is being in the fairway.  But the angles, slopes, and mounds in Mackenzie's greens are such that it's crucial to have the right angle to score well.

[Ken Moum]

When the hole location is to the left side of the green, a section guarded by a large, deep and dangerous bunker, drives hit to the left center of the fairway are seriously disadvantaged.

Many, if not most golfers will end up in that bunker, usually on their way to bogey or worse.

Drives hit left must contend with a dangerous fairway/DZ bunker, but, if successful, they have an ideal angle into the green, AND, the putting surface is favorably configured to accomodate/accept approaches from that angle.

I'm confused...

Drives left are disadvantaged, but have an ideal angle into the green? Is one of those lefts supposed to be a right?

[John Moore II]

Yeah, Tobacco Road has some holes where the fairway seems monsterously wide, but depending on where the hole is cut it may be near impossible to hold the green from certain positions. I seem to remember Eagle Point being that way as well, depending on angle, the greens were exceptionally hard to hold, then again, those greens were hard as concrete and rolling 12.5.

But yes, width of fairways can be very deceiving and difficult to contend with.

[Jon Nolan]

#6 at Pac Dunes has to be poster child for this.

Yeah, after one round you know to ignore that bounty of fairway completely and start thinking about the area between the two bunkers. 

Although for me #3 is an even better example.  It's massively wide but if your take your tee shot left of the center line bunkers you increase the odds of ending up on the right side of the fairway for your approach.  Taking a wedge over that bottomless bunker to a shallow target vs. coming in from the left along the long axis of the green can easily result in a +2 or beyond vs. a birdie putt. 

Standing way, way back on that tee it could be very easy to forget about the second half of that hole and how terribly important position can be.  Of course, it's possible to play the hole completely down the left side but for me diagonal to the right, diagonal to the left, down the length of the green is the smart play.

[David_Madison]

#1 at Cuscowilla has a very wide fairway. The green is angled and tilted back right down to front left, and the further left you drive, the better your approach. To drive it to the left side, you have to cross an area filled with very long grasses and then I believe a couple of bunkers, so you definitely are taking a risk. But, you have probably close to 100 yards of width on the right, so it's practically impossible to miss the fairway. But hit to the right side, which is what you primarily see from the tee, if the green is firm it will reject all but a very well hit and placed shot, and there's no way to get to a number of cup locations. 

[BCrosby]

Cuscowilla no. 1 is a great example of what Pat is talking about. I think most great courses use width in a similar way.

The problem is that green orientations don't matter much (thus where you hit it on a wide fw doesn't matter much) if, after a long  drive with modern balls and clubs, you are hitting approaches with 8i's into greens kept soft (usually so the club can brag about its 10 plus stimp readings).

Bob

[Patrick_Mucci]

Sorry,

It's drives hit right.

BCrosby,

The beauty of the hole I described is that the golf course is kept firm and fast.
While that's been a difficult task this spring, that's their goal and the typical conditios, weather permitting.

Thus, even 8-irons from the left side of the DZ have a hard time as the back left hole location doesn't accept approaches or recoveries very well.  Balls from the left are deflected sharply to the right by the footpad of the right side, adjacent bunker complex.

It's quite a clever configuration.

[Eric_Terhorst]

Pat,

Looking at the pic, assuming it's taken from the tee, it seems pretty obvious that right is the preferred play on this hole.  Who would want to contend with that nasty looking set of THREE bunkers on approach from the left. 

The question in looking at the pic is, What is that patch of rough doing in front of the right-hand fairway bunker?  Isn't that right where you want to hit it?  Shouldn't the player who can hit it there be rewarded for his precision?

Nice-looking hole, but not clear that it's all that deceptive.   

One hole I can think of that fooled me with width was #13 at Talking Stick North.  On my first and only play, I took the safe route away from the bunkers on the right, ended up in the left-middle of a wide fairway.  When I arrived at the ball and realized the pin was left, close to the nasty little bunker left and perched at the top of a false front, I knew there was no way to get close, even with a short club in hand.  When the pin is left on that hole, you must challenge the bunkers on the right--anything else is bogey-ville.

[BCrosby]

Talking Stick has lots of Mucci-type deception. Wonderful courses. Not to be missed if you are in the area.

Also one of the best deals in golf.


Bob

[John Moore II]

Pat,

Looking at the pic, assuming it's taken from the tee, it seems pretty obvious that right is the preferred play on this hole.  Who would want to contend with that nasty looking set of THREE bunkers on approach from the left. 

The question in looking at the pic is, What is that patch of rough doing in front of the right-hand fairway bunker?  Isn't that right where you want to hit it?  Shouldn't the player who can hit it there be rewarded for his precision?

Nice-looking hole, but not clear that it's all that deceptive.   

One hole I can think of that fooled me with width was #13 at Talking Stick North.  On my first and only play, I took the safe route away from the bunkers on the right, ended up in the left-middle of a wide fairway.  When I arrived at the ball and realized the pin was left, close to the nasty little bunker left and perched at the top of a false front, I knew there was no way to get close, even with a short club in hand.  When the pin is left on that hole, you must challenge the bunkers on the right--anything else is bogey-ville.

Yes, Eric, it would seem somewhat obvious to us that the play is over to the right, but thats why there is a bunker there, to make you try your luck as far as where to hit the tee shot. But for an average golfer he's just looking at the fairway being 75 yards (or however wide it is) and saying, 'hey, this fairway is huge, its easy to hit.' But if the angle is wrong, you have a really tough shot into the green. Its deceptively hard, thats what Mucci is trying to say (and BTW, those who've been around here very long know that I rarely agree with Pat)

[Greg Krueger]

How about just about every hole at TOC? Depending on hole locations, being on the proper side of the fairway is extremely important.

[Michael Whitaker]

#1 at Cuscowilla has a very wide fairway. The green is angled and tilted back right down to front left, and the further left you drive, the better your approach. To drive it to the left side, you have to cross an area filled with very long grasses and then I believe a couple of bunkers, so you definitely are taking a risk. But, you have probably close to 100 yards of width on the right, so it's practically impossible to miss the fairway. But hit to the right side, which is what you primarily see from the tee, if the green is firm it will reject all but a very well hit and placed shot, and there's no way to get to a number of cup locations. 

David - Great call on Cuscowilla #1.

Here the layout of the hole for thoses who have not played there.

[Peter Pallotta]

Patrick - you know what just struck me? That in a game where a four inch putt is worth exactly the same as a 300 yard drive (i.e. one stroke), width is perhaps not so much the ultimate deception as it is the ultimate (and wholly appropriate) second chance.

Peter 

[Patrick_Mucci]

The hole pictured plays into a good prevailing wind.

And, the fairway cants from high left to low right.

The green has a back tier, elevated about 3 or more feet from the frong of the green.

The rough is brutal.

As you stand on the tee, with the wind in your face, looking at a fairway that slopes left to right, FEW if any bother to look at the green and strategize about the ideal position of their tee shot.

Most are very concerned about just getting it in the fairway