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Par 5 - 3 or 5 wood or lay up.

Alez367

Alez367

Formerly Carlos C.
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Feb 18, 2014
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Had this situation come up yesterday and made me wonder what other people would do. I played Torrey Pines South yesterday and on the par 5 13th, it was just about 515 yds into a stiff 15-25 mph wind. I took driver off the tee and found fairway but due to the wind knew it was going to be a 3 shot hole. Had 274 left to the pin and if you're familiar with the course, there is a steep drop about 100 - 50 yards before the green and there's about 6 bunkers close to 20-10 yards before the green. Buddy gave me the lay up distance but with the wind gusting I wasn't 100% sure about the shot. I was wondering what you would do if you were facing this shot? I did this: (apologize for the horrible swing)


[video=youtube;hLQRYfPVIFI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQRYfPVIFI[/video]

 
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Your swing didn't look that bad to me! Probably lay up in that situation.
 
I am for sure laying up in that situation. I would probably try to hit a 6 iron low to keep it from getting banged around by the wind and leave myself a full swing GW/PW in.

What I would actually pull off is anyone's guess, but that would be my plan of attack.
 
there isn't a club in my bag that would get me within 50 yards of that green(most likely). So I'd probably hit something to get me down to 100 yards. However I like your style much better with driver off the deck. How did it turn out?
 
robmypro said:
Your swing didn't look that bad to me! Probably lay up in that situation.
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Thanks. After the shot, I put another ball down and took a 6 iron and tried to keep it low. Couldn't go low enough and wind knocked it down and ball only went about 140 barely made it half way down the hill. Would have been a really awkward lie.
 
mancest said:
I am for sure laying up in that situation. I would probably try to hit a 6 iron low to keep it from getting banged around by the wind and leave myself a full swing GW/PW in.

What I would actually pull off is anyone's guess, but that would be my plan of attack.
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I tried that after hitting driver and didn't work out. If i would have taken that should it would have left me with a down hill lie to an uphill green from close to 130 yds.
 
ddec said:
there isn't a club in my bag that would get me within 50 yards of that green(most likely). So I'd probably hit something to get me down to 100 yards. However I like your style much better with driver off the deck. How did it turn out?
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Driver was awesome. Low trajectory shot that ran out and down the hill as planned. Left me at 70 yds to center of green, 95 yds to back pin, 105 with slope. Ended up making GIR and two putting for par.
 
I'm not familiar with that particular hole but when you say "steep drop 100-50 yards" is it just a crappy lie or is it worse than that? Generally I try and get to the 130 range with a good lie, anything inside that and I feel confident that I can drop one close.

Looking at the yardage book, I would do everything I could to get to the 125 mark as it looks like the slope begins to go back up the hill. So from 274 with a stiff wind, I think I'd hit my 170-175 club (6i) and try to keep it low with a nice easy draw, almost a punch shot if you will.

 
Lay up to about 130 yards and hit a wedge into the green. I dont have a 270 yard shot in my bag, unless Im on an elevated tee or can use the cart path...
 
I'd lay up to 100 yds or whatever distance I can it with a 3 or 4 iron. I'm not a big fan of hitting 3 wood off the deck, cause I don't have confidence that I can keep the 3 wood out of the woods or worse when I hit it off the ground.
 
TheHeez said:
I'm not familiar with that particular hole but when you say "steep drop 100-50 yards" is it just a crappy lie or is it worse than that? Generally I try and get to the 130 range with a good lie, anything inside that and I feel confident that I can drop one close.

Looking at the yardage book, I would do everything I could to get to the 125 mark as it looks like the slope begins to go back up the hill. So from 274 with a stiff wind, I think I'd hit my 170-175 club (6i) and try to keep it low with a nice easy draw, almost a punch shot if you will.

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Thanks for the picture. It helps now to describe off this picture. About 170 yds out from green, the fairway begins to slope down close to and flattens out around 140 yds from green and begins uphill to the green.
 
beeDoubleU said:
I'd lay up to 100 yds or whatever distance I can it with a 3 or 4 iron. I'm not a big fan of hitting 3 wood off the deck, cause I don't have confidence that I can keep the 3 wood out of the woods or worse when I hit it off the ground.
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Only problem with the lay up on this hole is that the slope of the fairway funnels anything runing down the hill to the left side in to the rough or fairway depending on speed of ball coming down the hill.
 
alez367 said:
Only problem with the lay up on this hole is that the slope of the fairway funnels anything runing down the hill to the left side in to the rough or fairway depending on speed of ball coming down the hill.
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Sorry, i didn't catch that part... I'd probably take my medicine and lay up before the slope. That's just me though, I'm not skilled enough to hit 3 wood off the deck with consistency. That driver off the deck was impressive. I wish i had that shot in my quiver!

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Laying up whether I like it or not.
 
beeDoubleU said:
Sorry, i didn't catch that part... I'd probably take my medicine and lay up before the slope. That's just me though, I'm not skilled enough to hit 3 wood off the deck with consistency. That driver off the deck was impressive. I wish i had that shot in my quiver!

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Yeah i probably should include that in the scenario too. Taking driver off the deck was a spur of the moment thing. My playing partner actually told me after I hit the shot that he was surprised that I took driver since he'd never seen me do it before and didn't think that I would actually do something like that. Definitely not a shot that I practice at all.
 
It is Torrey Pines... Grip and Rip!
 
I would be laying up to a good distance to make sure the bunkers dont come into play and you have something you can control into that green. One of my favorite holes I have ever played
 
flog2424 said:
I would be laying up to a good distance to make sure the bunkers dont come into play and you have something you can control into that green. One of my favorite holes I have ever played
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I didn't realistically think i could reach the bunkers but there is a flat section of fairway about 80 yrds below the hole that is great for wedge shots into the green. That was my perfect shot landing area that i was aiming for?
 
I would lay up to a full PW shot I could give it a go from 274 with my 3 wood and try to run it up there but i have better luck not going for it and setting up my second shot
 
I played Torrey South once and I remember that hole.
I don't think the score card picture really shows the elevation change very well.
That drop into the valley really keeps anything short of the green from running up.....if I remember right. (10 years ago)
I don't remember how I played the hole, but I think I would lay up.
 
Looking at the layout of the hole and having 274 against the wind would mean a for sure layup for me. I would try to get to just inside 90 yards. Maybe 85 so I would hit 6 or 7 iron depending on how much wind. Would hope to leave myself a nice 58° into the green
 
kc720 said:
Looking at the layout of the hole and having 274 against the wind would mean a for sure layup for me. I would try to get to just inside 90 yards. Maybe 85 so I would hit 6 or 7 iron depending on how much wind. Would hope to leave myself a nice 58° into the green
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i was kinda thinking the same thing only problem is the 50/50 chance of having an uneven lie for your 3rd shot.
 
IIRC it is quite a change in elevation before the green, such that it is hard to even see the green from down there, and the whole hole plays uphill away from the ocean. I think I'd try to lay up short of the drop and have a longer shot in that isn't as much uphill.
 
Definitely laying up. Probably hitting a 7 iron then a wedge into the green.

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I have been laying up and my scores and game have been much better for the change it mentality. This leads also to having such more fun on the golf course. Hopefully my confidence will grow and I can start going for these shots but for right now it is just not part of my game.
 
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