How Much Does Water On The Course Effect You Play?

[fairwaynut]

Normally when I play I don't think much about water hazards on the golf course. But there are times when water on a certain hole does really come into play. So how does it effect your play? Thinking about this right now and all the balls I've put in the water over the years maybe I should be more thoughtful about water on the course.

 

[neophyteguy]

It doesn’t change how I play typically but I do play away from it depending on how my swing is that day.
I’ve got a buddy who starts talking about certain lakes well before we get to them. More often than not he’s making a donation once he gets to them and I soo want to tell him to not start getting jacked up about them and to stay positive but it’s not really my deal so I don’t.

 

[fairwaynut]

It doesn’t change how I play typically but I do play away from it depending on how my swing is that day.
I’ve got a buddy who starts talking about certain lakes well before we get to them. More often than not he’s making a donation once he gets to them and I soo want to tell him to not start getting jacked up about them and to stay positive but it’s not really my deal so I don’t.

I had a friend who sadly has passed away, but he always kept colored golf balls in his bag just for when he got to a water hole. Every time he saw water out they would come. I'd swear if there was a puddle ten feet in front of him out would come a colored golf ball.

 

[Luchnia]

Normally when I play I don't think much about water hazards on the golf course. But there are times when water on a certain hole does really come into play. So how does it effect your play? Thinking about this right now and all the balls I've put in the water over the years maybe I should be more thoughtful about water on the course.

I doesn't affect me like it used to, but like you on certain holes it can come into play. Several of the courses I play have quite a bit of water to hit over. I don't always like playing a long par 5 then the next hole being a par 3 that is completely over water. I play them fine, just find they can get in your head if you let them.

I mostly put water out of my mind and am more focused on the strategy and visualization of my shot. My mental picture is as if water is not there. If I have to shoot over a long pond on a second shot that requires a wood or long iron that can be challenging due to where the ball is on the shot. If it is close to the edge of the water all the better, but those longer second shots over water can be cantakerous.

 

[DataDude]

It doesn't get in my head if that's what you mean. As far as strategy I treat it like all hazards. I analyze the risk and reward and aim accordingly. It is slightly more risky than say woods though. If you're thinking about cutting a corner over water verses some trees there is more risk with the water because a miss costs a penalty stroke and some length whereas you can often punch out of the woods into decent position so hitting 3 is usually a better shot if you miss into some trees. Because of that I am more likely to play safe around water.

 

[Flipit]

It used to effect me a lot. I’d always unintentionally hit to the side of it. I had to practice to get myself comfortable at taking the pin when water is around. We have a par 3 that goes over water. If you’re going to birdie the hole you have to go directly over it. At this time I no longer have an issue with water.

 

[OhioGolfer]

It just depends where the water is at. I have a fade and if there's OB left off the tee and water on the right I'll start to think about it.

 

[USAF Retired]

It just depends where the water is at. I have a fade and if there's OB left off the tee and water on the right I'll start to think about it.

agreed. That gets to me also when I have no side to bail out

 

[KEV]

Last year I let it bother me too much since my game was unpredictable. Usually I don't think much about it and I need to get back to that mode.

 

[Nerdy]

It bothers me more off the tee than on approach shots, but I’ve gotten used to water a lot more lately and it’s gone from a major threat to a mild pain in the neck.

 

[lukemartin93]

I feel like water is too often a magnet for my ball. No matter where I am aiming , it too frequently starts heading towards the water. I’ve gotten better about it recently praise the lord

 

[Jman]

I play like I tell my kids, if you focus on the water you’re going to hit it in the water.

 

[vdubtx]

My home course has 8 holes with water hazards. I have become less concerned with them and just go for the straightest shot I can hit to keep it on play. Not very often then that I am hitting into water any more.

 

[OldandStiff]

I will allow myself an initial visual reaction to water hazards if I have one, because they're typically designed to achieve that. Then I take a pragmatic look at the hole and if the water shouldn't come into play any more than anything else, it really doesn't exist to me anymore. If it does, I do my whole risk/reward equation like anytime else and decide how to play it.

 

[mtbloco]

It used to affect me a lot. But it’s more like all the other forced carries that I play So I’m better with it. Obviously I have to plan for it and execute. But unless it’s a island green I’m not as crippled by it as before.

I play “cheaper” balls for a reason.

 

[robrandalgz]

The courses I normally play don't have a lot of water. I played Sewailo in Tucson back in early December with a bunch of THPers. There was certainly a lot more water on that course than I'm used to but, honestly, I don't think any of it ever affected my shot selection. IIRC there's water on 13 of the 18 holes and out of two days and 36 holes of golf, I think I lost a total of 4 balls in the water.

I just don't think about it too much. My target isn't the water, so my focus really isn't either.

 

[-CRW-]

It doesn’t bother me most of the time and doesn’t affect how I play.

There is really only one hole I’ve encountered where it was a problem, but only if you try to take a short cut on it (par 5). The shorter play has water left and right of a narrow landing area. But the far right side has a normal sized fairway short of a bunker. It’s still a really tough hole.

 

[OITW]

Play around limit the opportunities of ending up in it.

Unless it’s with @JDax and we need a boat to get around

 

[Mark_UK]

Depending on where the water is, it may affect my strategy. Other than that, it doesn’t concern me.


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[Thrillbilly Jim]

It doesn’t bother me. When you live at the coast, water on golf courses are a normal occurrence.

 

[WLG1952]

Carries over water get my attention. I always over club in those situarions. I'd rather be long than wet.

Water on the side of the fairway is not a big deal for me. It's just another hazard I hit away from.

Sometimes I will encounter wet, muddy, irrigated/rain faiways. In those situations I will use more metalwoods, and fewer irons. Metalwoods tend to slide over the muck, while irons tend to dig in.

Casual water, I handle with the usga rules.

 

[Carolina Dundee]

It doesn’t bother me most of the time and doesn’t affect how I play.

There is really only one hole I’ve encountered where it was a problem, but only if you try to take a short cut on it (par 5). The shorter play has water left and right of a narrow landing area. But the far right side has a normal sized fairway short of a bunker. It’s still a really tough hole.

That hole looks rough. How wide are those fairways?

 

[Snickerdog]

I don't let it bother me like I used to. It is the water that you can't see from the tee that usually concerns me.

 

[WMac19]

I used to be very aware of water, too much.

But a lasting lesson in golf that I recounted here a while back forever changed that for me.

I had the privilege to play with a gentleman who competed on the European Tour for a couple of seasons. Kevin had a significant Irish accent and was very personable and fun to play with.

On the 17th tee of the Parkland course in Myrtle Beach he asks, "so tell me, what do you see here?"

I said, "we have OB left, just off the cart path. The woods right are red stakes and of course there's that large bunker in the fairway maybe 250 yards out."

"Oh, right..." he says trailing off. "Is that all?" Then blurts out, animated with accent somehow thickened, "well let me ask you then... in all that... where the £@$& is the fairway?!"

I chuckled at his reaction but of course knew what he meant. From there he went on to explain that the only acknowledgment of trouble should be so as to determine where to put the "peg" in the ground.

He said that I always wanted to tee my ball on the same side as the worst trouble so as to hit away from it off the tee. So in this case, the left side.

Ever since, my mind has been 100% focused upon where I wanted to land my ball rather than any fear for where it may end up. Just like he insisted, I only acknowledge danger to determine where I want to tee my ball along with where I want to land it. Once that tee goes in the ground, consciously at least, the trouble is out of my thoughts.

What water?

 

[Maric]

I used to think that I could rent my ball out as a dowser. I've gotten better, but forced water carries still scare the heck out of me. I know it's more mental than anything else.