- Moderator
- #26
At Carnoustie, I believe the prudent play on #18 (as Jean Van De Velde can attest) is to hit 4-iron short of the burn, then a wedge short of the next burn, then wedge it near the front of the green and try to make your 2-putt or an incredible 1-putt.
I don't know what the right answer is. That's why I started the thread. I just struggle with the idea that a good golfer should always be assured a reasonable chance to make par. Par is just a number. The only time I think it unfair is when a ball simply won't hold the green under any circumstance, as we saw on #7 in 2004. But because you have to hit short on your 2nd and have to try to chip or putt your 3rd close to the hole to have a chance at par, does that really make the hole unfair?
Things to ponder...
Par is just a number, but a number that everyone is being scored by.
As far as having to hit it short to have a chance to chip or putt it, would anyone call that a well designed hole? How about when the area to chip to per say, is a steep, shaved bank where luck is more involved than anything to keep it there? Doesn’t seem quite fair, IMO.
In Saturday’s conditions, the famous Corey Pavin 4w shot I don’t think would be humanly possible