This week I am going to discuss some on-course management.
With the course playing firm & fast there are many different opportunities for how you might play the course…
I’ve notice a few things whilst watching people play that could be improved on, these are:
- Club selection off the tee
- Where you want the starting line to be with a tee shot
- Not using your handicap correctly
Club selection off the tee
Driver is hit far too often on the course. When you look at the length and layout of a certain hole, most of the time hitting driver brings a lot more trouble into play. Walkers Gully is a perfect example. It’s a long Par 5 where very few members can reach it in two. The large bunker in the fairway comes into play when using a driver. Also the rough on the right hand side comes into play.
The smart way to play this hole is to hit a long iron or hybrid off the tee, leaving you on the flattest part of the fairway. Another long iron or wood will then leave you in position to go for the green with your third shot.
Where you want the starting line to be with a tee shot
Hunley’s fairways are known for being very wide, firm and usually sloping in a certain direction.
Guibel is a perfect example. The hole slopes from right to left, bringing the rough and large bunker on the left hand side into play. You should be aiming to start your tee shot down the right hand side of the fairway and let the natural roll of the ground bring it back into the centre of the fairway. I know this sounds very obvious but I have seen many golfers make this mistake.
Not using your handicap correctly
At Hunley the average handicap is well into the high teens, but a lot of members play the course as if they are a scratch golfer, i.e no shots on any holes.
There are plenty of scorable holes on the course and plenty where you should be very happy to walk away with a nett par.
If you have a shot on a Par 4, it is essentially a Par 5. If we use Penningtons as an example. On the Morgans Course it is SI 10. Meaning the majority of golfers get a shot on this hole.
However I see 99% of members hitting driver off the tee. This brings the fairway bunkers into play and Out of Bounds areas into play and you gain very little from hitting driver. Penningtons greens is one of the hardest greens to hit due to the bunker short left and the green running away from you.
The best way to play this hole is to hit a long iron off the tee, missing all the bunkers, (natural roll off the fairway will give you 30 yards roll anyway) a short iron, short and right off the green. This leaves a very simple pitch setting you up for a Par putt. If you miss the putt you are still walking off the hole with two points.
I know other factors come into play such as wind etc but the majority of the time you will walk away with at least 2 points instead of 0.
If you have any questions about my newsletter please send me an email on [email protected]
Have a great week.