Your Next Shot?

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By Abby L.

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  • 32 Replies
  1. Abby L.

    Abby L.
    Providence, RI

    Team Titleist Staff

    Hi Team Titleist -

    I was thinking about a scenario I’ve faced a few times and thought it would be fun to see how everyone would take on the approach shot in this scenario. Here’s the setup: 

    The par-4, 7th hole at Inverness Club (my home club in Toledo, OH*) is considered its signature hole. It sets up as a slight dogleg right and plays 454 yards from the gold tees.

    You hit your drive straight into the rough mounds, left of the fairway and are sitting about 250 yards from the green. A creek lines the right side of the green, a greenside bunker hugs the left and you will find fescue and trees behind the green.

    So how are you going to approach the next shot? What club are you going to hit? What type of shot are you looking make? Are you playing to a number short of the green and looking for par or are you firing at the green?

    We look forward to reading your responses and seeing what you would do at Inverness Club.

    And for a better view of the right side of the green, take a look at Jordan Spieth's lie in 2014 during a clinic …  

    Best,
    Abby

    Team Titleist Staff 

    * Here are a couple of fun facts about Inverness Club: It has been host to four U.S. Open Championships, two U.S. Senior Open Championships, two PGA Championships, two NCAA Championships and a U.S. Amateur Championship.

     

  2. Steve H

    Steve H
    Clearfield, UT

    250.....no way for me to get  home.  Play a shot I feel comfortable with (7-iron) and play for bogey. Have to pay for the mistake off the tee.  I stand a better chance (me personally) getting up and down for par by not making another mistake thinking I can hit a shot that I have never hit before. 7-iron gets me 180 yards (give or take) and from there 56-60 degree wedge and hopefully a 1-putt for par. What would/did you do?? My money is on the safe route, try and make par...knowing full well bogey is in play....

  3. Steve S

    Steve S
    Leominster, MA

    No way to get home from there. A mistake was made so don't follow it with another mistake. I'd be playing to about 100 yards to get the ball back in play. Hope for a good wedge shot and one putt to save par. Worst case, bogie. 

  4. Mike C

    Mike C
    Dallas, TX

    Is there any doubt in how to proceed? Take your medicine and layup to your favorite distance, pull out your wedge and get it close to the pin. You will have a chance to save par this way and at worst case take a bogey on the hole. With so much trouble around the green I believe it is best to take all of the trouble out of play and rely on your skill to get up and down from a good lie in the middle of the fairway to save par.
  5. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    The drive only netted 200 yards (454-250) and I'm in the rough. 27H goes about 150-160, lay up for a wedge 90-100 yards to the green and go for the 4/5. Based on being in the rough, even if I had Jordan's distance with a 3W, I wouldn't go for the green with trouble on either side from not a good lie. Especially if the pin was on the left. My wedge distance is more accurate from the fairway than from a short side bunker.
  6. Matt D

    Matt D
    Spokane Valley, WA

    Personally I would hit a 9 iron out of the rough and lay up to about 90 yards, which is a good number to really attack the flag.

  7. Todd T

    Todd T
    San Diego, CA

    Military

    Putting the pressure on my Vokey 56 by hitting a choked down 6 iron hopefully to the 95-100 marker. Wedge it close and 009 it home for the par.

  8. Jason W

    Jason W
    Diberville, MS

    Military

    Hi,

    depending on my lie it would go one of two ways. I would take my 3 iron out and try to run it up. Second way would be take out my 8 iron and try to leave myself 100 yards into the green and take my 54 hokey out and try to make par. Either way par is the score I'm shooting for and who knows may get lucky and chip it in if trying to run it up and come up short or hole out from the fairway.

    Vr,

    Jason Weaver

    San Diego

  9. george t

    george t
    Old Lyme, CT

    That's an easy one for me Abby, as I don't have a 250 yard from out of the rough club in my bag.  Correction, the clubs are there, I just don't have that shot in my repertoire.  So my play would be to lay up to 100 out and then taking my chances with a wedge and one putt for the par.

  10. Speedy

    Speedy
    East Coast, NH

    laying up with an 8 iron and depending on hole location, i'll either use a 48 or 52.   Try to knock it close to give myself a chance for par... 

  11. Bomber3

    Bomber3
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Military

    Like everyone else, I want to keep that 6 off my card so I'll play to a good number for my third.  So it would be an 8 iron to around 100 - 110  and then wedge on and no worse than a 2-putt (minimize the damage).

    However, looking at the picture you can't see Jordan's ball (could be the picture angle), but given the history of the course I'm thinking the rough tends to be just that - rough.  So the realistic answer might just be to hit a wedge or 9 out (hopefully advance it 100 or more) and then hit a 7 or 8 on (depending on the distance) and take that 2-putt for the 5.  Again, I think the approach to your next shot is dictated by the rough.

  12. Brandon A

    Brandon A
    Springfield, MO

    Pretty much echoing what everyone else is saying.

    My go to distance is 90-110 yds so I'll hit a 6 or 7 iron, depending on the lie, to the middle of the fairway and go for the up and down and be pleased with bogey.

  13. John M

    John M
    Asheville, North Carolina

    Military

    I'll lay up as well to my wedge distance where at least I'll have a better than 50% chance of getting up and down or at worst, a 5. 

  14. tdogg21

    tdogg21
    Chambersburg, PA

    Honestly, I don't know the hole or how receptive the green would be to such a long shot.  But with that said, it would come down to my lie and stance.  If I felt I could make good contact and had a somewhat normal stance, then heck yeah I'm going for it!

    However, if i didn't think I could make solid contact with my hybrid, mounds didn't allow for me to make a solid stance, or if the green isn't receptive to that type of shot, I would lay up.  I hate laying up, but if it's what has to be done to avoid a big number, I'll do it.  

    Years down the road, you forget about the bad holes, but you would alway remember that hero shot you pulled off at one of the great spots in American golf.

  15. Steve M

    Steve M
    Hatboro, PA

    with trouble in play and sitting around the mounds, the 250 shot to the green is out (not that it's in my bag right now anyway). the old saying comes to mind of not compounding one error with another rings true. so that said, the lie and stance will dictate the attempted shot, but the goal is to try to make 4 the hard way while keeping 6, 7 or more out of the equation. Steve
  16. Chris Hatem

    Chris Hatem
    Boston

    I would most likely lay up to 80 yards for a full (3/4, I don't take full swings with my wedges) 60 degree wedge in.

  17. Tyler H

    Tyler H
    Appleton, WI

    I would lay up to 70-80 yards and rely on my wedge game to make par, maybe a bogey at worst. This strategy would help to take double or worse out of the equation.

  18. Dan H

    Dan H
    Yulee, FL

    Like others said, depending on how receptive the green is would depend on whether I go for the green or take my medicine.  If a flyer lie, with a good stance and an available full swing I could look to maybe try a go at it with my 910 2H but the smart play would be hit an easy AP2 7 iron down to about the 80-90 range for my SM5 56 deg SW to try to get up and down for a par.  My last round out my Scotty was rocking on the soft Ohio greens after all of this rain as of late so hopefully the shot would have a great opportunity to be close.  

  19. pulplvr

    pulplvr
    Spring, TX

    Military

    They say the third try is the charmed one, so here goes.  Lay up with a six or seven, depending on the lie.  Then hit a punch 8 or 9, depending on how well I hit the previous shot, to try to leave me a par putt.  I'll settle for the bogey, though, as that is far better than 6 or 7 for the hole.  Like many others, I don't have a 250 yard shot from the rough any more, so there really is no option for me here.

  20. Sirhc

    Sirhc
    Sacramento, CA

    Hi Abby - great question!

    Since the only thing I have that I (might) hit 250 is my driver, I will lay up.  Ideally, I will use a 9 iron or PW to get to about 120, down the left side since it's a dogleg right.

    Sounds like a fun hole to play.  Very fortunate for you to play it regularly!

  21. Jeff Y.

    Jeff Y.
    Clarksville, TN

    TT, i think it depends on the lie in the mounds. 250 out and if i have a good lie where i can the club on the ball, im pulling hybrid out and hitting a slight draw to run up to the green. If the lie is nestled down in there rough im taking my medicne and laying up with a 7 iron to about 90-100 yards out and then using a 58* wedge to get home with a par. Very intresting question for the advid reader, I once again retort to the begining of my answer, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE LIE, :)

    Jeff Y.

    Hit em Straight, Hit em Long

  22. No'l

    No'l
    Palmdale, CA

    "...rough mounds(!), left of the fairway and are sitting about 250 yards from the green". My first thought would be to get it out of the rough mounds and onto the fairway or anywhere with closely mowed grassy area. I have a feeling that with the course' accolades the rough's health and conditions will be thick and healthy, and it would be wise for me to get it out and advance (half way if possible) through what I have left towards the green.... with hopes to save par/bogey. Thanks!
  23. Sawyer Nix

    Sawyer Nix
    Belton, SC

    I would take a hybrid and see how far I can get.  If it runs up close ok.  If not, I likely have some wedge shot in and have to putt well.  Shooting in the mid 80s like I do, the reality is that laying up to a comfortable distance for most does not always lead to a more accurate 3rd, thus the "see what I can bite off" philosophy.

  24. Justin S.

    Justin S.
    Spearville, KS

    For me, it would take a perfect strike with my 913F to get it home in two. (Low percentage shot) So, I would probably take my medicine and lay up with an 8 iron to give myself a 100 yard shot in and a chance for birdie. I know it sounds boring, but you have to play to your strengths. A two putt par is better than a 1 putt bogey any day.

  25. No'l

    No'l
    Palmdale, CA

    Liv2Golf said:

    For me, it would take a perfect strike with my 913F to get it home in two. (Low percentage shot) So, I would probably take my medicine and lay up with an 8 iron to give myself a 100 yard shot in and a chance for birdie. I know it sounds boring, but you have to play to your strengths. A two putt par is better than a 1 putt bogey any day.

    Liv, it's a par 4. "The par-4, 7th hole at Inverness Club (my home club in Toledo, OH*) is considered its signature hole. It sets up as a slight dogleg right and plays 454 yards from the gold tees."
  26. Justin S.

    Justin S.
    Spearville, KS

    Noel D said:

    For me, it would take a perfect strike with my 913F to get it home in two. (Low percentage shot) So, I would probably take my medicine and lay up with an 8 iron to give myself a 100 yard shot in and a chance for birdie. I know it sounds boring, but you have to play to your strengths. A two putt par is better than a 1 putt bogey any day.

  27. No'l

    No'l
    Palmdale, CA

    lol... no one is perfect.
  28. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military

    Lay up for a wedge shot to the green.   Only option for me.  :-)

  29. andy r

    andy r
    Cheshire, CT

    A 6 or 7 iron depending on the lie,something to give me a SW into the green so I have a chance to get up and down. That sure is a nice home course Abby.
  30. Spudstarch

    Spudstarch
    Walnut Creek, CA

    If it's sitting up on the grass, I am totally going for the green with my 3 wood. Probably try to fade it in to try and land it soft. If I stick it, it would be quite a shot to remember. If it hits the water, then that just means I would have to hole out with an awesome chip shot to save par, which would be another great shot to remember for a signature hold.

    I don't think people tend to remember lay-ups. They aren't that exciting.

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