South County Bogey hole

Obni

Playing next Friday in South County.
I have played it about half a dozen times, and I've always had trouble with the Par 5 15th.
My tactic the last time was a rescue club off the tee to 20yds short of the ditch, a 7-iron across the ditch to the left fairway, leaving about 150 yds to the green (which I duly shanked into trouble), scrambled a 7 for 1pt.

Any South County regulars got any tips on how to tackle this hole?
Can you safely take on both ditches with your second to reach the right-hand fairway that runs up to the green?

shamco

Yeah go for the carry over the second stretch of water. I play off 14 and always go for it. The first bridge is a good safe line if you use a rescue wood or a 7 wood. This will just leave a 9 iron or wedge to the green. Going down the left side is very tight. Good luck!

ShriekingSheet

Tee Shot
Hit as much as you can without reaching the first stream. Most guys can't reach it with a driver. I'm one of the longer players in SC and I'm safe enough with a 3 wood so ask yourself is a Rescue off the tee being unnecessarily cautious?

The bridge is your target.

Second Shot
Going up the right is really only worth it if you feel you can, and want to, get within 60 yards or so. You've got to be getting the ball that kind of distance to get to the widest landing area anyway.

I would recommend going left. You've got a 6 iron in hand, a 30 yard wide fairway to aim at with 20 yards of light rough on the left and 10 on the right. That's a 60 yard wide target with a mid iron.

You need more club and a good strike to go up the right. Any kind of strike up the left will leave you a shot to the green. Be definite and pick a very specific target for your shot - like you're hitting the 6 iron at a flag on a par 3 green.

Third Shot
It's a long green so get a good yardage. Yardages are to the front so add at least 15-17 yards to get to the middle. Be smart and aim middle/right. It's index 6 so most people only need a 5 for 3 points. There's plenty of easy up & downs from the right but anything left is wet.


Alternatives for long hitters
There's a few guys in the club who can knock it over the first ditch off the tee. If you can it leaves as little as a rescue or even an iron to the green. I did it a couple of times in the summer and it paid off but have left it in the river a few times too.

The thing is, if you go for it off the tee and hit a bad one, chances are you're more likely to miss the ditch short. So the risk isn't all that great. Even if you end up in the river you can drop back and from a good lie can hit a hard 3 wood into the ball park of the green and give yourself and up and down for par. And if you're off 6 or higher a 6 will give you 2 points anyway.

Obni

Drive
I've tried a driver off the tee and ended up in the ditch.
2i rescue puts me comfortably short of the danger.

2nd Shot
I've only tried the left route before and I found the rough on the left to be seriously tough to hit from, leaving the fairway as my only real target. I just wondered was the right hand route for the second shot feasible.
I've found the approach to the green from the left a bit daunting because of the stream, but thanks to your tip I can now play safely to the right.
I play off 16, so I can afford to hit the green in 4.

It really is a well-designed hole. I shot 5-4-5 on the other PAR 5's the last time, but the 15th stubbornly refuses to give up its secrets.

ShriekingSheet

Shortening your second shot may be the ticket for you.

If you play a 7 or 8 iron for your second there's a much wider fairway landing area on the left of the river and with less club you obviously have more control. It's only when you try and go long down the left that things get really narrow.

It will, obviously, lengthen your third shot but given the huge margin for error on the right side of the green we've discussed, and the fact that even a miss right of the green leaves a decent chance of a chip & putt for 3 points, a longer third shot may not be a big issue.

Going long and right with your second shot is a huge risk and needs a great strike to stay dry.

After your rescue off the tee you have approx 310 yards to cover. An 8 iron to the fat of the fairway and a 7 iron aimed at the right of the green will give you the best chance of par and rule out a 7 as much as possible.


Whatever you do, be definite in your plan before you tee it up on the first that day. Decide your plan in the car on the way at the latest and stick to it. Having a decent plan and being definite about it is way better than having the best plan and being unsure about it.

Obni

The result.

2i hybrid off the tee, just short of the water with a strong following wind.
Another 2i hybrid straight up the left side of the fairway.
Poorly executed chip just made the start of the green, with the pin right at the back.
3 putts for a 6 and 2pts.

Hadn't realised just how far the left fairway extended. Definitely the way to go.

ShriekingSheet

Obni wrote: »

The result.

2i hybrid off the tee, just short of the water with a strong following wind.
Another 2i hybrid straight up the left side of the fairway.
Poorly executed chip just made the start of the green, with the pin right at the back.
3 putts for a 6 and 2pts.

Hadn't realised just how far the left fairway extended. Definitely the way to go.

Well that's not too bad a result at all.

Yeah it is a big target up the left but it does narrow as you go further down. The only thing I'd say is (especially with the wind) a shorter club for your second shot would have made the target even bigger as you'd be hitting into the fatter part of the fairway.

It would mean a longer third shot but by the sounds of it you only had a half shot left so coming back to something like a solid PW range might even help both your second and third shots.


It's not easy for members who play it every week. Visitors of all levels can struggle with it. 6 is certainly no disgrace.