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Help!!!

• TracyMax 2,361 Posts

  Mon, Mar 21 2011 11:26 AM

  Someone tell me how in the heck to play the $#@! 17th  at ST.A! In 9 months I have birdied once and parred it twice.  No matter where, how, with what club I hit my approach shot it always end up left down by the bunker. I just plan on at least a bogie on that hole.  I've tried evey way I can think of but the long, slanted green beats me every time!

• IH8kidz 904 Posts

  Mon, Mar 21 2011 1:00 PM

      Good question Tracy. Unfortunately, par is considered a good score there so you have to figure a way to get the shortest possible shot for your approach. You'll notice that the aiming arrow on your tee shot always points directly through the fairway into the rough. If you're long enough to reach the rough, that's where you'll go. You need to manipulate your tee shot to the right of that and hope it kicks the right way off those slopes. With my luckiest of shots I've been within an eight or nine iron, but most times I'm between 165 and 200 yards out, depending on the wind.

      If you want to avoid that area near the bunker, don't hit at the pin, especially with a long iron you can't control. You'll notice the swale on the front left side of the green. That will throw your ball left if you don't land over it on you approach. An upgraded set of irons with high trajectory helps too. I always aim 10-15 right of the pin and let the slope help work it to the pin. Let your putter do the rest. If you can get your first pin to 3 ft or less, consider it a success. I par that hole more times than not.

     That's just my approach. Hopefully, you'll get some other ideas.

    Hit 'em straight

   

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Mon, Mar 21 2011 1:09 PM

  We don't hit from the same tees, but my approach is to try and stary as far right off the tee I can...if into the wind I try to stay in that open are beyond the sand...if down wind, then still stay right and notice "usually" your tee shot will get to the narrow part of the fairway while crawling over all the bumps.  If played missle to left, then you end up in the rough on the left and makes a toung approach shot tougher.

  For the approach, I ty to stay below the hole and in the center of the green, I use cheapo balls for nothing ever sticks, but releases towards the end of the green.  Just try to stay over the front hump on the green.  I never try to go over the trap, as my balls alwas end up either in it, or in the fescue.  I always under club with the wind and try to stay 10 yards short at minimum, ball will trickle up and break towards the hole.  A good shot for me is a 10-12 foot putt, normally a 18-20 footer though.

  Into the wind, I want to leave it in the same spot usually under club just one club or 1/2 club(short of the hole and right of the sand trap), ball will not release as far but still make for a good putt.

  I've quit trying to go over the trap, maybe someday if I buck up for real balls I'll try it.

  Anyways, I'm sure others play it differenly, but what used to be a "bogey-for-sure-pray fr par" hole, now is a birdie par hole for me unloess it's dead into a 30mph wind

• TracyMax 2,361 Posts

  Tue, Mar 22 2011 4:52 AM

  thanks for the reply's. At least I know i'm not the only one having a hard time with this hle. will give your suggestions a try.   Tracy

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Tue, Mar 22 2011 5:09 AM

  Tracy-If you really want to have fun on that hole try punching a shot with top spin for the 2nd shot. Play to have it roll up to the hole by aiming to the right of the trap. Wind doesn't affect punches as much and it will take you a few tries to learn how this shot acts but it's an alternative that works sometimes and is fun when it works.

• thebigeasy707 5,885 Posts

  Tue, Mar 22 2011 5:26 AM

  to be honest...i find the 17th a lot easier now playing off legend tees because being so far back it i need to whack the ball just to reach the middle of the wider part and the narrow part of the fairway which can throw balls all over the place (usually into trouble) is more or less out of reach which leaves me a safe approach onto the green and 2 putts for a par....a lot of the time it's birdies :)

  aiming for the middle of the green's a safe bet unless you really want to go for a birdie by risking a solid par for a bogey or worse...it really depends on your score at the time and what's at stake.

   

  tbe

• buttweed 60 Posts

  Tue, Mar 22 2011 6:40 AM

  Tracy.....I always take one less club and hit to the center of 17.Kind of imagine that green, as if the back half doesn't exist. Subtracting a club ,brings it in at a higher trajectory and lets the ball stop. It went from one of my worst holes to just another hole ......hope this helps and good luck.

• TracyMax 2,361 Posts

  Wed, Mar 23 2011 5:06 AM

  thanks for all the suggestions. I really like the fact that MOST players are happy and willing to help others--like a big community.  I'll give them a try-----HEY I GOT PAR YESTERDAY! I was so excited i had to run to the "little room"  ;-)