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Help on hole 4 and 5 at Kiawah

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 3:59 PM

  I found a thread with some information on hole 5, but was vague at best. Mohlida had some good advice though.

  Hole 4 seems to be a crap shoot. If I get a good tee shot to land just of the ruff at the end of the fairway, I'll have about 167 yards or so to the green, give or take. This sets up a birdie pretty good about 20ft, but unfortunately this doesn't happen to often. I've been hitting from the bunker 60% of the time and it's getting old. I'm bogeying this hole a lot more than I'm even paring it.

  Anyone have any effective suggestion on how to improve a bogey status on hole 4 at Kiawah? It's killing my card.

  Then there's hole 5 at Kiawah. The ball is always rolling to the back of the green 70% of the time. I know there's got to be a landing area to make the ball slow down and trickle to the hole. Anyone have an Ace on this hole?

  Does anyone know where the LZ is on the par 3 5th green at Kiawah? I've played these holes now over 200 times and still can't find an effective way to make even par a descent percentage of the time. These two holes are becoming my white whale.

   

  Thanks for any information everyone.

   

   

• AtlantaCoaster 645 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 4:59 PM

  Hi Richard...

  I can offer a few ideas.

  Kiawah #4 - Sounds like you might need to - for the time being get back to basic blocking and tackling.  (I have to do this from time to time myself).  From what you wrote, you are quite preocupied with getting a Brtdie here - and for that reason you are flirting too closely too often with the sandtrap - and ending up Bogeyng instead.  It's "Killing your card" (your words.

  I recommend a half step backwards.  For right now focus on getting PAR here.  Put the Birdie idea out of mind for the time being.  Aim your approach left of the trp at the fat part of the green and get consistent with 2 putting it.  Take your par.  Occasionally you will sink the longer putt and get a Bird.  I know that sounds like WGT 101 but sometimes I have had to do it myself to right a slump on a particular hole.

  A consistent PAR will eliminate the "killing" of your card.  Once you have that going then maybe fool around with Birdies again.

  Kiawah #5- I have had a degree of success getting the ball to stop to the RIGHT of the hole - along the back Fringe but still on the green maybe 18-25 feet most of the time - and alot closer than the all too common roll all the way to the back that you describe (and that I have done a million times myself.  Depending on your gear, you will have to experiment with this a little bit.  Too far to the right front of that green and you will have a 35+ snaking double-breaker so this takes some finessing to get used to.  I am currently working on getting this shot consistent myself.

  One more thought - I hope I do not throw poison in the well with this idea...have you experimented with a different golf ball?  Both of these shots would be helped by a ball with a higher Spin rating.

  Those are my thoughts...Good luck working through your slump on those holes, AtlantaCoaster

• GITrDONE 701 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 5:01 PM

  On hole #4 on the approach shot I put the aim box off the green to the left.There is a thin brown line of grass that looks like it's dead.I put the box right on that spot.I then hit past the excellent mark about 3/8 of an inch .I do take the wind in account as to how much late I do need to hit.I find that doing this it will kind of kill the roll out on the shot and it stays on the green.It leaves a fairly easy double breaker which usually needs no movement of the aim box.Thats the best I can do.

  I do not have a clue where the landing area for #5 is yet but as soon as I do I'll let ya know.

• nh1977 91 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 5:10 PM

  KISS Keep it simple silly, Best advice take your pars and move on. You may get the odd birdie here and there, dont count on it being a habit, Why ruin your scorecard? nh1977

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 5:30 PM

  Hello AC,

  Your right. I'm setting my self up for bogey by trying to go for birdie. I'll settle for par any day on hole 4. When I do get the birdie opportunity, it's usually around 20 to 30 feet from the left side with a severe down slope. Judging the speed is a feat in it's self, but pars possible nonetheless.

  On hole 5, I've tried to slow the the ball using the ruff in front of the bunker, but that don't always work either. I'm going to give this idea a try and see if it's effective for me.

  edit: The tour-SD balls have been the most effective for me on both stroke play courses.

  Thanks AC for your response it was helpful.

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 5:47 PM

  Well nh, that's good advice. However, making par is the problem.

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 5:51 PM

  Hi Git,

  I've been putting the cursor on the front slope of the green, and at times the ball slows, but still trickles to the left leaving a 30 footer with a severe sloped putt. Judging that speed is tough to say the least.

  edit: I've noticed something deceiving on the green at hole 5. when I'm 40 to 50 feet from the pin on the front side, in the center of the green, the grid shows it's uphill (all blue) when in fact it's a pretty fast putt. Judging the speed is tough. It's easy to hit the ball to the backside of the green.

  Thanks Git for the advice.

• GITrDONE 701 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 7:00 PM

  Thats why I put it over there and let it go toward the hole with the slice,I have gotten it within 3 foot of the hole using this strategy.But normally it does leave a 20 to 30 footer for birdie.I try to make the approach shot finish hole high as opposed to the putt you are referring to.That putt requires a little bit less power than the other down hill putts for some reason.

  Lets say it's a 33 foot putt with a 5 inch decline,normally that would be around 28 on the meter, but that green I would go about 26 and 1/2 to maybe 27.I know that is pretty tight yardages but I got a ruler taped to the screen so I know where those yardages are.some people have a piece of tape on the screen but i got a couple of kids in grade school so I just borrowed one of they're transparent rulers.Works like a charm.Transparent works best so I can see the little tabs at the bottom of my screen and go back and forth real easy.Maybe we can catch a round some time and  I'll try to explain this a little better Richard.

  Larry

• Richard4168 4,309 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 8:46 PM

  GITrDONE:

  Maybe we can catch a round some time and  I'll try to explain this a little better Richard.

  Sounds great Git.

  I like the ruler idea and heard a few guys talk about using one.

   

  Thanks Git.

   

   

• dorkfeatures 712 Posts

  Wed, Dec 30 2009 11:18 PM

  Hi Richard,

  Just my 2 bobs worth for what it worth.

  Yeh - as a few have already said, sometimes you take your pars and move on.

  On #4 - I try to land the ball left of the trap and run it up onto the green, you have to be very precise with power to get it to stop. However, back of the green with a short 10 yard chip is ok, single putt - take your par. Then next time adjust your second shot accordingly and just try and run it up into the middle of the green. Tricky hole !!

  On #5 - your best chance for a bird is with the wind into you. Put full backspin on the ball (your ball will hold up into the wind and drop steeply)  try and land your ball, right of the pin, just below the crest of the green. Again you have to be very precise and the ball will feed down to the hole. A lot of times I'm chipping from pin high or putting from the bottom of the hill. 

  Hope that helps.

  Happy New Year from Down Under

  Cheers Doug