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Pebble Beach #14

• MainzMan 9,591 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 8:48 AM

  OK, time to swallow my pride and ask how the hell one plays this hole and has a chance of making birdie regularly rather than scrambling for par.

  We're talking 3rd shot issues here, getting on in 2 may just about be possible but I haven't managed it yet.   My trusty punched wedge to the green just doesn't work the same way it does on every other green in the game.  Mostly I land short on the downslope between the bunker and the green and end up off the left side of the green.

  Play the shot longer is the obvious answer but most greens have a sweet spot you can aim for.  I'm curious as to where it is on this green and how the hell you land there.

  Thanks in advance.

• jayw4862 3,364 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 9:01 AM

  It's a secret. I eagle it every time I play PB B9 ;-) 

   

• mkg335 5,491 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 9:44 AM

  If possible, leave 2nd shot 50 to 55 yds short of the pin, then play almost full to full 60 yd wedge a few yards right and beyond the pin, might even have to use a little topspin.  Going for the green in two is fool's gold, way too much risk for little reward.

  Like Jay, I'm not one of the aces giving away state secrets.  ;-)

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 10:10 AM

  I try to get inside of 60yds with the approach shot, preferably 50-55 yds like mark said, and this is one of the few holes I use b/s w/ the 64 degree wedge and spin it back to the hole....

  also if you have 55 yds to the pin and play a 55yd shot, you will probly miss the green short, it is off by about 5yds and uphill a bit....

• mkg335 5,491 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 11:28 AM

  Just going along with what Dan said above...if you find yourself unable to get within 50 to 55 yds, next best is 70 yds out so you can hit full 80 yd wedge, or 90 yds out for full 100 yd wedge (allowing for wind of course).

  The main point being, long is okay, short is dead.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 11:58 AM

  I like to play as far right in the fairway as I can, preferably the apron, or just short of it. The reason is because from that angle you have better control of what happens after the landing on your up. You're actually playing to the side of that slope that kills you when you try from in front of the trap.

  I will pitch my CG64 if close enough and if not, punch the same club-both with full bs. Laying up in front of the trap means you have to carry that slope and then stop. A short landing winds up on the other side of the green, as I suspect you already know.  ;-)

• mkg335 5,491 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 12:18 PM

  I like middle of the fairway and either 50, 70 or 90 yds out so I can hit a full wedge.  Pitch, flop or punch from the right has to deal with the hump to the right of the pin and so is an uncomfortable shot for me.

  On the rare occasion that a tailwind makes the green reachable, I don't mind running one up the slope to just beyond the green, the pitch back is controllable...but the opening for the 3-wd approach is quite narrow and usually not worth the risk.

• K7JBQ 1,468 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 12:26 PM

  Wedge right of the pin has lead to the few birdies I've made on 14.

  If wind is right to left, I'll hit 3wood off the tee to take that damn tree out of play.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Jan 11 2017 2:01 PM

  mkg335:

  Pitch, flop or punch from the right has to deal with the hump to the right of the pin

  And that steers it left towards the pin. Mistakes made too far right are decent looks at a putt if they don't roll down. It's a bunny slope.  LOL

• Vaibhav5viv 886 Posts

  Thu, Jan 12 2017 6:47 AM

  This is actually a good hole for me esp in match play. The strategy depends on the wind . If its a helping /L-R wind on the tee I'd take risks to cut the corner off the tee to reach in 2 bouncing thru the gully. Although be careful, if u cant get all the up then u'll have to show extreme creativity to get the 3rd close( no amount of spin would help). If its not the aforementioned winds, it sets up for an easy wedge shot so u can play it to whatever distance u like.