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Most difficult hole?

• bearclaw27 553 Posts

  Wed, May 11 2011 7:26 PM

  TarheelsRule:

  I bet that the 17th at Kiawah has a tough scoring average as does the 17th at STA.

  I've had 3 holes in 1, all of them at Kwah 17th, so I don't agree with the difficulty factor there..

  Then again, I've yet to play the hole from the legend tees...

• TarheelsRule 5,563 Posts

  Thu, May 12 2011 12:24 PM

  I was actually speaking more from all players since I have seen from pro to legend play this hole a lot.  I generally play it well but I see lots of water balls and shots in the traps that end up as a bogey or worse.

• Lobsterboy 4,729 Posts

  Thu, May 12 2011 4:34 PM

  The 17th at St A for me . . . no question

• 1,417 Posts

  Thu, May 12 2011 6:37 PM

  bearclaw27:

  TarheelsRule:

  I bet that the 17th at Kiawah has a tough scoring average as does the 17th at STA.

   

  I've had 3 holes in 1, all of them at Kwah 17th, so I don't agree with the difficulty factor there..

  Then again, I've yet to play the hole from the legend tees...

   

  17th at Kiawah is 220 from the legend tees.  Water short and right, trap left.  Plus a potentially awkward distance as far as clubbing.  Definitely a tough hole from legend tees.  Kiawah, to me, is the toughest course to play from the legend tees.  Certainly have to hit a lot of 3-4-5 irons (or more) into the greens. 

• TarheelsRule 5,563 Posts

  Thu, May 12 2011 9:27 PM

  Generally I have to hit a 3 iron if the wind is helping with no back spin which tends to not give you as much control as I would like.  If the wind isn't helping I hit a 3 wood and I'm not great gearing down on the R11 3 wood yet.

  I'm not sure what the factor to make the most difficult hole on here is but I would use the scoring average and with all the potential for danger on this hole.  There are other tough holes like 9 at Oakmont but even that hole is fairly easy to par if you play it right and has no potential for disaster (except the putting).  Same with 17 at St Andrews, really don't see the OB as being in play that much and even though the green is tough you should always make par or bogey at the worse.

• JaLaBar 1,254 Posts

  Sat, May 14 2011 12:18 AM

  The thing about BPB #15 is that green is so sloped.  Sure, if you are below the hole and not too far off line, it's not a hard putt.  But if you are to the side, you have a wicked, wicked downhill break, and if you are above the cup, your putt is going to travel at light speed.

  I might say that BPB is easier than Oakmont #9 to get on the green.  It is possible to get quite close on BPB #15, even to eagle.  Oakmont #9, I think I have hit GiR once.  Though I think that hole is so hard in part because I am not long enough off the tees.  I'm usually hitting long iron or wood to that pin and with the raised burm at the greenside edge of that trap, the only way to clear that is to hit off the back of the green.  However, I'd rather be hitting out of that trap in front of Oakmont #9 than looking at a 15' side putt on #15 at Bethpage.  I think that hole can turn a three putt faster than any other hole I have seen, no matter where you are save directly below the hole.

  #17 SA is the same, frankly, as #9 Oak to me.  I have to hit too long a club into the pin that the raised trap in front is a ballcatcher, or I'm off the back of the green.  The alternative is to shoot for the fat part of the green, but if you have to be careful on that hole because you can end up with fringe, rough, or even trap between you and the cup while on the green.  Both Oak #9 and SA #17, once I am safely on the green, I heave a sigh of relief.  At BPB #15, that's when the fun really begins.

• JaLaBar 1,254 Posts

  Sat, May 14 2011 12:18 AM

  So how do #4 and #18 at Congressional compare to these holes?  Any others at Congressional we can put up with these?

• JaLaBar 1,254 Posts

  Sat, May 14 2011 12:21 AM

  I only played it once, shot a 67, then decided I would wait until I get my longer clubs to really try to qualify.  But I didn't find any of the holes to be 'Oh Sh*t!" holes like those above.  Well, there was one of those on #18, when my second shot stopped around 8 inches from splash.  But I parred the hole.

• bearclaw27 553 Posts

  Sat, May 14 2011 10:07 AM

  Jala...The trajectory of the Rapture irons isn't high enough to carry onto many of the greens on BPB (especially #15)..I'd suggest the Master G10's (level 59)...They fly higher and impart more spin upon the ball...Just get ready for a faster meter..

   

• JaLaBar 1,254 Posts

  Sat, May 14 2011 10:41 AM

  I'm planning on getting the R9 Driver and Wood, @62, which should give me the length I need to play full backspin for the loft I need with the Raptures.  #15 is really the only hole I have difficulty with, though some of the others I am playing hybrid or long irons to, that will become shorter irons when I am longer off the tees.

  I don't care for the G10s.  I struggle with faster meters a bit, and the G10s aren't as forgiving as I like.  If I upgrade from the Rapture irons, it will probably be to the R9s.  But I'm going to try playing the Raptures with an extra 15-25 yards off the tees.

  Who knows?  Optimally, I'll find that I am comfortable with the 50% meter on the Driver and Wood, and thus feel comfortable moving up in meter from the Raptures.  I also like the Raptures because they have the same meter as the Rossa.