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Layups at the Long Hole on the Old Course

• DanielKWPerrine 1,653 Posts

  Wed, Aug 16 2017 5:42 PM

  I have sent a couple of emails to WGT and not hear anything back.  Maybe some of the more experienced players of the game can answer my question or get some feed back on a problem with playing the Old Course at St. Andrews.

  Hole 14, the Long Hole as it is called, at St. Andrews plays as the name implies long especially into a head wind.  I have at times tried to layup with my second shot on the 5th fairway so as to avoid Hell Bunker which is in line for the normal layup towards the 14th green.  On several occasions I have hit what appear to be good shots into the middle of the 5th fairway only to have the game rule I hit the ball Out-of-Bounds.

  This is not correct.  I have even checked the true St. Andrews rules and it is perfectly legal to hit a shot onto the 5th fairway from the 14th fairway.  The distance is slightly longer, but you take that nasty bunker out of play.

  Is there any way WGT could correct this error and make it legal for shots to be hit safely into the 5th fairway when playing the Long Hole at the Old Course?  Thank you for any input to this question.

  DanielKWPerrine

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Thu, Aug 17 2017 9:23 AM

  The problem is you are trying to play a virtual course as it would play IRL.  If you look at the hole map it shows a border for the hole.  Only part of the 5th fairway shows in that map, and that is the only part in play in 14. 

  Expecting WGT to "fix" this problem is wishful thinking on your part.  Best thing is to learn to play within the confines of the out of bounds area shown on the hole map.

  Good Luck and have some fun learning how to keep it in play and stay out of the bunker.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Aug 17 2017 10:30 AM

  DanielKWPerrine:

    On several occasions I have hit what appear to be good shots into the middle of the 5th fairway only to have the game rule I hit the ball Out-of-Bounds.

  Clarified here, 7 years ago. Imagine what it was like playing it back then when the equipment was nothing like today.  :-)

• alosso 21,072 Posts

  Thu, Aug 17 2017 10:31 AM

  phred952:

  Only part of the 5th fairway shows in that map, and that is the only part in play in 14. 

  To be precise, the mini map is only an approximale indication. On a few holes like STA#7 (left) you may see a "fly out" - ball disappearing - but on one hole of BPB (#6 or #7, the dogleg) the ball will be playable from the left, outside the mini map.

  OAK #4 used to be an example, too, before it was gone for good.

• Adalanar 282 Posts

  Fri, Aug 18 2017 2:15 AM

  OAK is gone !! I did not notice until now. That is bad.

  I understand the reasons why you would take Whistler and Cabo out of the rotation of the monthly, weekly and RGs - but why is OAK gone?

  Cheers

• alosso 21,072 Posts

  Fri, Aug 18 2017 2:25 AM

  Adalanar:

  why is OAK gone?

  No information, as usual. My guess goes to contract termination - it was about a year after the last USO in Oakmont.

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Fri, Aug 18 2017 3:58 PM

  alosso:

  phred952:

  Only part of the 5th fairway shows in that map, and that is the only part in play in 14. 

  To be precise, the mini map is only an approximale indication. On a few holes like STA#7 (left) you may see a "fly out" - ball disappearing - but on one hole of BPB (#6 or #7, the dogleg) the ball will be playable from the left, outside the mini map.

  OAK #4 used to be an example, too, before it was gone for good.

  Fair point.  Since I have never hit the ball in those locations, until the Op brought it up, I only hit a couple to see what happened on #14.

   I found on that hole, if you hit close to the border between the fairways, it was playable from the #5 fairway.  I'm not sure how close you can get to the OB area before you are declared OB by WGT.

  I am sure that WGT won't change it to allow any shots into the #5 fairway to be considered playable.

• alosso 21,072 Posts

  Fri, Aug 18 2017 8:29 PM

  phred952:

  I am sure that WGT won't change it to allow any shots into the #5 fairway to be considered playable.

  They can't, IMHO. I attribute these limitations to the lack of pictures - AFAIK they walked the courses with their GPSsed cameras and would only cover a certain area and only in one direction.

• phred952 2,714 Posts

  Sat, Aug 19 2017 11:34 AM

  alosso:

  phred952:

  I am sure that WGT won't change it to allow any shots into the #5 fairway to be considered playable.

  They can't, IMHO. I attribute these limitations to the lack of pictures - AFAIK they walked the courses with their GPSsed cameras and would only cover a certain area and only in one direction.

  Exactly alosso.  The pics they have of #5 fairway are taken in the opposite direction for ball travel from the 5th Tee.  Bottom line is the OP needs to figure out a shot that works and stays in play.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Aug 19 2017 12:51 PM

  phred952:

   Bottom line is the OP needs to figure out a shot that works and stays in play.

  LOL. Been playing that course for years and still get nervous about having to hit over there.  :-D