Rather than write this 14 times throughout the walk
through, I'll just say it once at the beginning. Putting backspin on the
ball amplifies the effects of a mishit and it amplifies the effect of
the wind, even on dinged shots. When dealing with heavy crosswinds on
links courses, it's generally a good idea to keep backspin off the tee to
a minimum unless you need to carry some sort of danger
Lastly, the greens at RSG are a
little slower than the other courses, enough to leave a higher
percentage of good putts sitting on the lip . It's generally a good idea
to give your putts a hair more power than you usually would.
Hole 1
The first hole eases you into RSG. It's fairly straight forward
without a lot of local knowledge to be had. It's wide, it's flat (ish),
and there's not a lot of danger to avoid.
With the wind in your
face or at your back, you can cheat the fairway by playing to one side
or the other to minimize the amount of crosswind on your approach shot.
Drives
that skirt the edges of the fairway are likely to come to rest in the
rough, so try to stay at least five yards from the edges.
The Approach
The
three bunkers in front of the green only come into play when there is a
strong tailwind and you have to play for extra roll. With no wind or a
headwind you'll fly over them.
The center pin location gives you
a lot of green to work with from all directions. With a strong
crosswind, play a center ball shot and try to land the ball short enough
and windward enough to roll to the hole. Unless you misjudge the effect
of the wind or grossly mishit your shot, you should end up close enough
for a good chance at birdie.
With a strong tailwind or headwind,
you should put backspin on the ball. With a headwind, you can throw a
dart at this pin and have a very good chance at ending up inside 1 yard.
With a tailwind, the backspin is used to control the roll after
the ball lands. Just remember that the ball will have considerably more
carry with a tailwind. When allowing for the roll, aim about a yard
left of the pin. The final few yards to the pin (on the left side) has a
downward and to the right slope. If you get your distance correct, this
ball can end up very close.
Hole 2
This is one of the few exceptions at RSG to the "no backspin from
the tee" rule of thumb. The two bunkers that jut into the fairway,
almost amputating the dog's leg on this dogleg left, can almost always
be carried without backspin. The problem with a center ball shot from
this tee is, if you carry the bunkers, you're likely to roll through the
fairway and into the right side rough. Backspin will keep the ball in
the fairway and help carry the bunkers, but it comes at a price.
High
trajectory drivers using backspin in strong crosswinds should allow for
double the effect of the wind. This may put your aiming point over the
rough. I think most golfers have a mental block about aiming for rough,
but if you want to score on a links course, you better get used to it.
The Approach
The
green is above you 2'-14' and it's domed. Missing to the right is
usually safe - you'll probably hold the green and have a difficult
birdie putt or an easy two putt for par. If you miss left though, you're
likely to roll off the green and down the hill, leaving a much trickier
pitch to the hole.
The real danger of this green is being long
(see my replay "Upslope of RSG 2 green" for a demonstration). Missing
long can easily result in a 3 putt because of the severe slope. If you
miss long and off line, you will almost certainly 3 putt.
(A fun
shot when the opportunity presents itself, is a center ball wedge 5
yards past the hole that will roll back down to within a yard of the
hole. Gimmicky, but fun).
Hole 3
A difficult, but also sometimes spectacular par 3
The dangers
Usually
a long iron, or in some cases, a 3w (and for me, from the back tees,
with a headwind, sometimes it's even a driver). This is very similar to
the back side par 3 in that they are both two tiered greens with the pin
at the front edge of the upper tier.
The most common shot is one
that faceplants into the rise between the two tiers, then rolls back
down the hill leaving a difficult to read 20'-30' putt that rises
several feet. If you find yourself in this position, par is a good
score.
With a strong tailwind, there is just as much chance of
blasting right through the green and ending up in the back side rough.
It's pretty easy to save par from there with a decent chip or pitch and
you might even hole it out for a neato birdie. The danger is chipping
too far and rolling off the upper tier. Don't hit this chip with too
much power.
The tricks
There are many ways to get close to this pin and not all of them are intuitive.
The
left side rough. Intentionally hanging your your ball up in the left
side rough, pin high, will leave you with an entirely makeable short
pitch shot to the pin. This is a good lie for strong crosswinds.
The
right side bump and run. At 239 yard from the black tees, my 225 yard
3w can reach the pin with a moderate right to left tailwind. The upslope
between the upper and lower portions of the green is much less
pronounced on the right side. Shots to this side can reach the upper
tier when shots at the pin will roll back. (see my replay "Rightside
approach RSG 3")
The right side carom shot. I discovered this
shot by accident one day, but now it's part of my repertoire and it's
the only shot I can get close with a strong tailwind. (I'll post a
replay of this shot the next time the situation comes up). With a 20+
mph tailwind and 239 yards away, I can still get within 5 yards of the
pin. The green is bordered on the right side by a mini mountain range.
Using a 3w and no backspin to keep it low, I aim for the face of the
hill that's about pin high. The result is a shot the bounces left and
rolls along the front edge of the upper tier toward the pin.
Disclaimer: This ^^^ is a low percentage shot, but pretty cool when it works
Hole 4
A long and difficult par 4
There are tricks to this hole too.
With
a tailwind, it's a grip it and rip it drive. The fairway is a little
bit above you so you're going to get some extra roll. This can result in
some monster drives. Allow for this when aiming because drives that are
too long can easily end up in the rough.
With a headwind, you
can some extra yardage off this tee by playing for the far side of this
hill on the right hand corner of the fairway. When I was at Master/Tour
Master with a K15 driver (250 yards), I used this shot regularly. As a
legend with a G10 driver, I still use this shot. The ball will hit the
far side of the hill on the downslope, then kick forward another 20
yards. This shot is so effective, forgiving, and repeatable that there
are times when I will use less than full power just to get the bonus
yards.
A variation on this trick shot, is playing for the inside
corner of the same hill. It will also kick your ball forward, but at a
slightly different angle. This shot comes into play when the headwind is
so strong that you can't even reach the far side of the hill. It also
comes into play when the headwind is from left to right so as to keep
your ball closer to the center of the fairway.
The approach
If
you had a small flat circle of modeling clay and then pinched the left
side of the circle with your thumb and index finger, you would a
reasonable facsimile of what this green is shaped like. This oddly
shaped green leads to some interesting and creative approach shots.
Don't be short. That's the key.
The tricks
Top left corner. Hit the ridge at the highest point on the left side and it will trickle toward the hole.
Laying
up right. The green has almost no slope on the right hand side, and
sometimes the pin is out of reach. In these situations, playing to right
will leave you a long, but entirely makeable long birdie putt.
Using
the ridge. You can land your ball just short of the top of the ridge in
front of the pin, then slow roll down to the hole. It will probably
keep rolling past the hole, but it's pretty much what everyone tries to
do anyway.
Being long. You can just say screw it, plan on being
long, and end up in the far side 20-25% rough with a chip or pitch for
birdie. When I birdie this hole, it's almost always from this position.
Hole 5
A lay up par 4. Local knowledge is very important to this hole.
Put
it in the fairway. Seriously. If that means teeing off with a three
wood, so be it. Don't try to cheat this fairway either. If you end up at
the closest corner to the green, short of the rough and right of the
bunkers, you know, the perfect drive, you are only slightly better off
than if you played safe and hit for the smack dab center of the fairway.
My advice is not to cheat this fairway, the risks outweigh the reward.
It
is possible to use driver and, through dumb luck only, end up with a
wedge shot to the green from 20% rough. It's possible, but not very
likely. Going for this drive is a fool's errand, like not laying up on
Oakmont 9. There's a 90% chance you'll be better off with 150 yards from
the fairway.
The approach
This hole plays long.
This hole plays long. This hole plays long. About 5% longer than what
you think. Club appropriately and trust that this is the truth.
This
hole punishes missing left. You can miss right and miss long by a mile
and still have a long, but birdiable putt. If you miss left however, you
will run off the green and have a tricky pitch back up the hill to save
par. If you miss short, there is a chance your chip to the pin will
also trickle off to the left and down the hill. Miss long and miss
right.
Hole 6
A birdiable par 3.
There is a ton of room in front of this
pin to play a bump and run with a tailwind. There is also a good chance
of sticking this green close with a headwind.
The most common
problem on this hole is being long. The green is below you so shots
carry more than expected whether running it up to the pin or trying to
throw a dart. From behind the pin, you will have a right to left
breaking putt with some forgiveness built in. The break gets more severe
the further right you hit your putt, so you're likely to end up at the
same place even if you mishit. The trick to making this putt is speed
control.
Tee shots that end up short will have to deal with the
steep rise before the pin and a left to right break. Get your speed
right and you should have an easy par, but don't expect to hole this
putt, it's a lag.
Shots that miss left in the rough or the bunker
are in the hardest position. There is no room in front of the pin and a
steep downhill slope. Any shot from the bunker, or any shot from the
rough greater than 10 yards is probably going to be a bogey. Avoid
missing left from the tee.
Hole 7
A three shot par 5
At 573 yards from the tips, expect to
have a wedge into this green. With a good tailwind, closer tee boxes,
and a long driver, you can reach this in two and also hit some monster
drives. Most likely though, you'll be on in three.
There's not
much to this tee shot, just aim for the center. If the wind is coming
from 7-8 O'clock, You can put backspin on the ball. This will give you
more carry and hopefully fly the ridiculous drive-killing lumps in the
fairway.
Regardless of where your tee shot goes, the second shot
is the most important of also the most unassuming. Play this shot to
your strengths. There aren't many opportunities at RSG to have a short
wedge into a green for birdie, so don't waste this one. Plan your shot
to end up at you favorite wedge distance to the pin. The fairway is wide
and flat so there's no excuse for an awkward 35 yard shot at the pin.
The
green is hard as a rock, so getting a long iron or fw wood to bite is
unlikely. You can roll it up to the pin, but the green wants to funnel
those shots left into the greenside rough, or through the green
entirely.
With a 50-60 yard wedge, it's just target practice for a tidy birdie.
Hole 8
A difficult par 4
There are a lot of ways to inadvertently
screw up this hole. Depending on your tee box and the wind, you can
easily drive right through the end of the fairway and into 40% rough.
The fairway slopes up hill for two thirds of its length, the starts
sloping down hill. Even with a light headwind, it's possible to fly the
crest of the fairway and land your drive on the downslope causing it to
kick forward and through the end of the fairway. This is the other
exception to the "no backspin from the tee" rule. Backspin here will
cause your ball to land softer and roll less.
The fairway also
slopes from right to left, so hug the right side as much as you safely
can because you can easily roll off the left side of the fairway.
The approach
It
looks simple enough. Land the ball on the ridge in the center of the
green and let it roll down to the hole. It rarely works out that way.
This
approach is a wind multiplier. Whatever the strength, and from
whichever direction it's blowing, the wind always seems to have a
greater effect than expected. This is because the green is 10'-12' below
you, but strangely, doesn't really give you the extra yardage you'd
expect. The wind is the driving factor on this approach.
Hole 9
From the back tees, you have to come at this fairway from an
angle. From the front tees, it fairly straight on. Either way, this is a
tight fairway and accuracy is the key.
The fairway
predominately slopes up (allowing for the hills and lumps that comprise
RSG) so don't expect any huge drives even with a strong tailwind. Just
be conservative and aim for the middle.
The approach
This
is the hardest shot at Royal St. George's. In order to have a good
birdie chance, you have to stick this shot within 3' of the pin.
Anywhere else and it's going to roll downhill somewhere. If you miss
right, it's going to roll off the green leaving you with the most
unforgiving pitch shot imaginable. If you miss left it's going to roll
down to the center of the green after it wanders around like a drunk for
a while. If you miss short or long, it will end up in one of the two
positions just mentioned. Throw a 20 mph crosswind into the mix and your
looking at an exciting shot.
Miss left. If you're going to miss,
par is salvageable no matter where you are, but birdie is more likely
from on the green than off. You'll be putting uphill no matter where you
are. As long as you get your speed right, you have a chance. Hit it too
hard and you'll find out what it was like from the other side. Hit it
too soft and you might get to try again.
From the right, off the green.
So
many shots end up here, it's worth describing this shot specifically.
You're probably around 10-15 yards from the pin, on a fairway lie, and
3' below the hole. For this shot, you need a ball with some bite. I
can't imagine this shot with a free wgt ball. For me, it's a pitch shot
with full backspin. Add the distance and half the elevation (in yards).
In other words, 14 yards out, 3' up means I'm hitting 14 + 1.5 = 15 1/2
yard pitch. With this formula, I expect to be within a yard of the hole
to save par.