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Do long hitters have too much of an advantage?

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Eric LeFante:
A cornerstone to GCA is risk vs reward. The 8th hole at Shinnecock is a good example; it’s about 290 yards to carry the bunkers on the left from the back tee. If a player is able to do this, he will be rewarded with a wedge approach AND a better angle to approach the green vs the right side of the fairway.

http://www.usopen.com/course/8.html

Think about how Brooks Koepka and Ian Poulter played this hole; Koepka hit driver down the left and Poulter had to go down the right side of the fairway because he couldn't carry the left bunkers.

Did either player really have a decision to make on the tee? Koepka can carry the left bunkers, wants a wedge approach shot, and wants the best angle to get his second shot close. Poulter cannot carry the left bunkers so he needs to go down the right side of the fairway.

The architect can’t change the fact that Koepka can outdrive Poulter by 30+ yards, but should the architect also give Koepka the better angle?

What if the better angle was from the right side of the fairway? Now Koepka has a decision to make; lay up down the right, have a longer shot into the green but a better angle, or hit driver down the left, have a wedge in, but have the less desirable angle.

Long hitters can have a shorter approach shot on most par 4s and par 5s; isn’t that enough of an advantage? Should architects give them a better angle as well?

JESII:
In my opinion, to place a 300+ yard shot into a 10-15 yard area is a tremendous feat worthy of the advantage it delivers in this case.


That said, I noticed far fewer guys than I thought challenging that area off the 8th tee. Don’t have an answer for why (and my sample size was pretty small, having not seen a ton of the coverage), but this particular hole really can divide.


Poulter’s triple in Rd2 or 3 was evidence of the difficult approach from the right side.

Kalen Braley:
Eric,


I've often wondered myself why this mechanism isn't used more.


Drive it further, have a shorter approach with a worse angle and have to fly a nasty bunker or green slopes working against you.
or
Lay it back, with a longer approach, and a much better angle.

JESII:
Because the term is Risk-Reward...not Risk-Crap Sandwich...


Haha

Kalen Braley:
Jim,


Isn't having a shorter club in your hand a reward in and of itself?  Approach from further out with a 5 iron or closer in with an 8....

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