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The 200 Yard Par 3 - How Do You Play It?


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At 11-ish handicap this shot still escapes me.

 

180 and I feel comfortable taking a 6i, but 200 and I'm lost.

 

I'd need to rip a 5i... but Christmas only comes but once a year, so I'm rarely successful with that.

 

Currently experimenting with a mid-lofted hybrid that I can put an easy swing on and have a decent chance of getting it to grab, but I can be a bit pully with hybrids right now, which brings left-to-right dispersion more prominently into play.

 

What's your go-to strategy? Also, for mid-handicappers, do you just accept 4 as a good score and move on?

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> @PorscheFan said:

> At 11-ish handicap this shot still escapes me.

>

> 180 and I feel comfortable taking a 6i, but 200 and I'm lost.

>

> I'd need to rip a 5i... but Christmas only comes but once a year, so I'm rarely successful with that.

>

> Currently experimenting with a mid-lofted hybrid that I can put an easy swing on and have a decent chance of getting it to grab, but I can be a bit pully with hybrids right now, which brings left-to-right dispersion more prominently into play.

>

> What's your go-to strategy? Also, for mid-handicappers, do you just accept 4 as a good score and move on?

 

Not sure what is difficult about this exactly? As a mid to high handicapper, I take my 3 hybrid and occasionally actually put it on the green.

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> @PorscheFan said:

> At 11-ish handicap this shot still escapes me.

>

> 180 and I feel comfortable taking a 6i, but 200 and I'm lost.

>

> I'd need to rip a 5i... but Christmas only comes but once a year, so I'm rarely successful with that.

>

> Currently experimenting with a mid-lofted hybrid that I can put an easy swing on and have a decent chance of getting it to grab, but I can be a bit pully with hybrids right now, which brings left-to-right dispersion more prominently into play.

>

> What's your go-to strategy? Also, for mid-handicappers, do you just accept 4 as a good score and move on?

 

13 cap here. I never consider a 4 as a good score on a par 3, but it is acceptable... Anyway, 22* hybrid for me. I actually have a couple of these at my home course. One is 200 to the front, and the other is 200 to the back, so depending on pin placement it is anywhere between a 5i and 3h. I will admit though, that I am not "pully" with my hybrids anymore than I am with any other club. My miss is generally a block with the hybrid.

In the bag

Driver: Taylormade Sim2 Max 9*

4w: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero

Hybrid:  Apex 19 3h 20*

Hybrid:  Apex 19 4h 23*

Irons: Callaway Apex CF 19 5i-AW

W1: Vokey SM7 54* S

W2: Vokey SM8 60* L

Putter: Swag Handsome Too

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Get a Cally apex 5h (gen 1 or 2) and thank me later

my 5h is as straight as a 9i .. not embellishing

Ping G400 LST 11* Ventus Black TR 5x

Ping G400 3w 15.1* GD AD IZ 5x

Ping G400 7w 19.5* Ventus Red 6x 

Ping G425 4h 22* Blueboard HY 80x

Ping i210 6i & s55 7i - PW Steelfiber 110s

Ping Glide Wrx 49*, 54*, 59*ES, Tour W 64* SF 125s

EvnRoll ER9
 

 

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I got one like this..... Huge Pain in the butt, I would say by score im a 13.

the hole is always about 200 yards total. (180 yards into a dead wind thats almost 2 clubs)

for me a 180 shot would be a super hard 6 or a smooth 5iron. but this hole is a 4 iron out of my shoes or a smooth 5 wood.

Its guarded by bunkers on both sides so it a pocket opening the flag positions varies so attacking a pin thats behind a bunker is almost impossible to gauge the carry distances as well as stopping a ripped 4iron or a feathered 5 wood just not likely.

 

Mid cap mindset I would be HAPPY with a 4 and get out. while its a par3 and my group is always playing money par3's which this becomes critical as its the 17th hole (so last par 3) The likelihood any of us get it with accuracy is very low so we just chalk up a lucky shot and pretty much all take bogey or worse.

 

Lets face it, a guarded 200 yard par3 was intended to be harder than a short Par 5 that has a 200y second shot. So have more faith in reaching a short par5 than this pain in the butt Par 3 and likely my scores reflect such that I average par on the Par 5's than I do on the par 3 with a similar distance shot (but the green layout) is more difficult on the par 3.

Cobra SZ - Rogue 60s
TM 15* M2v1 - RIP Phenom 60S
TM 18* M2v1 - Rogue 60S
Sub70- 649mbs-PW-6 ,639 CBs-5-4   PX 6.0 Rifles
Vokey SM7 - 50*/8*, 56*/10* & 60*/8* S200
Scotty Newport 2 - 33"

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Sounds like you would benefit from a driving iron type club with a loft close to, or a little less than your 5 iron and the same shaft as your irons for control/consistency.

Taylormade Stealth Plus (9) - Tensei 1K Pro Orange 60

Taylormade Stealth Plus (15) - Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70

Taylormade Stealth Plus (19) - Tensei 1K Pro Orange 80

Srixon Z945 3-PW - DG Tour X100

Taylormade MG3 54.11 - DG Tour S400

Taylormade MG3 60.08 - DG Tour S400

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Assuming there isn't some hellacious hazard fronting the green, just hit a comfortable 5 iron to the front edge. Figure you'll get it down in 3 one third of the time and 4 two thirds of the time. There is no rule that says you have to hit the club to get you to pin high. Hitting a comfortable shot to a spot you can play from might yield the lowest scores in the long run.

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> @PorscheFan said:

> At 11-ish handicap this shot still escapes me.

>

> 180 and I feel comfortable taking a 6i, but 200 and I'm lost.

>

> I'd need to rip a 5i... but Christmas only comes but once a year, so I'm rarely successful with that.

>

> Currently experimenting with a mid-lofted hybrid that I can put an easy swing on and have a decent chance of getting it to grab, but I can be a bit pully with hybrids right now, which brings left-to-right dispersion more prominently into play.

>

> What's your go-to strategy? Also, for mid-handicappers, do you just accept 4 as a good score and move on?

 

Just hit a regular 4 iron. If you're an 11, I'm sure you can easily hit a non hybrid 4. I'm a high handicapper, haha, and I hit one.

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Lots of talk on club to hit and not so much about strategy. Most long par 3’s are designed with risk reward for hitting it pin high. A good designer knows most golfer can reach the green and rarely put trouble short of the green.

 

In a situation with little trouble up front and a front half pin I will play a club I have to hit prefect to get pin high. If I don’t hit it perfect I should have an straight forward up and down. If it is s back pin I may still play to the front unless I am not hitting it well or I need to make birdie for some other reason (cut line, match play etc).

 

I play off 2 and trust my short game more than 225yard shots.

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> @CMCSGolf said:

> Assuming there isn't some hellacious hazard fronting the green, just hit a comfortable 5 iron to the front edge. Figure you'll get it down in 3 one third of the time and 4 two thirds of the time. There is no rule that says you have to hit the club to get you to pin high. Hitting a comfortable shot to a spot you can play from might yield the lowest scores in the long run.

 

So that's exactly what I do right now unless there's trouble front... I'll play short and either hope for roll (which rarely happens with my 6i) or I'll just accept a chipor a long putt.

 

My real challenge here is getting the combo of carry and spin. I have a sniper 4i but that's not stopping other than on the best of strikes. On an average day (andmost are average) I'm probably not striking that 5i well enough to get much advance on the 6i, given the lateral diespersion that I then have to contend with.

 

I took my old 816 H219* and bumped it up to 21* but I'm not yet getting the left-to-right dispersion to make it a better bet than a short 6i. I'll need to adjust this for maximum fade potential or re-learn how to hit the darned thing straight!

 

Lofted wood is an interesting alternative. Interesting to see the variety of approaches people take and their expectations of scoring vs. handicap.

 

I truly consider the 200 YD par 3 to be the most loathed hole in golf at the moment. I need to find a solution to tame it!

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We have a similar hole at my course, but have 2 large and deep bunkers guarding the front. It is a large L/R green and of decent depth, but long can be a difficult chip to get close as the green is fast and downhill from the back. I bought a 21* hybrid set to 22* specifically for this hole. It is my 195-210 club and works great for this hole. I have more problems stopping my 4 iron than the hybrid (plus I am not that good with my 4 iron, 9 handicap here), and hit my 5 iron only 185 (so un-WRX). Either try the hybrid/5/7 wood approach, or open up your 4 iron a little and move it up in your stance (which my friend does, disaster for me). Good luck!

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A par 71 course I play at has 5 par 3s, 4 of them at roughly 195 to 215 yards from the tees that play 6600 yards total. Depending on the wind these holes play 6 iron up to 3 iron for me. I hate one of them with a passion since it's always hitting uphill into the wind over a bunker with sharp downslope on all sides into water.

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At that handicap, you’re expecting to bogey somewhat often and this hole is no exception. A 4 isn’t a terrible score on this hole, considering the length. It’s not so much about birdie or par, but making sure you don’t double or triple this hole, which are score card ruiners.

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TSi2 18* w/ GD Tour AD BB 7s set at C1

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> @PorscheFan said:

> > @CMCSGolf said:

> > Assuming there isn't some hellacious hazard fronting the green, just hit a comfortable 5 iron to the front edge. Figure you'll get it down in 3 one third of the time and 4 two thirds of the time. There is no rule that says you have to hit the club to get you to pin high. Hitting a comfortable shot to a spot you can play from might yield the lowest scores in the long run.

>

> So that's exactly what I do right now unless there's trouble front... I'll play short and either hope for roll (which rarely happens with my 6i) or I'll just accept a chipor a long putt.

>

> My real challenge here is getting the combo of carry and spin. I have a sniper 4i but that's not stopping other than on the best of strikes. On an average day (andmost are average) I'm probably not striking that 5i well enough to get much advance on the 6i, given the lateral diespersion that I then have to contend with.

>

> I took my old 816 H219* and bumped it up to 21* but I'm not yet getting the left-to-right dispersion to make it a better bet than a short 6i. I'll need to adjust this for maximum fade potential or re-learn how to hit the darned thing straight!

>

> Lofted wood is an interesting alternative. Interesting to see the variety of approaches people take and their expectations of scoring vs. handicap.

>

> I truly consider the 200 YD par 3 to be the most loathed hole in golf at the moment. I need to find a solution to tame it!

No, the most loathed for me is the 250 yd par 3 at a rival course...

 

As a sub5, we have a 200-210 depending on tee to the middle. When the ground is hard , I like hitting 180-190 club and bouncing on. Long is dead, right is OB. Only bailout is left of left and short in the middle.

 

SIM 2 Max 9.0 turned 7.0
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200 yd par 3, if I can run it up I probably will. 4 iron should roll out to that distance for me. If there's OB left, I'd also potentially hit the 4 iron to keep a lost ball hook out of the equation.

 

If I had to carry 200, it would be my 5 wood. But I'd try to find a way to hit my 7 wood if I could reach the front of the green with it.

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The most annoying par 3 is the little 150 yard par 3 you can't hit but you hit the 200 par three nearly every time the hole or two before.

SIM 2 Max 9.0 turned 7.0
TM Sim2 Titaniu, 13.5
TM RBZ 19* hybrid

TM RBZ 22* hybrid
Mizuno JPX 900 HM 5-PW
Vokey SM7 48* F Grind
Vokey SM7 54* F Grind
Vokey SM7 58* M Grind

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> @PorscheFan said:

> At 11-ish handicap this shot still escapes me.

>

> 180 and I feel comfortable taking a 6i, but 200 and I'm lost.

>

> I'd need to rip a 5i... but Christmas only comes but once a year, so I'm rarely successful with that.

>

> Currently experimenting with a mid-lofted hybrid that I can put an easy swing on and have a decent chance of getting it to grab, but I can be a bit pully with hybrids right now, which brings left-to-right dispersion more prominently into play.

>

> What's your go-to strategy? Also, for mid-handicappers, do you just accept 4 as a good score and move on?

 

3-4 decades ago was a 3 or a 4 iron ( today's 4 or 5 iron ), depending on the carry and elevation of the green.

Then it was a 4 hybrid, then to a 5 wood, now is probably a 4 wood.

However, if there is no forced carry, I can still run it up with a 3 iron.

Otherwise, I'd put the tee shot to where I could have a good chance of up and down, May that be short of the green oe to the side. And practice those short pitch shots so no worse then a 4 from a drop zone.

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totally depends on the green complex and what my bail out options are. I'll tee up a 5 iron high and hit a high draw most typically. but if its a really tight shot without a lot of bailout, very often I'll pinch a 6 iron and try to get a really hard first bounce and if I come up short, so be it. I dont mind being short on most par 3s that dont have front bunkering. allows for an aggressive chip.

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Our 6th hole is slightly uphill and can play as short as 185 yards and as long as 215 yards. We are at sea level. I will use as little as a 5-iron and as much as a 5-wood (calm day).

 

For example, today the hole was playing 197 yards with a mild right to left breeze. I hit a 3-iron and it was plenty of club. Let me add, my lofts are traditional (my irons are twenty years old). For what it’s worth, whatever club you pull, swing it with confidence. Leave all doubts at home.

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If it needs to go 200, a 22° 4 hybrid for me.

Callaway Rogue Max LS Driver, 9 degrees, Tensei Blue shaft

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Srixon ZX4 4 iron
Srixon ZX5 irons 5-PW, Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 shafts

Cleveland RTX6 48* wedge

Cleveland Zipcore 54* wedge
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Practice.

Ping G400 Testing G410.  10.5 set at small -
Ping G410 3, 5 and 7 wood

Ping G410 5 hybrid-not much use.  
Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal. 5-G
Vokey 54.10, 2009 58.12 M, Testing TM MG2 60* TW grind and MG3 56* TW grind.  Or Ping Glide Stealth, 54,58 SS.  
Odyssey Pro #1 black
Hoofer, Ecco, Bushnell
ProV1x-mostly
 

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