MD/DC/VA Golfers - This One Goes to Eleven

[misplacedtexan83]

My type of golf right there DC..

 

Fast and fun

[TheCityGame]

Not to make this a climate change debate, but summers around here seem like they're starting to become unsustainable for bentgrass. The bermuda strains are doing really well where the staff has converted the grass though.

I'm tempted to agree with you, and then Hobbits this year totally lost their fairways for all of spring into summer, by the accounts I've heard.

 

I don't know how it's doing now. I drove by the other day and saw a couple holes that LOOKED good, and Maryland's fairways were fine.

 

In the big picture, I think you're right. DC's course went to Bermuda recently (IIRC). Maybe we're just in a zone where neither type of grass can have a good 365 days. ::shrug::

[GooseHook]

Not to make this a climate change debate, but summers around here seem like they're starting to become unsustainable for bentgrass. The bermuda strains are doing really well where the staff has converted the grass though.

I'm tempted to agree with you, and then Hobbits this year totally lost their fairways for all of spring into summer, by the accounts I've heard.

 

I don't know how it's doing now. I drove by the other day and saw a couple holes that LOOKED good, and Maryland's fairways were fine.

 

In the big picture, I think you're right. DC's course went to Bermuda recently (IIRC). Maybe we're just in a zone where neither type of grass can have a good 365 days. ::shrug::

 

Yeah, this region will always find a way to kill grass. Getting 20" of rain per month can breed disease in all types of turf.

 

I think UMD's course still has bermuda fairways too? I was coveting that zoysia from Bellerive though..

[FAbb]

It's pretty much been the perfect storm of bad stuff this year. Long, cold spring. It rained about a million inches in late spring. Then it was crazy hot, and drought conditions. Now we've gotten another million inches of rain, and it's hot AF.

 

I don't think any type of turf is going thrive in those conditions.

[TheCityGame]

Not to make this a climate change debate, but summers around here seem like they're starting to become unsustainable for bentgrass. The bermuda strains are doing really well where the staff has converted the grass though.

I'm tempted to agree with you, and then Hobbits this year totally lost their fairways for all of spring into summer, by the accounts I've heard.

 

I don't know how it's doing now. I drove by the other day and saw a couple holes that LOOKED good, and Maryland's fairways were fine.

 

In the big picture, I think you're right. DC's course went to Bermuda recently (IIRC). Maybe we're just in a zone where neither type of grass can have a good 365 days. ::shrug::

 

Yeah, this region will always find a way to kill grass. Getting 20" of rain per month can breed disease in all types of turf.

 

I think UMD's course still has bermuda fairways too? I was coveting that zoysia from Bellerive though..

Yes, UMD is Bermuda.

 

I love Bermuda. The best stuff in the world to play off is full, dormant Bermuda. Ball sits up, but the club slides right through it. It's like hitting every shot off a "perfect range mat" without joint damage. So much room for error. You can get away with 1 inch fat if you're not too steep.

[dcmidnight]

DC's course went to Bermuda recently (IIRC). Maybe we're just in a zone where neither type of grass can have a good 365 days. ::shrug::

 

Lat36 which, I think, is a newer Bermuda - its what PoSho is going to as well. Had to fix some winter damage with sod this year but it grew in really well. No matter what grass you have though, still have to have a great maintenence staff to take care of it. Nothing beats playing off the dormant grass it in the winter though, looks and plays amazing.

[vtnerf]

The Lat36 is the new mid-Atlantic thriver grass. The southern DE line is just about the northern-most line for bermuda to really thrive. There are courses in lower DE that have it but sometimes struggle...the line is thin. The Lat36 is supposed to survive the swings in temps and higher humidities better.

[TheCityGame]

If someone (especially city) wants to post a hole by hole on Worthington with specific advice on tee shot lines/club choices and no-nos around the green, I would be most appreciative.

 

I've got general ideas on what to do on each hole. Would love specific info. Playing blue tees, likely pushed back as far as they can go.

 

bump.

 

i know a lot of this is hole location dependent.

 

need some high-level golf analysis.

 

https://course.blueg...or/overview.htm

I'm not feeling inspired for the full treatment and I don't even know if WM is susceptible to it. And, you've played WM enough. Thing about Worthington is that the lines off the tees are pretty obvious, IMO. Bunkers are generally well placed to tempt the "line of charm". If you can carry them, or play right off them, that's always a good position so it depends how good you feel and where your partner is.

 

The real questions there are where to miss around the greens but I'm not going to break down every green into 4 locations and talk about the misses.

 

I think you generally have to be pretty aggressive towards the pins there, or you could be looking at 3 putts. It's the kind of place where some of the chips are easier than 30 foot putts. For instance, if the pin is back right on 5, people always want to play to the middle and away from that pin because it looks safe and the line at that pin is over a bunker, but that's a tough putt from short and left of that pin.

 

The pins that can get really crazy (2-front, Front or left on 3, back left on 8, most of 9, way back right on 16, way back left on 17) are the same for everybody.

 

If you want to play aggressively, there are some GOOD opportunities for HBD to really rip with a HBD. He can get fairly close to the greens on 1, 2, 7, 15, and definitely get into "go for it" range on any of the par 5's. Just accept it if he screws up and you need to make par.

[eagle1997]

I think you generally have to be pretty aggressive towards the pins there, or you could be looking at 3 putts. It's the kind of place where some of the chips are easier than 30 foot putts.

 

The pins that can get really crazy (2-front, Front or left on 3, back left on 8, most of 9, way back right on 16, way back left on 17) are the same for everybody.

 

 

this is good info. thanks. i haven't been to WM this year for a refresher, which is my own fault. wanted to play this week before friday, not gonna happen.

 

good reminders of overall info. i know you used played league there, so it's like your version of what blue mash is to me.

 

also, playing with GolferDrew, not HBD.

 

 

 

edit: it's a 1pm shotgun start. format is a two person team better ball, gross and net divisions. we're auto in both. gotta finish pretty high in either to advance to the championship. i'll be live posting our scores on the grint. already getting that *****ly feeling at the top of my head, and i'm still 2 days out. so good.

[FAbb]

Here's your game plan, Eagle.

 

Be like Tex, and just send it.

 

You've played the course many times. You know where the power slots are off the tee, and where the no-no spots are. You know the way the greens are sectioned off and how they slope. There aren't any tricks hiding from you. Just go out there and get it.

[gregh729]

The course was in very good condition last Friday. Greens running "mid fast". Probably a tad slower than normal, but they had a lot of rain Thur night. I'll echo City and Fabb, keep it on the correct side of the slopes on the green and you'll be fine. The is not a whole lot of strategy from the blue tees. I hit driver on all but 10, 11, 12. Check the pin location and club accordingly. Add about 1/2 club on the approach to 3 and 15.

Their cart girl game is on point this year as well!

[ceejay81]

Their cart girl game is on point this year as well!

 

Best scouting report I've read. It's also true.

[TheCityGame]

Oh, you're playing with GolferDrew.

 

Sheet, Eagro, that's all you had to say.

[ceejay81]

 

Sheet, Eagro, that's all you had to say.

 

physically lol'd

 

[TheCityGame]

I wanted to share the gif, CJ, but that was getting taken down. It's a nice gif, though.

[eagle1997]

i like how wrx auto-hides anything pen!s related. also auto-corrects 8008s to Titleists.

 

maybe they should talk to LilChen about what he hears on video game chats and consider adjusting the puritan filter.

[TheCityGame]

You can ***** your finger, but you better not finger your *****.

 

Unrelated. . .a young Sully. . .

[davechen]

Oh yes. I was very impressed with the cart girl quality at WM.

[baddomes]

the best is the autocorrect of corn hole (aka bags) to butt

[SullGolf]

Outside of a few holes, WM is definitely a 2nd shot course. You have to hit a great drive on 3 and 12 to make par, but that's it really. At the same time, I think the holes where a 30 foot chip is easier than a 30 foot putt are limited. Definitely can happen on #2, #5, #8, #9. I can't really think of any on the back that are as severe as any of those.

 

#2 - the tiers are roughly front, back left, and back right. If the pin is front, don't miss above the hole, never mind past the front tier and over the ridge. Or left or right of the hole. A 30 foot chip from dead up the slope is way easier than a 15 foot putt from anywhere else around the hole.

 

#5 - City took care of this. Don't miss left of the green. That's completely dead. Don't miss well right of the green. That's blind, but at least not dead.

 

#8 - Easy as well. Has the same general shape as the 2nd green, except more slope back to front overall. No matter the pin position, you don't want to miss long of the green.

 

#9 - Green is split down the middle and you need to keep it to the proper half where the pin is, and below the hole.

 

I'm sure you could get GoodGuyDom to give you all his inside knowledge on what's going on at the course right now, which would be really valuable.

[vtnerf]

There's currently a 24-for-1 playoff to make the match play int he US Am.

 

On #17 at Pebble.

[vtnerf]

There's currently a 24-for-1 playoff to make the match play int he US Am.

 

On #17 at Pebble.

2 birds...onto 18

[GooseHook]

Outside of a few holes, WM is definitely a 2nd shot course. You have to hit a great drive on 3 and 12 to make par, but that's it really. At the same time, I think the holes where a 30 foot chip is easier than a 30 foot putt are limited. Definitely can happen on #2, #5, #8, #9. I can't really think of any on the back that are as severe as any of those.

 

#2 - the tiers are roughly front, back left, and back right. If the pin is front, don't miss above the hole, never mind past the front tier and over the ridge. Or left or right of the hole. A 30 foot chip from dead up the slope is way easier than a 15 foot putt from anywhere else around the hole.

 

#5 - City took care of this. Don't miss left of the green. That's completely dead. Don't miss well right of the green. That's blind, but at least not dead.

 

#8 - Easy as well. Has the same general shape as the 2nd green, except more slope back to front overall. No matter the pin position, you don't want to miss long of the green.

 

#9 - Green is split down the middle and you need to keep it to the proper half where the pin is, and below the hole.

 

I'm sure you could get GoodGuyDom to give you all his inside knowledge on what's going on at the course right now, which would be really valuable.

 

#6- be on the correct side of the middle ridge, IIRC the green does not have classic vertical tiers but it's horizontally huge.

 

#14- Good to play to a full wedge 120ish out, since an aggressive tee shot will leave you a severely downhill lie in the fairway.

 

#16- avoid the sole patch

[vtnerf]

During the playoff, on 18, the one kid had an iron into the green at Pebble. Nuked his drive. But pulled the approach left into the ocean. The other kid bailed out right, sorta behind the tree there. They put a drop zone along the bunker so the players wouldn't have to drop in the sand. So the one that hit it in the water is like 175 out...but the kid behind the tree hits first. So you are thinking he hit out of turn, right??? As it turns out, the order of play is determined by where the ball ended up in the hazard. Even though it was 175 versus 60ish, the 60ish hit first. Now you know.

[eagle1997]

Outside of a few holes, WM is definitely a 2nd shot course. You have to hit a great drive on 3 and 12 to make par, but that's it really. At the same time, I think the holes where a 30 foot chip is easier than a 30 foot putt are limited. Definitely can happen on #2, #5, #8, #9. I can't really think of any on the back that are as severe as any of those.

 

#2 - the tiers are roughly front, back left, and back right. If the pin is front, don't miss above the hole, never mind past the front tier and over the ridge. Or left or right of the hole. A 30 foot chip from dead up the slope is way easier than a 15 foot putt from anywhere else around the hole.

 

#5 - City took care of this. Don't miss left of the green. That's completely dead. Don't miss well right of the green. That's blind, but at least not dead.

 

#8 - Easy as well. Has the same general shape as the 2nd green, except more slope back to front overall. No matter the pin position, you don't want to miss long of the green.

 

#9 - Green is split down the middle and you need to keep it to the proper half where the pin is, and below the hole.

 

I'm sure you could get GoodGuyDom to give you all his inside knowledge on what's going on at the course right now, which would be really valuable.

 

#6- be on the correct side of the middle ridge, IIRC the green does not have classic vertical tiers but it's horizontally huge.

 

#14- Good to play to a full wedge 120ish out, since an aggressive tee shot will leave you a severely downhill lie in the fairway.

 

#16- avoid the sole patch

 

good stuff, thanks.

 

 

the soul patch is such an odd feature. someone (gotta be city, right?) used to call it that green's minge. very deceiving from the fairway, because it actually extends well past the front edge.

 

 

 

 

another view:

 

[FAbb]

You have to hit a great drive on 3 and 12 to make par

 

[TheCityGame]

another view:

 

I used to call the patch on 16 the Merkin.

 

It's a pretty funny little feature that I don't recall seeing anywhere else. It's a real mind-screw. Especially with that front left pin, that would be a pretty easy approach as anything short would otherwise hop on, but with the merkin, you really need to hit your distance and it's not a fun place to miss long there as the green then slopes away from you. If you drive far enough it really blocks your view of the surface.

 

He's got a few things out there that protect easy entry.

 

6. . .

 

 

 

11. . .

 

 

[eagle1997]

yeah, that bunker on 11 is such a mindF. 5-6 paces past it just to get on the green, let alone to any flag on that line.

[FAbb]

It's like a toned down version of a lions mouth green, with the merkin taking the place of a bunker.

[vtnerf]

Prob much easier over time withOUT the bunker there...for the course conditions. Too many time with bunkers close to greens things are affected with sand relocated to the putting surface, which affects the agronomy, upkeep, intended playability, everything.