Help Set Up My Bag for Tahoe Golf Trip

[skaileh]

Heading up to Tahoe in 2 weeks to play Edgewood and Coyote Moon. Have never played up there and trying to determine which 14 clubs to bring up. The following are my clubs and distances in the Bay Area at sea level (these are true and accurate distances, +/- 5 yards, everything listed is total distance except driver which I listed carry for, and if some of the gaps look large, I typically will choke down or swing harder to fill them - i.e. I can get 110 out of my GW or swing 70% with my PW depending on what I’m trying to do, and for clubs like my 54, I can be longer but I don’t use that club past that distance because I lose confidence in my ability to control my shot):

 

Driver - 240-250 carry

3W - 240 total

5W - 220

20 degree hybrid - 200

2i (driving iron) - 220

4i - 195

5i - 185

6 - 175

7 - 165

8 - 150

9 - 140

PW - 125

GW - 105

54 - 85

60 - 55

Typically if a course has substantial rough I like to bag the hybrid instead of the 4i, or if a course is really firm like a desert course I’d bag the 2i. I haven’t played these two courses so not sure what to expect but I’d appreciate any advice!

Edited September 23, 2020 by skaileh

[geochitown]

maybe also post up in a california area thread in the club room - courses, membership and travel section to get some intel on the course.

Lake Tahoe is at elevation (5000 ft or so), so you might get some help on distances.

 

I don't think it's arid there and the courses probably have a decent budget for irrigation (but don't know water situation), and there have been fires.

 

I haven't been up there to play golf, just skiing and a summer trip with family with no golf.

 

Should be a blast (can you just take all of your clubs and make some decisions once you are on the ground?)

 

Again for course info, probably best to look here.

 

https://forums.golfwrx.com/forum/162-california/

 

here is a post with some recent activity

 

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by geochitown

[skaileh]

5 hours ago, geochitown said:

maybe also post up in a california area thread in the club room - courses, membership and travel section to get some intel on the course.

Lake Tahoe is at elevation (5000 ft or so), so you might get some help on distances.

 

I don't think it's arid there and the courses probably have a decent budget for irrigation (but don't know water situation), and there have been fires.

 

I haven't been up there to play golf, just skiing and a summer trip with family with no golf.

 

Should be a blast (can you just take all of your clubs and make some decisions once you are on the ground?)

 

Again for course info, probably best to look here.

 

https://forums.golfwrx.com/forum/162-california/

 

here is a post with some recent activity

 

 

 

 

Appreciate the advice! I’ll do that.

[JLo_73]

Read a Titleist report that suggested about 6% for Tahoe like elevation.  Just got back from 4 rounds and 8-12 yards per iron shot was a pretty good adjustment.   Weather could not have been better.  Cool nights and warm during the day.   

[PJE]

Hi Skaileh,

I've played Coyote Moon many times. On most of the holes, the fairways are pretty wide and the rough is usually not too thick. (I haven't been up there this year). But it is not the rough, it's trees that get in the way.  They can get the greens a lot faster than most munis.

It's a super fun course but actually plays tougher than the yardage, despite the altitude.

#1- Don't go left but in the fairway left of the big tree off the tee is good.

#2-Not a lot going on here. Don't be left of the green on the approach. There's a drop off on the left side which makes for an awkward pitch if you are there. 

#3- Watch the trees if the pin is back right. It's a three tiered green.

#4- Tough hole. Fairway wants to kick everything right. The green is wide but skinny.

#5- The further left off of the tee, the shorter the approach. Lots of undulation in the green.

#6- Just hit it to the top of the hill off of the tee and you'll be fine.

#7- Pound away. You can get this par 5 in two. The green is to the left of the big rock.

#8- Make sure you hit the green with the tee shot.

#9-Pretty straightforward par 4. Big, tricky green.

#10-This hole has actually one of the more narrow tee shots.

#11-Big elevation drop off of the tee. Hit a hybrid or long iron towards the bunker off the tee. Everything kicks forward toward the green. Some people try to fly driver to the 

      green but I've never seen anyone succeed. 

#12-Par 5 which tempts you to go for it. The green is elevated.

#13-Super cool downhill par 3. They have signs advising on the yardage and clubbing. The wind direction will influence your club choice.

#14-Driveable par 4 but really risky.  Best play is a mid to shor iron off the tee. The green is wide but short in depth. Don't get up on the hill with your approach. 

#15-A par 5 which goes on for days. The green is big, tiered, and tricky.

#16- Take enough club on this par 3 if it's windy. 

#17- Hit it over the lake off the tee. It's a longer carry than it looks. 

#18- Kind of a weak hole but the green has three tiers.  

Edited September 23, 2020 by PJE

[skaileh]

7 minutes ago, JLo_73 said:

Read a Titleist report that suggested about 6% for Tahoe like elevation.  Just got back from 4 rounds and 8-12 yards per iron shot was a pretty good adjustment.   Weather could not have been better.  Cool nights and warm during the day.   

Thanks man! Really helpful response and glad to hear the weather was great for you. Appreciate it!

[skaileh]

6 minutes ago, PJE said:

Hi Skaileh,

I've played Coyote Moon many times. On most of the holes, the fairways are pretty wide and the rough is usually not too thick. (I haven't been up there this year). But it is not the rough, it's trees that get in the way.  They can get the greens a lot faster than most munis.

It's a super fun course but actually plays tougher than the yardage, despite the altitude.

#1- Don't go left but in the fairway left of the big tree off the tee is good.

#2-Not a lot going on here. Don't be left of the green on the approach. There's a drop off on the left side which makes for an awkward pitch if you are there. 

#3- Watch the trees if the pin is back right. It's a three tiered green.

#4- Tough hole. Fairway wants to kick everything right. The green is wide but skinny.

#5- The further left off of the tee, the shorter the approach. Lots of undulation in the green.

#6- Just hit it to the top of the hill off of the tee and you'll be fine.

#7- Pound away. You can get this par 5 in two. The green is to the left of the big rock.

#8- Make sure you hit the green with the tee shot.

#9-Pretty straightforward par 4. Big, tricky green.

#10-This hole has actually one of the more narrow tee shots.

#11-Big elevation drop off of the tee. Hit a hybrid or long iron towards the bunker off the tee. Everything kicks forward toward the green. Some people try to fly driver to the 

      green but I've never seen anyone succeed. 

#12-Par 5 which tempts you to go for it. The green is elevated.

#13-Super cool downhill par 3. They have signs advising on the yardage and clubbing. The wind direction will influence your club choice.

#14-Driveable par 4 but really risky.  Best play is a mid to shor iron off the tee. The green is wide but short in depth. Don't get up on the hill with your approach. 

#15-A par 5 which goes on for days. The green is big, tiered, and tricky.

#16- Take enough club on this par 3 if it's windy. 

#17- Hit it over the lake off the tee. It's a longer carry than it looks. 

#18- Kind of a weak hole but the green has three tiers.  

Thanks a ton for this response, super thorough and I really appreciate it. I’m copy and pasting your hole by hole advice to a notepad on my phone to review before and during my round. Thankfully I’m relatively straight, just not very long, so hopefully the altitude will help a little with that. Thanks again!

[waltonsfinest]

I would limit hybrids as the rough is manageable and the elevation change will negate the distance gap. Also more workable with trajectory, which is needed there. 

[skaileh]

3 minutes ago, waltonsfinest said:

I would limit hybrids as the rough is manageable and the elevation change will negate the distance gap. Also more workable with trajectory, which is needed there. 

My hybrid is my least consistent club so I’m happy to head that advice lol. Appreciate it!

 

Do you think the rough is equally manageable at both courses?

Edited September 23, 2020 by skaileh

[waltonsfinest]

I haven’t played Coyote Moon. In general, wherever I play up north (north of GA lol) it’s much thinner and fluffier than Bermuda down here in the south. I find it easy to get out of for the most part without hacking it with a hybrid, especially if you normally hit your irons okay. 

[skaileh]

9 minutes ago, waltonsfinest said:

I haven’t played Coyote Moon. In general, wherever I play up north (north of GA lol) it’s much thinner and fluffier than Bermuda down here in the south. I find it easy to get out of for the most part without hacking it with a hybrid, especially if you normally hit your irons okay. 

Man...Bermuda is the absolute worst lol. I applaud and simultaneously feel terrible for anybody who has to play on that regularly lol, but I’m sure you’re a better golfer for it. Thanks again!

[PJE]

14 hours ago, skaileh said:

Thanks a ton for this response, super thorough and I really appreciate it. I’m copy and pasting your hole by hole advice to a notepad on my phone to review before and during my round. Thankfully I’m relatively straight, just not very long, so hopefully the altitude will help a little with that. Thanks again!

Oh, yeah, I should've said the altitude should give you 1 to 1.5 clubs longer on the irons.  Drives and fairway woods seem to go about 15-20 yards further but I think that depends on the person. I know that I'm able to challenge the par 5s on this course in two more than I can at sea level. 

Coyote Moon also has a really good website with a course tour feature. It will show you the layout of the holes and the yardages.

I think they keep the practice green slightly faster than the greens on the course but overall the greens are usually speedy.

The bunker sand has been firm in the past. But I haven't played it this year so my information on the greens and sand might be outdated.

They don't have a driving range, just a couple of mats with a net to warm up. 

Enjoy your game there. 

[skaileh]

27 minutes ago, PJE said:

Oh, yeah, I should've said the altitude should give you 1 to 1.5 clubs longer on the irons.  Drives and fairway woods seem to go about 15-20 yards further but I think that depends on the person. I know that I'm able to challenge the par 5s on this course in two more than I can at sea level. 

Coyote Moon also has a really good website with a course tour feature. It will show you the layout of the holes and the yardages.

I think they keep the practice green slightly faster than the greens on the course but overall the greens are usually speedy.

The bunker sand has been firm in the past. But I haven't played it this year so my information on the greens and sand might be outdated.

They don't have a driving range, just a couple of mats with a net to warm up. 

Enjoy your game there. 

Great advice. Will check out the website and a couple YouTube videos today. Thanks again PJE.

[SurfDaddy]

Ditch the 3W and 2 iron. The higher loft 5 wood and 4 hybrid pays dividends in altitude. However, the best advice I can give you is if you have time you play Grizzly Ranch, about 40 minutes north of Truckee. If you don't have time dump Coyote Moon and go to Grizzly.

[skaileh]

3 minutes ago, SurfDaddy said:

Ditch the 3W and 2 iron. The higher loft 5 wood and 4 hybrid pays dividends in altitude. However, the best advice I can give you is if you have time you play Grizzly Ranch, about 40 minutes north of Truckee. If you don't have time dump Coyote Moon and go to Grizzly.

Appreciate the advice! I’ve heard great things about Grizzly Ranch, unfortunately we’re staying in South Tahoe and already ditching the girls for the hour drive up to Coyote Moon. Think we’d get killed if we added another 40 minutes to each end of that lol. Will definitely make it a point to head back soon to play it. What do you like most about it?

[goaliedad30]

Your distances align with mine almost identically. I've played Coyote Moon a few times; never played Edgewood (our vacation house is in Truckee). You will generally find about 5-8% increase in carry distances, but a big caveat this time of  year: if you're playing in the morning, until it warms up, the temperature distance loss will just about cancel out the altitude distance gain. If you're feeling chilly, hit the sea-level club!

 

Overall, the biggest thing for Coyote Moon is to be in the fairway off the tee. It's a typical tree-lined mountain course. As long as you're solidly in play off the tee, it's a very approachable golf course.

[skaileh]

23 minutes ago, goaliedad30 said:

Your distances align with mine almost identically. I've played Coyote Moon a few times; never played Edgewood (our vacation house is in Truckee). You will generally find about 5-8% increase in carry distances, but a big caveat this time of  year: if you're playing in the morning, until it warms up, the temperature distance loss will just about cancel out the altitude distance gain. If you're feeling chilly, hit the sea-level club!

 

Overall, the biggest thing for Coyote Moon is to be in the fairway off the tee. It's a typical tree-lined mountain course. As long as you're solidly in play off the tee, it's a very approachable golf course.

Very helpful piece of info to think about. While it’s supposed to be nice the days we’re heading up, we tee off at 9:45 and 10:30 I believe, so I’ll likely not be getting much of the benefit of the altitude until maybe halfway thru my round I assume? Thanks for the reply!

I’m inclined to have the 3 wood with me for tight fairway tee shots and the 2 iron just in case, rather than the 4-hybrid, as it sounds like if I’m in the rough, the rough will be the least of my worries and it’ll be the trees I have to deal with.

[mxskier]

I haven't read everything, but take clubs that you will hit high. I live at altitude in Denver, and the ball will generally fly flatter. I get 160+ mph ball speed with my driver but due to altitude, need to bag a 4 hybrid and a 5w rather than 4i and 3h to gap well and hold greens. That's just my swing. But unless you generally are a really high ball hitter at sea level (and I'm talking >120 feet as a stock shot), then I would take higher launching clubs in the long end of the bag.

[skaileh]

1 hour ago, mxskier said:

I haven't read everything, but take clubs that you will hit high. I live at altitude in Denver, and the ball will generally fly flatter. I get 160+ mph ball speed with my driver but due to altitude, need to bag a 4 hybrid and a 5w rather than 4i and 3h to gap well and hold greens. That's just my swing. But unless you generally are a really high ball hitter at sea level (and I'm talking >120 feet as a stock shot), then I would take higher launching clubs in the long end of the bag.

Very helpful advice. Will keep that in mind. Thanks so much!