Mentioned it in the NSS thread, but since I can’t make the NSS I’m also withdrawing from the matchplay and forfeit my match against @earlsmithiii.
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@tmoney7 and I have two spots open if anyone cares to join us for our First Round duel.
In addition, you can watch me work through a swing change that fortunately allows me to flush my irons but unfortunately top half my drives. It will be quite the round. #Process #BladeBound
Chaska Town Course - Saturday April 17th at 1:30pm.
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@MackReiter took me down today 5 & 4 today at Braemar. Always good to meet and golf with a fellow Iowan!
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I learned today that there are now two Hawkeye fans in this world that I like. @asnyder81 and my wife! We had a great time even though the weather wasn’t perfect. A lucky chip in for par on 8 by me might have been the pivotal moment in the match. Braemar is going to be an awesome host site for the North Star Shootout 2! That was my first time back since the remodel and I really enjoyed it.
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Found this to be accurate! Definitely have to get back because 1. Course was pretty soaked, the west metro must’ve gotten more rain than the east Friday evening. Lots of cool slopes and slots in the fairways that we didn’t quite get to take advantage of due to the conditions. 2. Worst round I have recorded in 3 years. Left me with a bitter bitter taste in my mouth which stunk because I loved the experience at Baker.
Question for someone more knowledgeable on Baker than me. Looks like they put in a lot of new cart paths either this spring or last fall, were their cart paths in those locations originally? Me and my buddies noted a couple locations the cart paths are super in play (sometimes 5-8 yards off the fairway).
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@redcedar14 we must be seeing the same instructor! Just went out and played after my first lesson in years and I shanked a handful of drivers, but I did flush some irons into greens to try and save bogey.
I played Baker this weekend as well, all the new cart paths didn’t replace any old ones, they are all brand new. The one on 5 is terrible, I don’t know why they put it to the right of the bunker and basically being in the fairway rather than going to left of the bunker, where it is out of the way.
That one was very suspect! had a buddy get one in the bunker because of the path
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Yeah I hate the new paths
Got my first round of the year at Braemar in on Sunday. I hope having a players card this year means its easier to get a tee time than last year. I will say I REALLY like the new layout and can’t wait for the NSS this July, but I am about to go on a bit of a rant.
I think the par 5 16th is a terrible hole. First of all the carry from the back set of boxes can be anywhere from 215-240ish to clear the water. I have played multiple rounds where the wind is into your face on the tee making 215 carry end up more like 240 and giving you no room for error on a mishit. Then if you do safely cross you might have a chance to hit the green in 2 (which is a great heroic shot into a cool green complex over the water) but if you don’t the layup options are terrible. My group bailed right a bit on the tee so going for it wasn’t an option and there is really no point to contest the bunkers in the narrow neck of the layup zone as there is so little room to miss long right and left. I have seen plenty of people hit into trouble trying to lay up that our group just bunted a wedge another 50 yards to edge of the water before crossing on the 3rd.
The website notes this hole is a “seamless blend of heroic and strategic schools of design” sure… its basically hit a great drive down the left and have a chance to hit the green in 2 or have fun deciding to hit a 40 yard layup to the edge of the water with zero risk or a full wedge layup to one of the dumbest landing areas I have ever seen so you can gain an angle but only 30 yards from the safe layup that took zero skill. I have splashed a few balls trying to go for the green and I think that strategy is better than risking the water/bunkers on the layup because at least I can drop by the green and make a 5 where I don’t risk putting my 3rd in the junk trying to be more precise than hitting an area the size of 1/3 of the green as a “strategy.”
Rant over. TLDR: 16 sucks. The carry off the tee seems to go against the 1st hole sign stating “play these tees if you hit it X far” and when your options for a layup are 40 yard bunt with zero risk or a short iron to the smallest chokepoint guarded by bunkers, swamp, and trees for no benefit you have a get a bad golf hole. Happy Monday.
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One option you failed to consider: a chippy 9 iron from back tees to a forward tee + blast fairway wood at the chokepoint/bunker in the distance + easy wedge to a fun green
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I am all in on this take.
Signed, a guy who hit a tee shot into the reeds the only time he played the hole. WOOOOOOF
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I played there from the E tees recently and couldn’t make the carry with 30 mph winds right into me. No wind or downwind it’s a much better hole, I agree that the layup area is pretty small and the bunkers are right where you want to layup (which encourages you to go for it I suppose).
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I think its the most interesting/unique green complex out there and to make it the best hole I think all you have to do is shrink the tee shot and make it a tough par 4. Make the risk be off the tee and the having to place the tee shot as close to the water as possible or as far down the chute as possible for the best angle/shortest approach, or if you want to keep it a par 5 I would say make the edge of the carry a bit of a waste bunker, so if you miss you still can hack it to the layup area, but get rid of the bunkers in the layup area and maybe have the bunkers as more of a centerline bunker for the tee shot. That way good drives down the left can go for it and shots bailed out right have a short and long option for layups but some room to make it worthwhile to go to the smaller farther landing zone. @munihack7 I agree about going for it 100% but I think going for it and still taking a penalty is maybe a better option than taking on those bunkers so at that point I think the design is missing the mark.
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That’s weird because I hit 30 seconds after you and easily carried it.
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The wind totally flipped to a helping 30 mph gust when you were hitting, I’ve never seen anything like it before.
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Anyone want to get out and play legends this afternoon? Sometime after 3. Looks like their spring rates are 65 with a cart.
But what are their rates when it’s winter temps outside?
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RIP Mississippi Dunes and “Pay the Temp”
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