Right, so ~160, no? Again, that puts you inside the range where you could go for it, as I’ve said, if you’re decent from sandy waste areas.
There’s nothing “defeatist” about playing smart golf. And sometimes, yeah, you’re just goofing around and want to “go for it,” but no, I disagree with the whole angle you’re taking here.
Do you watch their videos? They lay up frequently. 
“No Laying Up” doesn’t mean “go for it regardless of how stupid it is.”
Unless you are like @Joezwickl and live in the area and play regularly, why not go for it?
I am not from the area and frankly don’t know if I’ll ever get back there which is my point. I have played it once. Would I love to play it again, fer sure. Do I know I will have that opportunity to play it again? No. Nothing in life is guaranteed (except for death and taxes). Take the opportunity when you get a chance because life may never give you a second crack at it.
I am not saying that laying up is defeatist golf. I believe smart golf is fun too, but not at TR, the magnum opus of the Salvador Dali of architecture. I think the point of the place is to get you to try stuff you wouldn’t normally because you won’t see anything like it anywhere else in golf…
You can’t really ask that kind of question. If you’re out there to “go for everything,” then you should. But if you want to shoot a good score, or you know you don’t have that shot in the bag, you probably shouldn’t. What do you want?
Some people derive more enjoyment from choosing and executing the shots that lead to a 70 than for “going for it” every time they have a slim chance.
The specifics at TR are just visual, though.
There are tons of places you can find a similar borderline shot where you have to “go for it” or not. Few will specifically be “from 180 uphill 35 feet to a green that’s 15 yards deep”. But there are tons of “go for it/lay up” choices all around golf.
I don’t care if people go for it. I even understand the idea that if you’re going to play it once, and you can handle shooting 87, go for everything if you want! Have a day, because you’ll probably remember the one shot you pull off and forget the six you totally screw up.
But not everyone enjoys that, or functions that way, or enjoys golf the most that way.
Let me clarify on the LW: it wasn’t an average wedge shot. 20 ft would be acceptable for an average. It was a perfect wedge shot. Perfect strike, landed where I wanted, good spin. But, because I had the wrong angle, I couldn’t stop it near the hole.
I guess I see where @iacas and others get tired of defending opinions against a course held in high regard. I have a very low opinion of a certain GD Top 40 course, but won’t get into it because of the backlash.
I just have to disagree on the fact that I’ll always go for the 5% shot, not because I’m great, but because it’s fun. I’d rather an 80 at TR than a 70 at my home course. Personal preference.
Thanks for the discussion again.
(If it went to 20 feet, it wasn’t perfect, unless 20 feet was about as close as anyone could have gotten. Who are you, Don Donatello? [teasing])
#2 is on! (I’m done talking about TR… until next week, and hopefully not then either.)
It’s a shame Kaymer had to play so well at Pinehurst in… 2014.
Listen, for sure, but there is not one person out there talking about how they went on a buddies trip and laid up. I’m going for the shot that has a story. I played with an animal who 7 iron from that waste bunker to 2 ft (left pin). That was 6 years ago and we still tell that story. I’m sure someone laid up on that trip, but nobody cares.
Also, even though they sometimes lay up, it is still called “No Laying Up”, not “sometimes laying up”.
Plenty of people go on buddies trips and brag about shooting a good score and taking money off their buddies, dude.
This whole season of Tourist Sauce is about that very thing.
the amount of discussion here shows it is obviously a good hole and course
I’ve never said it’s not a good hole. Only that most of the time it’s a pretty boring decision.
Seriously, let’s shelve the TR talk until next week at least. #2 is on.
#4 on 2 is a handsome ass hole
#3 would have saved so much discussion 
Yeah… You’ll remember shooting 68, after all.
So back to the episode that’s on, #2 looks nasty and super fun. One day I’ll get down to Pinehurst!
I haven’t seen the guys get this beat down since they played Metropolitan in season 1!
Sorry was referring to @Akarito #3 in his post if that wasn’t clear. No offense to anyone, for sure, listen, etc.
I have those memories too. 66 was better though. 
What a round from Hueber
@Joezwickl we need more photos of the pup ASAP
Yeah I know.
Driver, 9 iron on that par 5? What the fuck?