Decision Making on the Tee or the Lie

[Craig Smolin]

EDIT: renamed this thread to be more specific...

After reading the last page of the "990 thread" - I thought we might open up a new thread to tackle the subject of decision making and shot selection for a variety of situations. At Cranbury Park, my home course here in Norwalk, CT, almost every hole provides a situation to throw a variety of shots with different discs. I'm going to discuss Hole #1 because it is easily deucable, but also gives out bogeys and occassionally double bogeys.

Hole 1 is an approximately 275' hole. The tee is set slightly back into a small grove of trees but no immediate obstacles to negotiate. A large tree and bush cluster is approximately 100' in front and to the right, and is at least 50' wide, and very deep. Another large tree is present at approximately 200' on the right, with branches extending out into the fairway. The entire right side of the fairway is slightly sloped, trending downward from right to left from your view on the tee. Another tree is present at about 35' in front of the basket on the right, and definitely comes into play with its location and low lying branches.

The middle of the "fairway" is completely open and flat with no obstacles.

The left side has a very large cluster of bushes approximately 200' off the tee, and running at least 100', and is at least 15-20 feet deep.

The basket is set just in front of a large tree, very slightly off-set to the right of the tee, and is set on the slope, such that being outside of 25' results in a slightly uphill putt. The slope is present directly to the right and backside of the basket, and will limit blow by of missed putts. A few more trees are present along the back of the hole, but do not usually come into play.

Visualize this hole in your mind's eye. What type of shot and what disc would you throw? What are the benefits and risks of each shot? What are the hazards you need to avoid?

After a few posts from some CT locals and those who have never seen the hole, I'll post my progression of shot selection.

[niuvalleycane]

not sure about fairway width, but after reading your description 2x, I'm gonna say I would pull out a Z Wasp, very slight anny bowing down the left side of the fairway, making an Ace run.

[BeSquared]

This thread is pointless without detailed pictures, multiple perspectives and wind conditions. IE: useless unless you are there.

[black udder]

I agree, it makes it real tough without a picture and knowing the environmental conditions. I think a picture could give a lot of information though and we've had fun before with "here's a hole, what do you throw?"

At 275', I'd throw a comet. It's not going to get me into too much trouble with any fade at the end. It's dead straight and not a difficult throw. I'd be aiming to put something within the 30' putting circle and treat it like a birdie.

[Craig Smolin]

fair points ... will try to get a picture up ...

[Dogma]

... will try to get a picture up ...

Not sure if by picture you mean photo. A photo is great, but a sketch of the layout from above would be useful. For example: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3667&start=0 Sketch and photo together would be ideal.

[Timko]

If I could throw a thumber right handed that far, I think I'd opt for that shot. It takes everything out of play.

So since I don't have a 275' RH thumber (working on the LH), I'd opt for a straight midrange or a tight S fairway driver.

[dflaschiii]

I'd go with the forehand shot. Depending on the wind, could be Eagle-X or Firebird. Take it down the left side with some hyzer and skip it up the slope towards the basket.

[Craig Smolin]

I've seen just about every throw listed above on this hole, which is what makes it a great starting hole for the course.

My standard throw is either a righty forehand with a stable champ wraith played out to the left, fade in, and skip up to the basket. The basket is just about at my forehand distance and control. I will also throw a beat D Buzzz with a bit of hyzer, flip it up with good snap in the middle of the fairway, and then turn and glide towards the basket.

I've witnessed this hole aced with both of these shots.

I've also seen a couple pros throw putters off the tee, firebird thumbers, pure anhyzers, and low flat hyzers under the trees.

Unfortunately it is snowing here in CT today, so I'm not going to get a picture up for another few days...

[MR. WICK]

Lots of choices at this hole for a righty smolin. If i threw righty bh, i'd throw a thumber, but i don't. lefty backhand, so i throw a hyzer with a z wasp. My biggest concern on this hole for anyone is throwing too far or hitting the tree on the right. I've seen a lot of shots thrown with too much disc that don't flip over all the way and hyzer out past the basket. This results in a very long putt and usually a three on a must 2 hole. If you can get mid ranges out to 300 i would say a putter is the best choice for a righty or your beat mid range. Such an easy lefty hole though, there aren't too many places where i can just throw a nice easy hyzer with a mid range.

We've got about a foot of new snow out there now. And it was 55 last week, winter is starting to frustrate me.

[TheTyrant]

Flippy midrange seems to be the choice for RHBH. There is plenty of room on the left so a big anny with something like a wasp is a safe shot if you have the arm to get a mid out there and let the stability flatten it out. You'll see a lot of flicks and thumbers when people are warming up but when the round starts it's usually a flippy mid or a putter. I've seen it aced with flip up turnovers and a flick. Got it myself once too

[MR. WICK]

Here are your picks smolin. Hole one at cranbury pk.

Tee box: http://cranburydiscgolf.com/images/hole1tee.gif
The basket is right in front of the tree with the pink flowers.

Basket: http://cranburydiscgolf.com/images/hole1.gif

[Timko]

Now that I see that pic, I'd throw a newish roc on an anhyzer line.

The hole is more open that I had thought though, so I think I could throw every disc in my bag at it and still get inside the circle.

[MR. WICK]

Now that I see that pic, I'd throw a newish roc on an anhyzer line.

The hole is more open that I had thought though, so I think I could throw every disc in my bag at it and still get inside the circle.

IMO, it's the easiest hole on the course. you probably could throw a different shot every time and get close.

[Timko]

Lets see:

Wizard: Straight or big anhyzer.
Rocs: Hyzer flip, straight shot with a little turn, straight anhyzer with no turn (the 3 rocs I carry would fly on those lines)
Sabre: Big Anhyzer or straight anhyzer
Blaze: S Shot
CD: Straight control shot
PD: Flex control shot

Yea, I can pretty much throw everything in my bag at it.