Captains Day 2011

Saturday 25 was Captains prize with Sean Kiely's prize on offer for those who put their reputations on the line. I played at 8.36 with Ray Kent which made for a very enjoyable morning in good company. We didn't pull up trees on the way around but we didn't get wet and the craic was good. Well done to Eoin Jordan with 69 to lift the glass at the end of the day. Congrats to Sean and Breda on a lovely day for all.

Around the bend-6th and 7th

 If at this stage you are feeling smug after a bird on the par 3 and a well made par on the previous hole, this next hole would on the face of it look like a good opportunity to drive home your advantage over the course. In truth this is not the most difficult target on the planet but its index 12 and you have to play this hole the right way.

Unless you hit big you should just knock one down the middle leaving a short iron into a generous green that generally slopes from back to front with a flattish section at the top. From the tee the left side curves with the race track and is out of bounds, and on the right are a continuous stand of tall trees that despite looking threatening do leave enough room to recover if its not too wayward. Some will try to cut off the left corner but I don't think there is a lot to be gained because the grass is longer in the landing area and if you pull it its out of bounds. Stay on the short stuff.

Now assuming you get the perfect or otherwise drive away, what then? Well if you've middled it you've got a really good position to shoot straight at the target. Left or right and the grass is a bit longer but still manageable with some thought. Now let me share a little thought with you here. I sometimes tell people how important it is to play the right shot even when it may not be the beautiful shot or the one you think you want to play. What do I mean? Almost without exception most of the players I've seen play this approach shot choose from their vast array of wedges and attempt with varying degrees of success to do a "Leftie" on it and lob one high to land soft or "get some action goin'on". But as I said the green slopes back to front so a short ball won't go up the green and if it spins it will come back down. So my advice is to run one in low and especially when the ground is dry it will run in.

The green is big with plenty of contours and as I'm not the best putter in the world you're on your own from here. Good luck.

The 7th is Index 4 and well worth the tag. Trees down both sides leave a wayward tee shot in trouble with generally no chance of making the green in two. A straight drive leaves a thought provoking second shot here. A body of water protects the front of this green and runs more or less right up to the edge of the green so whatever shot you decide on it has to carry all the way or else its wet. At the back and to the right are trees that make a shot back on to the green difficult. The breeze also needs to be considered here. I'm not sure which direction one would describe as the prevailing one but to me it always seems to be right to left, right to left or in your face (thats them all covered)so take account of it.
So whether you decide to lay up with your second or go for it just make sure you commit to it and then let fly. Lads if you get a par here take it and be eternally grateful to whatever deity you deem important.