Our club recently took a trip to Poppy Hills Golf Course in
Monterey. The course is very beautiful and very challenging. It has
many sharp dog-leg holes. This doesn’t present a problem for the
average to short hitter, but it is a serious problem for the long
hitter.
Our club recently took a trip to Poppy Hills Golf Course in Monterey. The course is very beautiful and very challenging. It has many sharp dog-leg holes. This doesn’t present a problem for the average to short hitter, but it is a serious problem for the long hitter.
If you are so talented that you can shape the shot to the fairway, hit driver every time. If you’re not that talented – most of us aren’t – you need to outsmart the course and just play to the dog-leg.
First of all, the turn of the dog-leg is generally the widest part of the fairway, so your target area is much larger. You also set yourself up for a much easier approach shot from a reasonable distance. Now, many people feel that they paid a lot of money for their driver, so they’re going to use off of every tee. That’s your choice. Just remember, this is not the way to a low score.
If you don’t own a SkyCaddie – all avid golfers should – you can figure out your yardage by looking at the 150-yard marker on that hole. Calculate which club it will take to hit it there, and most times that will be your target.
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Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
