From Season 2, Episode 11 of “The Charlie Rymer Golf Show” on ESPN2, host Charlie Rymer is offering yet another playing tip on a popular hole at True Blue Golf Club. Here, “The Big Timer” is addressing the biggest challenge this par 4 presents – and it’s not what you might think!
Charlie Rymer:
At 370 yards, length is not the problem here at the 17th at True Blue. The issue is visual intimidation. Yes, when you stand up on that tee, it looks like there’s nothing but water out there. Couldn’t be further from the truth. This fairway has plenty of width to it. Just get over it, folks. Pick a small target and put it out there on the fairway. Now, when you’re playing your second, the water very much is in play. Obviously, you don’t want to shoot at that front right hole location. Most of the time the best thing to do is to take it in on that left side. And if you miss a little short and left, as you can see, no problem at all.
Here’s how you tackle that third shot from short and left. One of the things I really like about True Blue is there’s a lot of closely mown areas around the greens, and that gives you a ton of options. What does that mean? Well, I’m a little short and left here at 17, I got three main options. I can take the putter and that pretty much takes disaster completely out of play. I’m not going to hit a horrible shot with a putter. If I want to sort of take on maybe a little bit more risk, but also have the potential to have some reward, I’m going to go with a pitching wedge, I’m going to put it back in my stance and I’m going to run it up there.
Pretty good play there. And if I absolutely have to make it and I don’t really care if I hit a bad shot that’s going to embarrass me, I’m going to take my lob wedge and I’m going to try and fly this all the way to the hole. Comes up a little bit short, and that’s the danger of hitting the lob wedge. The other two, they look like they’re the way to go to me.