That doesn't sound great, but I know if I was preparing for a USGA event I would probably be crapping my pants.

Hopefully it comes together for him once he gets out there. I had a friend who qualified for the US Open in the 90's. In the practice rounds he said he was striping it and felt his game was as good as it could possibly be, then shot **** in the actual event. Maybe your buddy can do the opposite?

What's funny is I have been talking to him for a while about strategy/data driven decisions on the golf course and he just ain't hearing any of it. Basically the ideas that Scott teaches.

Actual text exchange this morning:

Him: Yeah there are 4 holes that might be too much to get to in 2...so if I 'm 230+ we are going to lay up to a number

Me: Is there a hazard around those 4 greens?

Him: No

Me: Surely just banging it in a greenside bunker is better than laying up to 90-100?

Him: I'm just more comfortable with a full shot into the greens

__________________________________________________ ________________________

Me:

(ok last text I didn't send but...ooof that's not good strat at all) I wasn't going to harp on it since it's too late now. Hope he plays well but we shall see

if he plans on laying up from 230 will he just hit like a 6 iron off tee? no way he goes driver/wedge/wedge right?

yes, i know there are clubs between driver and 6 iron.

It worked for Zach Johnson, albeit water on #13 and #15.

Also worked for David Toms.

Controlling the outcome of your shots is worth quite a bit. I have no idea what this course is like, but if there is a lot of rough and deep bunkers around the greens, the best play could easily be an 80 yard pitch. Also how easy is placing a safe layup.

Depends on what the objective of the player is. If they want to get 4 rounds in with 4 different courses, and don't care much about conditions being less than expected, obviously Bandon Dunes et al is the choice. I think those players are in the minority, though. If it is one course over the other and money is not a big deal, have to think significant majority are picking Moonlight.

It's been proven from tour data that being closer is always better. So even though being 50 yards out can feel awkward, over the long run you'll be taking fewer shots to get in the hole than if you were back where you could hit a full wedge.

What ZJ did makes sense because of the water hazards you mentioned. But in this case with no hazards the play is just to advance it as far as you can.

It was proven on average. But there is no such thing as an average player and an average course.

saying the 'conditions being less than expected' at Bandon sounds like a point of view from someone who isn't familiar with linksland courses and is used to playing parkland courses with more manicured fairways and greens. the Bandon courses are known for being in fantastic shape year round. saying the conditions are less than expected at Bandon is pretty much the same as saying the conditions at St. Andrews and Lahinch are less than expected.

There is virtually no case where laying up in the scenario described makes sense as a sensible strategy. The on average you mention is too material a difference

i'll come out and play Bandon with you

The only scenario I can think of is maybe if there was a really extreme case of chipping yips. But if that is going on and you are playing a US Senior Open you're pretty screwed no matter what strategy you come up with.

hit me up Nate and we’ll make something work. there’s are several guys that post in the Bandon thread that i’m guessing would be up for it as well.
We’ve threatened to pull together a 2+2 Bandon meet up for years.

Buddy shot 81 yesterday. Said he putted poorly but he likely was only ever gonna shoot 75 or so Best case. Said he hit 5w from 225 on one hole and made par. So maybe he abandoned ship on that bad strat. Haven’t gotten much else in terms of details

scary stuff. what's stopping some clown from pulling a club and bludgeoning a player with it.

i'm convinced that besides the trampled down rough and being able to use fans as side and back boards the pros absolutely despise them.

"mashed potato!"

so dumb.

Probably the same thing that stops it's happening away from the golf course too.

Yes like wedge/wedge is what he was planning. Sounds like he may not have stuck to that plan but I didn't want to bother him about it. It's obviously terrible strat for a number of reasons

Reading between the lines of our text interactions, I think he is in the mindset of minimizing big numbers rather than optimizing scoring. I just think he overthought this but hoping he realized it was not good strat and pulled the rip cord on it

Sounds like he's trying to avoid embarrassment. I get that, but in reality it's better to be the guy in the arena shooting 95 and finishing DFL than never having teed it up in a USGA event like me.

Let's just say that I made match play in a USGA and now hold an embarrassing "record" in match play events...I hear you but not sure I agree...lol (actually I agree but wouldn't mind scrubbing my "record" off the books somehow)

You can always keep things off the record by withdrawing "due to injury"

We have hope guys!

https://twitter.com/CJSherwood24/sta...220928003?s=20

i was watching that. hilarious. and they showed like 6 slow-mo replays. awesome.

Wolff withdrew from The Open, no reason cited. Must still be in a bad headspace, that is unfortunate.

Or he just might not want to put up with all the Covid restrictions/requirements the R&A have in place for tournament week:

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/ope...georeges-randa

Yea, I'm sure he's just giving up on an Open Championship because covid restrictions would be a slight bother...

Also - lol at Golf digest prentending any of those restrictions are so heinous they'd prevent anyone from playing.