These are course notes from a very good player. WGT name Kilbraur. I want to thank her very much. If you find these notes useful post a thank you on her wall.
These notes are for my clubs and balls. English not my first language I have use Google Translate and check by friend who speak English. If you not agree with some things here that is ok, you play your way, I play my way. Good luck, Kilbraur.
St Andrew’s
1) Back pin. Best approach for 2nd shot is right side of fairway. 2nd shot I play a punch.
Front pin. If wind behind is stronger than 14 I play drive full back spin and 95% power to stay out of water (same for back pin) front pin is flat part of green putts are easy but putts from side of pin need a foot extra power I find.
2) Left pin. Plan distance for wind then I subtract 10 feet and play 10 feet further left. If in doubt play it long, the uphill putt is an easy one.
Right pin. Plan distance for wind then I add 5 feet and play 5 feet more left.
3) Drive down right side of fairway. With strong wind behind I can get over 400 yard drives by going down right side off the hump. 2nd shot is better to be more left of pin, putt will be easier.
4) Front pin. Difficult hole to putt. Easy way to get par and many times birdie is play 2nd shot short left of green. Then is easy flop shot with back spin. If it not drop then is a easy tap in putt. I find this more easy than try to play 2nd shot for pin then have putt for birdie on difficult slope and many times get bogey.
Back pin 2nd shot play 8 feet more left than you need and it roll down to hole.
5) Front pin. Play 2nd shot short to stick just on hump at edge of green and easy flop shot full back spin 3 feet short and 3 feet more left for birdie putt.
Back pin. I play to right of pin and wedge instead of putt to hole. My 50 yard wedge play full punch on green go exact 27 yards. Full 50 yard wedge on green go 25 yards. Useful to remember is my wedge normal shot go half distance on green so if I have 60 foot (20 yard) putt I just hit wedge 40 yards. Ignore wind when playing wedge on green but check the slope.
6) I calculate wind and adjust drive to give me full wedge to pin. Full wedge shots are more easy than 39 yards or 61 yards most specially with cross winds. 2nd shot lands on downslope so I play full wedge no spin, or punch wedge with touch backspin.
7) Check wind before drive. Strong wind behind me I do full back spin and play right of right hand bunker. If go in rough it still close to green. Any other wind I play left of big bunker. 2nd shot best with backspin to left of pin, ball lands on down slope.
8) All par 3 holes I use my chart I make. I have all wind strength and directions. Some for this hole as examples are Front pin 17 wind at 12 o’ clock = 7 iron 50% back spin 4 feet left. 15 wind at 8 o’ clock = 5 iron full back spin 36 feet right. I just look at wind strength, check my chart for the hole and play shot. You can do this for par 3 holes because the tee is in the same position every time you play. For all par 3 holes I have my chart for all wind strengths and directions (about 30 for each par 3)
9) With strong wind behind it possible to go off back of green, I may use full back spin and play 95% power. Any other wind then normal drive and flop or pitch to pin. Green flat so putts are easy.
10) Right pin. There is hollow down left middle of fairway stops drive going good distance aim to right of that hollow. Flop or wedge to pin play extra foot to right as ball checks left when landing.
Left pin. Don’t be greedy with drive, hitting drive to rough not smart. Play safe and be a little right.
11) Back pin. This par 3 and I use my chart (see my notes for hole 8) If in doubt I play short. I learn that long putt up hill not problem I work out distance then if in straight line below hole I subtract 3 feet and play straight putt. If below hole to left (my favourite position) I work out distance then add 4 feet and play 4 feet left. It roll right up to hole and 50% times I get birdie. If you land behind hole you have to play flop shot full backspin if you not want to pass hole and go down hill.
Front pin, I have not played since amateur level I not remember how to play it.
12) Front pin. Big mistake to be greedy with drive and hit long. Top tier of green or behind green you not going to get birdie. Front pin. I always go down right of fairway. 2nd shot I play pitch full backspin little left for slope of green. If I play flop I add extra 3 feet because of slope. Best to be right of pin and short. Land behind pin and left very tricky putt.
Back pin, same drive as for front. Add extra yard to approach to be safe.
13) Left pin. If left pin I always play left of fairway bunker. 2nd shot play extra 6 foot right full backspin and it roll to hole.
Right pin I always play right of fairway and full backspin because slope takes ball to rough. If strong wind behind I play drive short with 3 wood. 2nd shot has to be 3 yards longer than distance and 10 foot more right with backspin. You are aiming to hit slope back right of pin and it come back to hole. Big mistake is landing short and roll left across green, makes long putt. If I judge wrong and have long putt I hit wedge (see hole 5 how to do) If you land in bunker don’t play out to pin, you roll long way across green. Play way right of pin, like 90 degrees right, then putt shorter and easier.
14) Right pin. Be careful of hollow to left of fairway it take a lot of distance out of drive, play to right of it. If I can reach green with wind against I go for hole with iron I play full backspin. Wind behind hard to make ball stop so 2 choices. Go long, over green and pitch back OR play short and flop shot full back spin. If playing backspin I hit 7 feet right to allow for the slope. If you have played long and have to putt back to hole be careful, putt reads uphill and I see many players miss long. Most of that putt is downhill and I calculate it for down hill but add 1-2 feet. If strong wind against and you play way left to next fairway be careful not to go out of bounds by playing too far left. Your 3rd shot needs to be 7-8 feet more right because you landing on a right to left slope.
Left pin. Wind against I go for pin with approach. Wind behind I play short with forward spin and roll to the hole.
15) Right pin. Don’t be greedy with drive. You need full back spin for 2nd shot and playing from rough reduces backspin. If in doubt play a little long, you stick on slope you have super fast putt coming down the slope.
Left pin. Play extra yard to left of hole.
16) I always line up drive from reverse view to make sure I stay on fairway. Right pin I don’t take chances and I play for centre of green. Very difficult to make par if you not land on flat part of green. I rather guarantee a par (and if lucky with putt maybe birdie) than risk a bogey.
17) If drive not on fairway forget birdie and your chances of par are less than 50%. Take care over drive, it has to land on fairway. Sacrifice a few yards of distance to be accurate.
For left hand pin it difficult to explain my second shot. Imagine you are standing in the big bunker in front of green and you are facing the green. I play my second shot to land to the left of that bunker at the bottom left hand corner of the green. From that spot it is a pitch with full back spin to pin. I get many birdies this way.
For right pin with wind against you can go for hole. Calculate distance then play 8 feet more right. With wind behind you still play more right but a bit short and let ball run to hole.
For both pin positions if you drive to rough then best shot is punch to bottom right of green and just short of green then you wedge to hole.
18th) I find 2nd shot is easier from left centre of green. I aim drive well left of pin (it also the best line to bounce off the road for extra distance) I see people who play off Pro/Masters tees go down right of fairway for extra distance. That means second shot is going to land on downslope of green and hard to stop ball. I find left side of fairway gives better birdie chances. I usually play a punch shot to the pin and slightly right because green slopes right to left. If you have played short and roll back down slope to fairway then flop shot to pin and add extra 3 feet is best way to save par.
