PowerPutt Hole Showcase: Dusty Trail #2
Mastering The Horseshoe On This Par-3 is Key If You Want To Start Your Round Off Right
PowerPutt Hole Showcases are here, ready to turn your –10's into –15's and your –20's into record low scores! Next on the Hole Showcase circuit is Dusty Trail #2, a simple par-3 that can really get your round on the right track if you master the first shot and avoid disaster.
This is the earliest in a course we've ever done a Hole Showcase, and typically you won't find "critical" holes this early in your round. Still, picking up a shot this early can set the tone for even better things later on! The hole has a relatively simple setup, although getting the ace is far from a shoo-in – GET IT?
The two most glaring items of note about hole #2 are the giant horseshoe in the center of the hole and the change in elevation halfway down. The actual cup is just over the top of the hill and directly under the shoe.
With no hazards in play, you'd think this would be an easy hole to walk away with at the very worst a birdie. While this is usually the case, there are also ways to get burned. If you don't hit your ball hard enough to get up the hill, you will likely be hitting your next shot from the same spot you were just in and trouble could be ahead. Hit it too hard, and your ball could go sailing off the hill and out of bounds OR hit off the back wall and head down towards the bottom. Hit the horseshoe "incorrectly" or inadvertently and you're looking at trouble also.
There are a couple of ways to play this hole, and everyone may have a different idea of what works for them.
Play the Bend – Forget the horseshoe altogether and just go for the ace. Obviously the putt is going to break to the left, so start it off right and curve it in. The benefits of mastering this shot are that once you have the speed and starting position down, you should be able to repeat a similar shot pretty regularly. The problem, however, is your room for error is small and you risk missing the shot (duh!) or not making it up the hill.
Bank It – The positioning of the horseshoe sets up perfectly for a player to bank it off either side and get it in the cup for an ace. While this might appear to be a bit easier, it's not a sure thing even if you manage to hit your spot. Some players, however, have had great success playing this way. The risk here is that the horseshoe can be deadly and send you back down the hill or flying in other directions.
Which works better? I would try both and see what is best suited for your game, but avoiding the horseshoe is the safer and more efficient way to play. If you can master the speed and shot placement for putting up hill, you will also increase your skill level greatly in the process. Getting a hole-in-one here would be a great way to kick off the round. Still, a birdie will work fine also. Be sure to avoid the blowups we discussed and you'll walk away a winner more times then not on this early par-3!
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