NEWS
Hole Showcases are back, and we’re bringing this PowerPutt series over to LIVEWIRE and focusing on PP LIVE. This gist of this is pretty simple. We highlight on one hole on PowerPutt LIVE and provide some helpful pointers on how to attack this hole.
After tackling the second hole on Roadside 66, we’ve taken our caravan deep into the woods and turned our focus to the 4th hole on Bigfoot Bend. We’re focusing on some of the easier holes to get us started back up, but getting a hole-in-one on this par-3 is far from it.
There’s no real danger to worry about, no OB, no water and birdie should be relatively easy to come by unless you really club your tee shot or have a totem pole run-in; more on that shortly. With all that said the difference in that one stroke – especially early on – can be huge in the Daily Contest, personal bests or beating your buddy.
The setup of hole four is rather basic, as is the strategy. When and where to hit your tee shot, however, will be crucial in whether your ball has a realistic opportunity to go in the hole. The wooden board placed in the center serves as your ricochet device, and where you hit your ball off this board will determine what direction it will roll. The board moves, as you all are well aware, which is where timing can really come into play.
Knowing how the ball will react off this board (which looks like a wilderness compass) is key. The more vertical it is upon contact, the further back your ball will go. The flatter it is, the more lateral the ball will kick, and kick quickly. Since the board moves, timing is everything. It’s very much a pool player’s shot.
Bigger than the timing, however, is pin placement. It’s one thing to have a ball make its way to the back right; it’s another to have a realistic chance at an ace. Take note of where the pin is located as soon as you tap in on the third hole, get your protractors out (math jokes) and adjust accordingly.
The few obstacles situated on the course, the lovely totem poles, can derail this hole if you’re not careful. Although you won’t have to worry about them when the pin is located in the back, they could be a problem on pin placements as seen in the image above. You’ll have to be more delicate with your timing and touch.
Practice will help greatly on this hole, and repetition will be integral in repeating shots on similar pin placements. Take note of where you hit the board on certain setups, along with how hard you hit it, and you’ll at least give yourself a solid shot at the cup each and every time.
