RISK vs. REWARD

BY SIMON DUBIEL

Jefferson Park

Hole No. 17 • Par 5 • 490 yards (Blue Tees)

Setup

Jefferson Park is a jewel in Seattle. The oldgrowth trees frame the fairways beautifully, making this a great walk in the heart of Beacon Hill. Perhaps no hole is more enjoyable than 17. The slight dogleg right invites a left-to-right tee shot to split the fairway. A well-struck shot will find the downhill slope, leaving just a mid-iron into the green. A bunker front right makes you think twice about chasing a sucker right-hand pin location.

Risk

Although short enough for most to get home in two, where you miss with your approach makes all the difference. Sure, a shot into the middle of the green plays well, but as we all know, sometimes what we plan is not what happens. Being short-sided with a questionable lie is not the formula to get up and down. The greenside bunker reduces your chances of making a par, as well.

Reward

Very few par-5s offer you the opportunity of hitting a mid to short iron into the green with your second shot. Not only are those holes a blast to play, but they can give your score a real shot in the arm, too. Don’t be tempted into going pin-seeking. Just play to the fat part of the green. Your goal is to have the putter in hand for your third shot and pulling the ball from the cup with your fourth.

Final Call

You blast one down the hill and sit 160 out. You laying up? Not today, tomorrow or anytime next week. This is the time to push your chips into the middle with confidence. Center of the green is the target and a great way to put at least one circle on the scorecard. Swing it smooth and start stacking chips. It is time to get greedy.

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