Risk vs. Reward: Druids Glen Golf Club

Druids Glen No. 7

The Setup: A slightly uphill par-4, 281 yards from the blue tees. Water off the tee to the left. Bunkers bracket a short right-to-left ridge separating a two-tiered fairway. From the lower tier, it’s about 100 yards to the pin; from the upper, about 40. Trees dot anything right of the short stuff. You can lay up with a middle-to-long iron, leaving a short iron or wedge into the green, or pull the big stick and drive it onto the top tier — or for the long hitters, all the way to the narrow putting surface.

The Risk: Anytime you try to squeeze a little extra out of your swing you are playing with fire. If you duck hook it left, you could find the water, while a fade or slice right leaves you staring at nothing but branches and a bogey. Even if you do poke it straight, the fairway slopes left, feeding into the two bunkers and leaving you a tough out and no guarantee to be on in two.

The Reward: Stepping up to the tee box of a reachable par-4 always starts the juices flowing. It is the perfect hole for the action junkies looking for the “edge.” If you can reach the dance floor, you’re looking at a possible eagle. Coming up short but safe gives you a chance to get up-and-down for birdie. Leaving it in the bunker is not ideal, but a “sandy” always feels good, especially when it is for a circle on the scorecard.

Final Call: Do you play it safe, or go for it? Do you double down, or just take a card? Although this can be a fairly simple and safe par, it is also an opportunity to pick up one of those rare birdies. Par-4s you can drive are few and far between. And dare we mention eagle? The book says double down and so do we. Iron-wedge? Not today. Time to stick your chips in the big game. Besides, driver-putter sure has a better ring to it, don’t you think?