My son qualified for the State Golf tournament that will be played at this course. They get one practice round the day before the tournament. Do any of you have any experience at this course that would give him a little help preparing for the tournament? Thanks
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Grey Rock Austin
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Last: 7 yr ago by bdgol07
I haven't played there in a about 2 years, but used to play it regularly....unsure too how far your kid hits it and what tees they will put you at. Just to give credibility to my advice I play to a +1 hdcp.
Here is my front nine analysis:
1) stay up the right hand part of the fairway...everything kicks left into the trees. Front right pin position is tough. You have to carry onto this green. Do not go left of this green. Don't short side this green.
2) Not much to this one off the tee...just left of bunker is a good line. I think there is a tower in the distance to aim for. There is a small rock wall left of fwy that sort of acts as a collection area/hazard, so anything moving left will usually find it. What you see is what you get on the 2nd shot/approach. I would advise not missing it under the large tree on the right of green. Can't chip from under it because the branches are so low.
3) Not much to this par 3. Short siding on left side will make for a tricky chip if pin is left.
4) Tee shot if you can carry the bunker - do it...Not sure of the yardage to do so off the top of my head. If you can't you'll be left with 170-200 out. If you can you will have 9i in. This green swings right to left pretty good. if pin is left, middle of the green with a draw should make its way over. Putting from front to back is a slightly uphill and makes for a slow putt.
5) If you are playing the back tee box, don't attempt to carry it over the bunkers on the left...there just isn't much reward IMHO. Best to stay right of traps off the tee and have a 9i in to a pretty simple green. Not knowing how far yours hits it it is hard to say whether he can even make it over the traps. Left is dead.
6) Gotta hit the fairway here. Left is a bunker and right there is a space in this big area that sits low, but usually if you find that you have to go around one decent size tree that is in your way. Don't short side this green to the right. If the pin is back, make sure you carry it there...thre are a couple of ridges in middle of green if I rememeber you need to get over.
7) Again, not sure if this hole is reachable in 2 for your son. If not, then set yourself up for the 3rd shot - they key to this hole is pin placement. Front location is easy. If they put the pin in the middle of the green - STAY SHORT of it...do not go past. If the pin is in the back, note where you need to land the ball...if you land on large downslopes in middle of green, the ball will bound long. If pin is back you must carry ti there. So, depending on the pin, figure out what kind of shot you want to have. This green is a pretty tricky one, so spend some time here.
8) Left is dead. If pin is in the back, and you land middle of the green, it will just sit and not chase back to hole. The slope of the green and the angle of the ball coming in doesn't lend itself to any roll. Again - don't short side. There is a hump middle left in green that if pin is back, you don't want to have to putt over.
9) Sigh. Safe shot is a 4-5i to the fairway. Pin position dictates what I do here. Only if pin is back right do I go with Driver, and when I do, I just bomb it down there, with the room to the left of green as my target. It's open, but rough so you are risking things on the lie you get. If I happen to hop it on great, if not, I get to chip up across the green, uphill and over a bunker to the back right pin, so it is a lower risk up and down. You don't want this shot if pin is back left or front, IMHO unless you have hands of a hemorrhoid surgeon. Approach is a little more downhill than you think so don't go long of green.
Last tournament I played there I took driver, put it down the left past the last tree, but landed on about a 2'x2' space of hard pan. undercut the chip - it flies into the face of the bunker, and the ball entering the sand caused all the sand above it (on the upslope) to come sliding down OVER the ball and covering it completely. Unplayable lie, bunker shot got on the green and rolled back to front edge, which I then drained about a 40 footer for bogey. Fun times.
I'll be back for back nine after I actually get some work done today.
Here is my front nine analysis:
1) stay up the right hand part of the fairway...everything kicks left into the trees. Front right pin position is tough. You have to carry onto this green. Do not go left of this green. Don't short side this green.
2) Not much to this one off the tee...just left of bunker is a good line. I think there is a tower in the distance to aim for. There is a small rock wall left of fwy that sort of acts as a collection area/hazard, so anything moving left will usually find it. What you see is what you get on the 2nd shot/approach. I would advise not missing it under the large tree on the right of green. Can't chip from under it because the branches are so low.
3) Not much to this par 3. Short siding on left side will make for a tricky chip if pin is left.
4) Tee shot if you can carry the bunker - do it...Not sure of the yardage to do so off the top of my head. If you can't you'll be left with 170-200 out. If you can you will have 9i in. This green swings right to left pretty good. if pin is left, middle of the green with a draw should make its way over. Putting from front to back is a slightly uphill and makes for a slow putt.
5) If you are playing the back tee box, don't attempt to carry it over the bunkers on the left...there just isn't much reward IMHO. Best to stay right of traps off the tee and have a 9i in to a pretty simple green. Not knowing how far yours hits it it is hard to say whether he can even make it over the traps. Left is dead.
6) Gotta hit the fairway here. Left is a bunker and right there is a space in this big area that sits low, but usually if you find that you have to go around one decent size tree that is in your way. Don't short side this green to the right. If the pin is back, make sure you carry it there...thre are a couple of ridges in middle of green if I rememeber you need to get over.
7) Again, not sure if this hole is reachable in 2 for your son. If not, then set yourself up for the 3rd shot - they key to this hole is pin placement. Front location is easy. If they put the pin in the middle of the green - STAY SHORT of it...do not go past. If the pin is in the back, note where you need to land the ball...if you land on large downslopes in middle of green, the ball will bound long. If pin is back you must carry ti there. So, depending on the pin, figure out what kind of shot you want to have. This green is a pretty tricky one, so spend some time here.
8) Left is dead. If pin is in the back, and you land middle of the green, it will just sit and not chase back to hole. The slope of the green and the angle of the ball coming in doesn't lend itself to any roll. Again - don't short side. There is a hump middle left in green that if pin is back, you don't want to have to putt over.
9) Sigh. Safe shot is a 4-5i to the fairway. Pin position dictates what I do here. Only if pin is back right do I go with Driver, and when I do, I just bomb it down there, with the room to the left of green as my target. It's open, but rough so you are risking things on the lie you get. If I happen to hop it on great, if not, I get to chip up across the green, uphill and over a bunker to the back right pin, so it is a lower risk up and down. You don't want this shot if pin is back left or front, IMHO unless you have hands of a hemorrhoid surgeon. Approach is a little more downhill than you think so don't go long of green.
Last tournament I played there I took driver, put it down the left past the last tree, but landed on about a 2'x2' space of hard pan. undercut the chip - it flies into the face of the bunker, and the ball entering the sand caused all the sand above it (on the upslope) to come sliding down OVER the ball and covering it completely. Unplayable lie, bunker shot got on the green and rolled back to front edge, which I then drained about a 40 footer for bogey. Fun times.
I'll be back for back nine after I actually get some work done today.
When is the tournament? I may want to go watch some future players.
Grey Rock is not a tough course. If conditions are calm it is easy to score. My last round there I shot a 76 with a double and a triple and several lip outs. My handicap at the time was a 7.3 but I was just getting back into the game. Currently playing to a 3.8.
You don't need driver off the tee if you're got a little bit of distance. 3-wood and 4irons can get you home.
I'll pull my course notes and post them here later.
Grey Rock is not a tough course. If conditions are calm it is easy to score. My last round there I shot a 76 with a double and a triple and several lip outs. My handicap at the time was a 7.3 but I was just getting back into the game. Currently playing to a 3.8.
You don't need driver off the tee if you're got a little bit of distance. 3-wood and 4irons can get you home.
I'll pull my course notes and post them here later.
back nine:
10) IMHO, this is the hardest tee shot in Austin. I don't know why that is for me, but it just is. You'll want to stay left side of fairway and take something that will get you over the hump in the fairway without going too long. Right is total jail. The green used to be - not sure about now - about 3x firmer than any other green on the course and as a result, any ball landing on back half of green wouldn't hold. That may have changed or if you have soft conditions this might not be an issue. It's a tough second shot from anywhere but the fairway for this reason. Back pin is a sucker pin. Go middle of green and take a two putt.
11) I have only played this hole twice with the newly rebuilt green. As such, the tee shot is the only thing I can comment on. Over the corner or just right of it is fine.
12) Cut the corner a bit if you can. Anything left you will have a longer shot into the green. Not much to this second shot. If the pin is back right - carry it to the back ledge or you will come back and have a long putt.
13) I think they have redone the green complex, so I am not sure specifics. Not much room for error from what I remember, but it is an 8 or 9i I think.
14) Two really long shots to get home in 2. Hit the fat part of the fairway and then on your second shot, hug the left half of the fairway as it all slopes away from you and to the right...and it will roll, so plan accordingly to setup your 3rd. Not much to it after that. On a side note, I watched a Canadian Tour event in I think 2000 or 2001 here and Hank Kuenhe went Driver-6i into this hole if you can believe it.
15) I don't really see the point in trying to drive this green. There is only one spot to miss it if you do, and even then it takes a near perfect drive. Also depends on the pin position. I prefer a 4i-5i layup. Front pin position, if you are confident - go for it, but you will be left with a tricky up and down.
16) great par 3. Right is wet. Miss it long or short. Tee box is usually blocked by the wind, so figure out the wind when on the 15th tee.
17) I think they moved the tee box awhile back, ubt typically this was the most open tee shot out there. Bomb it up and around the corner as best as you can. tiered green with a small pot bunker right in front, so you have to carry it on, or attempt to run it on through a little area left of it. If the pin is anywhere on left side of green, recommend bombing it up there left of green - there are some mounds and a bit of fairway/mown area that you can chip from. If the pin is right, this chip is harder. If pin is front, I wouldn't try to get a long iron of fwy wood close. Lay back and hit your 3rd with some spin to where you can control it.
18) fwy wood to < 150 to give you a decent shot in. Not much to the second shot - just carry it to where you need it and dont go right.
10) IMHO, this is the hardest tee shot in Austin. I don't know why that is for me, but it just is. You'll want to stay left side of fairway and take something that will get you over the hump in the fairway without going too long. Right is total jail. The green used to be - not sure about now - about 3x firmer than any other green on the course and as a result, any ball landing on back half of green wouldn't hold. That may have changed or if you have soft conditions this might not be an issue. It's a tough second shot from anywhere but the fairway for this reason. Back pin is a sucker pin. Go middle of green and take a two putt.
11) I have only played this hole twice with the newly rebuilt green. As such, the tee shot is the only thing I can comment on. Over the corner or just right of it is fine.
12) Cut the corner a bit if you can. Anything left you will have a longer shot into the green. Not much to this second shot. If the pin is back right - carry it to the back ledge or you will come back and have a long putt.
13) I think they have redone the green complex, so I am not sure specifics. Not much room for error from what I remember, but it is an 8 or 9i I think.
14) Two really long shots to get home in 2. Hit the fat part of the fairway and then on your second shot, hug the left half of the fairway as it all slopes away from you and to the right...and it will roll, so plan accordingly to setup your 3rd. Not much to it after that. On a side note, I watched a Canadian Tour event in I think 2000 or 2001 here and Hank Kuenhe went Driver-6i into this hole if you can believe it.
15) I don't really see the point in trying to drive this green. There is only one spot to miss it if you do, and even then it takes a near perfect drive. Also depends on the pin position. I prefer a 4i-5i layup. Front pin position, if you are confident - go for it, but you will be left with a tricky up and down.
16) great par 3. Right is wet. Miss it long or short. Tee box is usually blocked by the wind, so figure out the wind when on the 15th tee.
17) I think they moved the tee box awhile back, ubt typically this was the most open tee shot out there. Bomb it up and around the corner as best as you can. tiered green with a small pot bunker right in front, so you have to carry it on, or attempt to run it on through a little area left of it. If the pin is anywhere on left side of green, recommend bombing it up there left of green - there are some mounds and a bit of fairway/mown area that you can chip from. If the pin is right, this chip is harder. If pin is front, I wouldn't try to get a long iron of fwy wood close. Lay back and hit your 3rd with some spin to where you can control it.
18) fwy wood to < 150 to give you a decent shot in. Not much to the second shot - just carry it to where you need it and dont go right.
Y'all are great. I will pass this along and more if anyone has it.
Buddy used to work there.... There's a member's saying that goes like this... "There's no gravity at grey rock" meaning there's not always a break in a putt
The tournament is on April 27 & 28. He is beside himself. He is just a freshman and won a playoff for the 3rd medalist spot out of our region.
quote:
Buddy used to work there.... There's a member's saying that goes like this... "There's no gravity at grey rock" meaning there's not always a break in a putt
Played there a few times and this is a good saying.
Thank you for all of your advice. He won 3rd place with a 76-74. He's just a freshman and had 3 more years to get the gold.
Funny thing is he lost a playoff for second place on the second playoff hole when a 5 foot putt didn't break. His goal was too 10. Coming home with a medal was icing on the cake.
Funny thing is he lost a playoff for second place on the second playoff hole when a 5 foot putt didn't break. His goal was too 10. Coming home with a medal was icing on the cake.
Congratulations to your son. That's an amazing accomplishment.
Congrats!
aggietony2010
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