Hole Breakdowns  ›  Downhill, Downwind Par 3
Hole breakdown #8

Downhill, Downwind Par 3: Stop Flying the Green

Downhill and downwind stack up fast. The back bunker, not the front, is where this hole bites.

Hole type · Downhill, downwind par 3

“The one you keep airmailing.”

🌬 Helping wind + downhill slope
⛳ Green below you, running away
● Smart target: club down, front-center
✕ Common miss: full number, long into the back bunker
The mistake

Playing the full number downhill and downwind, launching it long into the back bunker or over the green where the up-and-down is hardest.

The math

Downhill plays shorter, and a helping wind flattens flight and adds roll. Combined, that's often one to two clubs less than the raw yardage.

The correct target

Club down, favor the front-center, and let it release. Short of the flag is usually the easier miss on a downhill green.

Strokes saved

≈ 0.3-0.4 strokes per hole by keeping the ball below the hole and on the green.

“Down and downwind: take less and trust it.”

Strokes-saved figures are approximate, based on expected-value (strokes-gained) course management for a mid-handicap golfer (roughly 8-18). These are real ranges, not guarantees.

More hole breakdowns

OB Right? Aim Left and Give Yourself Room The Tucked Pin The Island Green The Long Par 3 The Tight Par 4 Uphill Approach
The rest of the picture

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