The Virtue of Shotmaking

Rory McIlroy could envision the shot.

It was daunting, sure. 207 yards to the flag. Around pine trees. Over one of golf's most famous water hazards. To a 15th green the size of a dining room table. With 20 million people watching at home and the career Grand Slam at stake.

Yikes.

But McIlroy could imagine the required shot for one important reason. Short grass. His ball sat cleanly in the fairway. And great golfers, with the fortune of short grass, always have a chance.

The result was spectacular. Heroic. A shot we'll see in Masters highlights forever. McIlroy roped a 7-iron around the trees and over the pond, to 6 feet.

The moment illustrated the virtue of shotmaking — and the value of fairway width. On many major-championship courses, McIlroy's drive would have found gnarly rough and necessitated a layup. But the 15th fairway at Augusta National, even at its narrowest point, is almost 40 yards wide. That's a six-lane interstate for the world's best players.

Of course, not every course is Augusta National. For decades in the late 20th century, new courses around the country emulated U.S. Open venues. Designers laid out holes like two-lane highways. Tree-lined fairways squeezed tightly by bluegrass. Corridors were neat, orderly and arguably claustrophobic.

But since 2000, the pendulum has swung back toward playability. Golf course architects have embraced broader fairways. It not only adds strategy, it speeds up play by reducing lost balls and bad lies.

You'll see the modern philosophy on display at Mapletøn Golf Club.

Scott Hoffman's design gives golfers the best of both worlds. 1) Plenty of room off the tee to let it fly. 2) A substantial reward for length and precision. It still matters where you drive the ball.

Take, for example, the par-4 first with a fairway 50-60 yards wide. To receive the best angle and view of the green, a tee shot should hug the right side and challenge the fairway bunker. There's plenty of room left but it leaves a partially blind approach.

Almost every hole offers similar strategic advantages. A wayward tee shot at Mapletøn won't normally produce a penalty shot, it just makes the approach much tougher. Call it deferred punishment.

Mapletøn's fourth hole, a wonderful short par-4, presents a variation. The fairway is almost 80 yards wide, but pin position dictates strategy. If the flag on the slippery tabletop green is behind the front-left bunker, you should drive it down the right side for a good angle. One problem there: you'll need to hit wedge over a scary, sprawling waste bunker. If the pin is right, better to aim down the left side … if you don't mind carrying a diagonal fairway bunker. Always a choice to make.

Sometimes the proper shot at Mapletøn isn't only about direction, but trajectory. A low draw might access a speed slot that propels the ball 50 yards forward, while a high fade might leave a longer approach. In every case, the golfer on the tee box is wise to think ahead of time — make a game plan.

It's worth noting that broad, firm fairways aren't conducive to every course. They require excellent agronomy, rolling topography and dynamic greens. But when it works, golfers get a second-shot course that dramatically enhances the possibilities. And the fun.

You won't always hit the heroic approach shot. But like Rory McIlroy, at least you'll stand in the fairway with a chance.