A Hackers Guide To Royal Ascot - Hole 15 (FJ Patton)

Named after an eminent barrister of his day, this short par five offers the longer hitters a chance to reach in two and set up a good birdie opportunity. This is one of the few holes on the course that perhaps provides the average player a little mental relaxation. As the stroke index of 15 and a distance of 478 yards show, there isn't too much to frighten anyone.

FJ Patton was instrumental in getting golf onto the Ascot Heath and set up the first organised club in January 1887 as plain Ascot Golf Club although there was nothing plain about the club itself. The President was HRH Prince Christian of Shleswig-Holstein who was married to Queen Victoria's third daughter, Princess Helena. The Captain was the Earl of Coventry. Patton himself became the Secretary and at the end of the year wrote to the Home Office on behalf of the club committee "to ask Her Gracious Majesty may be graciously pleased to permit the Club to style itself 'Royal'." Ten days later on 29th December 1887 the reply came. " Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to accede to your request and command that the club shall be called The Royal Ascot Golf Club."

A short par 5 that gives a good opportunity for par or better

The club website describes playing the hole thus:

"A par 5 that dog legs left and is reachable by the longer hitters. Aim your drive towards the oak on the right side of fairway. Keep second shot straight to avoid penal rough to both the left and right of the fairway. A good chance to pick up a shot to par as the green is large and reasonably flat".

What it doesn't mention is the fact that there is a ditch that runs across the fairway except for a tiny sliver of grass, no more than ten yards across, at about the 250 yard mark, which puts it very much in range for the longer hitters. It needs an arrow like shot to ensure the ball runs on to the second part of the fairway and set up an iron into the green.

The large oak on the edge of the fairway is the line

The large oak that is the aiming point of the tee marks the proximity of the ditch. However for most, it isn't an issue off the tee. There is a large bunker on the left edge that can catch an errant drive and if you are going to err, then missing the fairway right is better than left.

As the hole bends, there is a large area of heavy rough, saplings, ferns and general golfing nastiness to contend with. The key is to avoid missing the fairway left off the tee and finding the rough. This brings all the rubbish firmly into play and even with a short or mid iron, if the lie is poor it's 50/50 whether you'll clear the trouble. It takes a par out of the equation. If you go too far right the big oak comes into play and can block the obvious approach. The sensible second shot is to aim at the large bunker some forty yards short of the green, making sure of course to either lay up short or if you are taking the green on, that you have enough firepower to clear it.

Both sides of the fairway has juicy rough which makes finding the green in regulation a lot harder if you don't find the short grass with the second shot. If you are taking the green on, apart from the bunker short, there is a large bunker left and long is dead. Beyond the green there is very long rough, trees and bushes and these are a matter of yards from the back fringe so there really isn't any margin for error.

A welcoming target

A good lay up will leave only a short iron into the green. It's a fairly big target with a step running through the centre of it. It isn't a huge feature but it does make reading the lines and judging the pace that little bit harder.

One of the flatter greens on the course

It is the only hole to date I've managed to eagle after finding the green in two but it has also cost me many shots over the years. It should be an easy hole and I think a lot of golfers, myself included, mentally switch off and make poor swings or lose position. It can be a two shotter but it can also be a struggle as it often plays directly into the wind. It's a well thought out risk and reward hole. If you lay back to take the ditch out of play off the tee, you go in with a longer second shot and can risk being long and in all sorts of grief. If you go for it off the tee it needs to be true but it will leave a mid iron in and make it easier to attack the flag with control.

This is really the last chance to get a shot back. The closing holes are very tough and not for the faint hearted. Enjoy the rest while you can and hopefully you'll walk off with par or better. Then the battle to the finish really begins.