While listening to Ian Baker Finch there is a good chance you will hear the phrase redan style fairway or green when he describes a hole. This is a hole in which the fairway slopes down and away often towards the pin location. If you are approaching a redan green you will see that the green slopes down and to the back, likely toward the pin location. If the golf course decides to place the pin on the front of a redan green you should go in and ask for your greens fees back.

Those that have played redan style fairways and greens completely understand the challenge of these types of holes. If you hit the middle of the green with no spin the ball is going to shoot off the back and you will be left with an uphill putt or chip. Fortunately, there are no holes like this on my home course of Hasentree. There are a few downhill redan style fairways that help you get a little more distance if the drive is placed correctly.

If you are coming into a green that slopes from front to back and you are using a short iron it is sometimes best to try a dead hand swing that lands on the very front edge of the green. This means that it will hit the front of the green and roll out to the back. If you have too much spin on the ball it is going to cause a very difficult putt. One of the biggest struggles with these types of greens and fairways is you may not even realize it until you get to the hole and you have a 25 foot putt straight down the hill. Don’t you just love the game of golf?