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The brave decision is frequently the one where you are right on the edge, yardage-wise, of a particular club's carry distance.....and you go for it.
The prudent decision is facing the same shot, with a slightly "iffy" lie......and you hit the lay up.
Scott Hoch did that one year on Sunday at the Masters....on #15. He was one stroke back, I think with 220-ish yards to carry the water to a front pin. He was right on the edge of his 4-wood carry yardage, from a skinny downhill lie. Hoch, a great wedge player, layed up and failed to make birdie. His caddy even accused him of a wussy decision. So did the TV guys. I thought it was exactly the right decision. He wasn't confident.....so don't make the swing. But he got beat up...because he failed to win.
But remember David Toms laying up with his 2nd shot on #18 on Sunday at the PGA, needing a par to win......on a Par 4! He was right on the edge of his 5-wood carry distance. He basically chipped it down the fairly then he wedged it up to 8 ft, or so...and made the putt to beat Mickelson. Toms was lauded for his "smart" decision.
Was Toms any less "manly" than Hoch? Nah......
But he did win.
If the Seahawks had lost, would the average fan and talking head look at that "non-kick" decision in the same way as they do now?
They should.......
moe