Many people play golf by hitting the ball, finding it, and figuring out what to do next. They make golf a “this shot” game. Golf is better played by thinking about the shot after this one.
An easy example to make this clear is the second shot on a par-5 hole. You can either hit the ball as far as you can to get on the green with whatever is left over, or you can figure out what shot you want to hit into the green, then play your second shot to set up that one.
The general rule is to play this shot so as to make the next shot as easy and productive as possible.
Showing posts with label strategy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label strategy. Show all posts
Monday, March 13, 2017
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Arrive
To have a chance at a par, your shot into the green has to get there. It has to arrive. Where it’s appropriate, for shots you intend to hit the green, be they approaches from the fairway or pitches from closer in, play to hit the ball past the pin. This is the scoring zone.
Most greens are deeper than you think. If you think you have a 6-iron to the pin, hit the 5. That choice guarantees you will fly the hazards around the green, which are usually in front. It allows for your average shot to get to the pin, rather than depending on your best shot. Taking the longer club corrects the tendency to under-club.
There are some greens that are so steep from back to front that hitting the ball past the hole is the last thing you want to do. Play to the pin and if you end up short, that’s all to the good.
But most of the time, don’t worry about being long. Unless you know the pin is way in the back, there’s lots of room behind it. Arrive.
Most greens are deeper than you think. If you think you have a 6-iron to the pin, hit the 5. That choice guarantees you will fly the hazards around the green, which are usually in front. It allows for your average shot to get to the pin, rather than depending on your best shot. Taking the longer club corrects the tendency to under-club.
There are some greens that are so steep from back to front that hitting the ball past the hole is the last thing you want to do. Play to the pin and if you end up short, that’s all to the good.
But most of the time, don’t worry about being long. Unless you know the pin is way in the back, there’s lots of room behind it. Arrive.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
How to Play Par 5s
The par 5s on your course are the holes where you can get your pars more easily than the rest. Think of them as really long par 4s that you are playing for bogey, and you have the idea.
As with a par-4 hole, the key to the par 5 is the second shot, an advancement shot which sets you up for an easy shot onto the green. Of course, your drive has to put the ball in the right spot for that second shot.
A long hole does not automatically mean a long drive is needed. I did a survey once of the par-5 holes on eight courses I normally play. The average length was 485 yards, from the white tees. The longest was 525, the shortest was 460.
Let’s go with the average, 485 yards. Say you can get 200 yards out of a hybrid iron. Tee off with it. You don’t have to hit that short off the tee, we’re just seeing what happens if you do.
That third shot into the green needs to be a gimmee. The right second shot is how you get it.
You have two shots left to cover 285 yards. Divide by two, and that’s about two 7-irons. Or you could cover the same distance with a 5-iron and a pitching wedge.
Not bad. So let’s go back and tee off with a driver. That puts the ball in the fairway at 230 or so. Now you have two 8-irons to get the ball on the green. See how this works?
There’s no need to be a manly man when you’re 240 yards away from the hole by going for it all at once unless you are VERY good from that distance.
Of course you want to get as close to the green as you can for your third shot, but the number one priority is to hit the second shot, the advancement shot, with a club you handle well.
On your third shot, resist temptation to go for the flag even if you’re close to to the green. Just get the ball on the green inside 40 feet or so, and there’s your par. That’s a big target that I’m sure you can hit. You’re likely to get closer than 40 feet, too.
The idea of a par 5 is not to be concerned about distance. They give you an extra shot to get the ball on the green, so use it. Wisely.
Get the ball in the fairway off the tee, keep the ball on the fairway with your second, and just get it on the green with your third.
As with a par-4 hole, the key to the par 5 is the second shot, an advancement shot which sets you up for an easy shot onto the green. Of course, your drive has to put the ball in the right spot for that second shot.
A long hole does not automatically mean a long drive is needed. I did a survey once of the par-5 holes on eight courses I normally play. The average length was 485 yards, from the white tees. The longest was 525, the shortest was 460.
Let’s go with the average, 485 yards. Say you can get 200 yards out of a hybrid iron. Tee off with it. You don’t have to hit that short off the tee, we’re just seeing what happens if you do.
That third shot into the green needs to be a gimmee. The right second shot is how you get it.
You have two shots left to cover 285 yards. Divide by two, and that’s about two 7-irons. Or you could cover the same distance with a 5-iron and a pitching wedge.
Not bad. So let’s go back and tee off with a driver. That puts the ball in the fairway at 230 or so. Now you have two 8-irons to get the ball on the green. See how this works?
There’s no need to be a manly man when you’re 240 yards away from the hole by going for it all at once unless you are VERY good from that distance.
Of course you want to get as close to the green as you can for your third shot, but the number one priority is to hit the second shot, the advancement shot, with a club you handle well.
On your third shot, resist temptation to go for the flag even if you’re close to to the green. Just get the ball on the green inside 40 feet or so, and there’s your par. That’s a big target that I’m sure you can hit. You’re likely to get closer than 40 feet, too.
The idea of a par 5 is not to be concerned about distance. They give you an extra shot to get the ball on the green, so use it. Wisely.
Get the ball in the fairway off the tee, keep the ball on the fairway with your second, and just get it on the green with your third.
Monday, May 9, 2016
How to Play Par 4s
A standard golf course has ten par 4 holes. They’re hard. Even the pros average a touch over par on them in aggregate. The key is the second shot, but the first and third shot are right behind in importance.
The tee shot needs to be in the fairway. Colin Montgomery said, “The reason people think I’m such a good iron player is that I’m always playing my second shot from here (pointing to the fairway) instead of from over there (pointing to the rough).”
If the rough is low, if fairways bunkers have shallow lips, if there are no trees to hit into, you still have a chance if your ball ends up in one of those places.
Best, though, to play for the fairway. That might mean leaving your driver in the bag occasionally. Something to consider.
The key, now, is the second shot. The big mistake is hitting short of the green. You either overestimate your how far you can hit a club, or you have the right club but don’t make good contact.
Start out choosing your club based on the distance to the pin. Then take one more club (say, a 6-iron instead of a 7-iron), and grip down about an inch. Put a normal swing on the ball.
A good shot will get you past the pin (always good), and if you don’t quite get all of the shot, you’ll be short of the pin, but still on the green.
In addition, most of the trouble around the green is in front, and you’ll be hitting over it.
When selecting your club, do not forget to consider other factors such as differences in elevation between you and the green, wind, dampness in the air, your lie, and how you’re hitting the ball today.
If you got green-high in two, odds are your third shot won’t be that close to the hole, so you’ll have a longish chip or approach putt left.
This is where chipping practice and long approach putt practice (30-40 feet) comes in. You have to get the ball to three feet or less with your third.
Having gone through all that, the advice that puts it all together is to plan the hole backwards, from green to tee.
If you know the course well, you should know where in the fairway you want to hit into the green from. Now you know where in the fairway you want to put your tee shot.
Finally, some par 4s are just to hard for you. Play those as a short par 5 to keep the double off your card.
The tee shot needs to be in the fairway. Colin Montgomery said, “The reason people think I’m such a good iron player is that I’m always playing my second shot from here (pointing to the fairway) instead of from over there (pointing to the rough).”
If the rough is low, if fairways bunkers have shallow lips, if there are no trees to hit into, you still have a chance if your ball ends up in one of those places.
Best, though, to play for the fairway. That might mean leaving your driver in the bag occasionally. Something to consider.
The key, now, is the second shot. The big mistake is hitting short of the green. You either overestimate your how far you can hit a club, or you have the right club but don’t make good contact.
Start out choosing your club based on the distance to the pin. Then take one more club (say, a 6-iron instead of a 7-iron), and grip down about an inch. Put a normal swing on the ball.
A good shot will get you past the pin (always good), and if you don’t quite get all of the shot, you’ll be short of the pin, but still on the green.
In addition, most of the trouble around the green is in front, and you’ll be hitting over it.
When selecting your club, do not forget to consider other factors such as differences in elevation between you and the green, wind, dampness in the air, your lie, and how you’re hitting the ball today.
If you got green-high in two, odds are your third shot won’t be that close to the hole, so you’ll have a longish chip or approach putt left.
This is where chipping practice and long approach putt practice (30-40 feet) comes in. You have to get the ball to three feet or less with your third.
Having gone through all that, the advice that puts it all together is to plan the hole backwards, from green to tee.
If you know the course well, you should know where in the fairway you want to hit into the green from. Now you know where in the fairway you want to put your tee shot.
Finally, some par 4s are just to hard for you. Play those as a short par 5 to keep the double off your card.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
How to Play Par 3s
Par 3s are golf without the driver. As from the fairway, the key to a good score is choosing the right club to hit off the tee.
That means, first of all, you have the right club in your bag. I have room in my bag for either a 21-degree or a 19-degree hybrid. I look at the scorecard of the course I'm going to play and take along the one that suits the longest par 3 best.
Base your club selection on the listed yardage plus seven yards. That's the yardage to play the hole at regardless of where the pin is, unless it's a deep green. Say it's a 148-yard hole. Your 150-yard club will be short. Take one more club to get hole high.
Tee up the ball. Never hit it off the ground. The height of the tee should be no more than a half inch. Less than that is better. All you're trying to do is give yourself a good lie.
The green on some par-3 holes is surrounded by hazards - mounds, bunkers, high grass. Most of that will be in front of the hole or to the side. Forget the pin. Take enough club to land the ball on the green beyond the trouble.
Unless you hit the ball pretty straight, consider deliberately playing short and chipping on if it takes more than 5-iron to reach the green. Such a long par 3 is more likely to be a bogey hole than a par hole, and laying up like this could keep a double bogey off your card.
If the green you're hitting into has no safe place to bail out to, hit a knockdown shot. Take one more club, and swing it back three-quarters. Think of keeping the clubhead low on the follow-through and continuing straight toward the target after contact. Finish with your hands in front of you.
If there is water in front of the green, find out exactly how long that carry is and take TWO more clubs from there. Grip down halfway and swing normally.
When you miss the green, think carefully about the chip. Start by finding a spot to chip to from where you can easily two-putt, and zero in from there.
Final thought: the night before you play, spend some time with a pencil and paper and practice writing 2s. Nice, clear, florid 2s. This is mojo that will pay off the next day.
That means, first of all, you have the right club in your bag. I have room in my bag for either a 21-degree or a 19-degree hybrid. I look at the scorecard of the course I'm going to play and take along the one that suits the longest par 3 best.
Base your club selection on the listed yardage plus seven yards. That's the yardage to play the hole at regardless of where the pin is, unless it's a deep green. Say it's a 148-yard hole. Your 150-yard club will be short. Take one more club to get hole high.
Tee up the ball. Never hit it off the ground. The height of the tee should be no more than a half inch. Less than that is better. All you're trying to do is give yourself a good lie.
The green on some par-3 holes is surrounded by hazards - mounds, bunkers, high grass. Most of that will be in front of the hole or to the side. Forget the pin. Take enough club to land the ball on the green beyond the trouble.
Unless you hit the ball pretty straight, consider deliberately playing short and chipping on if it takes more than 5-iron to reach the green. Such a long par 3 is more likely to be a bogey hole than a par hole, and laying up like this could keep a double bogey off your card.
If the green you're hitting into has no safe place to bail out to, hit a knockdown shot. Take one more club, and swing it back three-quarters. Think of keeping the clubhead low on the follow-through and continuing straight toward the target after contact. Finish with your hands in front of you.
If there is water in front of the green, find out exactly how long that carry is and take TWO more clubs from there. Grip down halfway and swing normally.
When you miss the green, think carefully about the chip. Start by finding a spot to chip to from where you can easily two-putt, and zero in from there.
Final thought: the night before you play, spend some time with a pencil and paper and practice writing 2s. Nice, clear, florid 2s. This is mojo that will pay off the next day.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Three Plans For Playing Golf
I want to ask you to try three different ways of playing golf. They come from a book titled, Golf Is a Very Simple Game, by Jonathan Fine.
The book is a summary of the teachings of the golf teacher Francisco Lopez. I recommend this book to you, and its companion volume, What’s This Got to Do With Golf?
You are going to make three plans for playing a round of golf on a course you know well.
There is likely to be a map of the course on the scorecard. Make three blown-up copies of this map to twice its size on the scorecard.
You can make marks on the maps to show where you would want to play the ball, and which clubs you would use.
1. On one map, make a plan to get onto every green in regulation.
2. On the second map, make a plan to stay in the fairway at all times, and out of rough, bunkers, trees, water, and what have you.
3. On the third map, make a plan to get on the green in one shot over regulation on every hole. No GIRs allowed!
After you have done that, play one round with each plan, following it strictly.
As Fine says, “See what happens.”
The book is a summary of the teachings of the golf teacher Francisco Lopez. I recommend this book to you, and its companion volume, What’s This Got to Do With Golf?
You are going to make three plans for playing a round of golf on a course you know well.
There is likely to be a map of the course on the scorecard. Make three blown-up copies of this map to twice its size on the scorecard.
You can make marks on the maps to show where you would want to play the ball, and which clubs you would use.
1. On one map, make a plan to get onto every green in regulation.
2. On the second map, make a plan to stay in the fairway at all times, and out of rough, bunkers, trees, water, and what have you.
3. On the third map, make a plan to get on the green in one shot over regulation on every hole. No GIRs allowed!
After you have done that, play one round with each plan, following it strictly.
As Fine says, “See what happens.”
Monday, October 20, 2014
How to Play a New Golf Course
Many golfers shoot about four or five strokes above their usual score when the play a golf course for the first time. If you pay attention to a few details, that doesn't have to happen.
When you're in the clubhouse paying your green fees, ask about these things:
- how fast are the greens? Are they faster than the practice green?
- are there elevated tees on any par 3s? If so, how much more club should you use?
- for big hitters: are there any par 5s that you should not try to reach in two?
- are there any greens that have big trouble if you shoot over them?
- are there any greens that are sloped so much that you do not ever want to be above the hole?
- are there any water hazards that cross the fairway and can be reached from the tee?
This is a lot to ask, but if you ask succinctly and listen to the answer instead of getting into a conversation, the staff won't mind helping you.
Get a scorecard and read the local rules. Ask about anything that isn't clear to you.
In general, tee off to the center of the fairway. Aiming for the 150-yard pole, if there is one, is seldom a bad idea.
When hitting into the green, aim for the center. Aim for the pin only if the approach is wide open and there is little or no trouble if you miss the green on that side.
Chipping can be different from course to course. There can be light rough around the green, heavy rough, or no rough.
The only way to solve these problems is to be prepared for them. Learn how to chip out of varying thicknesses of rough. Learn how to use your putter from off the green.
Learn how to chip up to a raised green when your ball is on an upslope to the putting surface.
Play from the right set of tees! If you can't reach half the par 4s with a 6-iron or less, those tees are to long for you.
If you know you will play this course again, make a note of what clubs you used on each tee and a note of the one you would use, if different, when you play the course again.
When you get to your tee ball, go over the spot you now see to be the best landing area for an approach to the green. Look back the tee, then turn right around and find an aiming marker for this area.
Make any other notes about where to hit, or where not to hit, the ball on any particular hole.
Play conservative golf. Play our own game and see what happens. It will likely be good enough.
When you're in the clubhouse paying your green fees, ask about these things:
- how fast are the greens? Are they faster than the practice green?
- are there elevated tees on any par 3s? If so, how much more club should you use?
- for big hitters: are there any par 5s that you should not try to reach in two?
- are there any greens that have big trouble if you shoot over them?
- are there any greens that are sloped so much that you do not ever want to be above the hole?
- are there any water hazards that cross the fairway and can be reached from the tee?
This is a lot to ask, but if you ask succinctly and listen to the answer instead of getting into a conversation, the staff won't mind helping you.
Get a scorecard and read the local rules. Ask about anything that isn't clear to you.
In general, tee off to the center of the fairway. Aiming for the 150-yard pole, if there is one, is seldom a bad idea.
When hitting into the green, aim for the center. Aim for the pin only if the approach is wide open and there is little or no trouble if you miss the green on that side.
Chipping can be different from course to course. There can be light rough around the green, heavy rough, or no rough.
The only way to solve these problems is to be prepared for them. Learn how to chip out of varying thicknesses of rough. Learn how to use your putter from off the green.
Learn how to chip up to a raised green when your ball is on an upslope to the putting surface.
Play from the right set of tees! If you can't reach half the par 4s with a 6-iron or less, those tees are to long for you.
If you know you will play this course again, make a note of what clubs you used on each tee and a note of the one you would use, if different, when you play the course again.
When you get to your tee ball, go over the spot you now see to be the best landing area for an approach to the green. Look back the tee, then turn right around and find an aiming marker for this area.
Make any other notes about where to hit, or where not to hit, the ball on any particular hole.
Play conservative golf. Play our own game and see what happens. It will likely be good enough.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Attack the pin
To revolutionize your scoring without changing your technique on bit, attack the pin. By that I mean to hit the ball from the fairway to hole-high or beyond.
First of all, trouble around the green is usually in front. By having enough club to get to the flag, you'll take all that out of play. A longer shot that is lightly off-line does not get penalized as harshly as a shorter one.
Second, the only way you can get the ball in the hole is to get the ball to the hole. Do I expect you to start sinking 5-irons from the fairway? No. But I do expect you to open up the possibility, and leave yourself with a makable birdie putt when you don't.
Even when you're pitching or chipping, get the ball up to the hole and past it. A chip that stops three feet short is nowhere near as good as one that went three feet past. The second one might have gone in.
One of the problems with the strategy is that it doesn't look, from the fairway, like there is that much room behind the pin to miss long. There is, but the low angle of view you have foreshortens the green, making the pin look closer to the back than it really is.
Play to the pin and don't worry about what you see.
If you carry the ball over the green every so often, so what? There aren't any lions lurking back there to devour you. Just chip on a start putting. Besides, if you do fly the green, you were probably shooting at a pin that was in back anyway, meaning you have a short chip and a good chance for an up-and-down.
How do you do this? From the fairway, figure your distance to the pin and add three yards. Then pick your club. That's not a big adjustment, but it is enough to set your mind past your target. Too often, if we think about hitting a target, we end up short of it.
Visit www.therecreationalgolfer.com
First of all, trouble around the green is usually in front. By having enough club to get to the flag, you'll take all that out of play. A longer shot that is lightly off-line does not get penalized as harshly as a shorter one.
Second, the only way you can get the ball in the hole is to get the ball to the hole. Do I expect you to start sinking 5-irons from the fairway? No. But I do expect you to open up the possibility, and leave yourself with a makable birdie putt when you don't.
Even when you're pitching or chipping, get the ball up to the hole and past it. A chip that stops three feet short is nowhere near as good as one that went three feet past. The second one might have gone in.
One of the problems with the strategy is that it doesn't look, from the fairway, like there is that much room behind the pin to miss long. There is, but the low angle of view you have foreshortens the green, making the pin look closer to the back than it really is.
Play to the pin and don't worry about what you see.
If you carry the ball over the green every so often, so what? There aren't any lions lurking back there to devour you. Just chip on a start putting. Besides, if you do fly the green, you were probably shooting at a pin that was in back anyway, meaning you have a short chip and a good chance for an up-and-down.
How do you do this? From the fairway, figure your distance to the pin and add three yards. Then pick your club. That's not a big adjustment, but it is enough to set your mind past your target. Too often, if we think about hitting a target, we end up short of it.
Visit www.therecreationalgolfer.com
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