As stated in previous articles, golfers make hundreds of decisions during every round of golf. It does not matter if they intent to make that many decisions, it just happens. In many cases, their choices do not really impact their game all that much. Other ‘intended decisions’ have a direct impact on their scorecard. It is those course management decisions that can make or break your round of golf. There are many different types of decisions and the one I want to focus on is hitting to a distance. This area of most golf games is overlooked because most amateurs try to hit their ball as far as possible as often as possible. I hate to offer tidings of bad news, but this approach to golf is likely costing you many strokes in one round. Fortunately, we can fix that!
When ever you approach a tee box that is longer than a par 3, do you automatically reach for your driver? If you are sitting 250 yards from the green, does a three wood magically appear in your hand? Regardless of the situation, do you find yourself reaching for the club that will go the maximum distance regardless of the hazards around you? If you answer yes to one or all of the questions; we need to talk!
An advanced course management skill is hitting to a specific distance to set up your next shot. We have talked about this, however with some tournaments on my horizon I thought it was a good time to go over this important topic. Hitting to distance is an underrated course management skill in golf. I would consider it a more advanced skill, but that designation is up for discussion.
Before delving further in this important topic, take a look at this short video:
Selecting the proper club to set up your next shot is basically hitting to distance. I use this course management strategy often and it has saved me many strokes over the years. In most cases, I employ hitting to a specific distance when my lie is very poor, I am in a hazard, or I am 250 yards our from the green. I all three of these cases, I look for what would be my best distance to leave for my next shot. If you are wondering, anywhere from 90 to 110 yards is my ideal distance for my approach shot. This distance will vary depending on my round, but it serves as a baseline.
I have hit almost every club in my bag to hit to a specific distance. More often than not, this course management choice was the correct one as I have left the green with no more than a par. By making the proper choice to lay up to a distance, I have created the conditions for success. This type of decision making allows me to shoot in the 70s most of the time. I understand when it is time to press for a lower score and when it best to hit to a safe distance and rely on the rest of my game to keep my score low.
Course management strategies vary from player to player. If you have not employed hitting to a distance out of challenging situations, I recommend you give it some thought. You may find that your avoid a high number by playing the proper shot to a distance you are confident hitting. The choices are yours!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
Well, I gotta admit to making some really bad choices on occasion, but this is one I’m usually pretty good about following. Most of the time at least. Not sure I’d make the same choice as in the video, but it would be a safe choice. My first thought was my 5 hybrid. I can feel very confident I can place the ball in the middle of the fairway from just about any lie with it from the fairway or rough. And any distance inside 100 is just fine. The range out back is 80 and from there in, I’m more than good to go.
No game tonight and I was a little pressed for time so I went out with 3 balls and played 9 holes. I didn’t try to reach any of the par 4’s and instead just tried to match shots as best I could so I’d leave myself three of the same approach shots. Did pretty well at that I’m happy to say. The variations right to left and front to back were pretty good.
And I practiced what I preach and hit three different clubs into the green. On the longest par 4 I’d hit to 70 yards. All three pretty much in a line. I hit sand wedge, gap wedge and nine iron. Got all three to surround the hole about ten feet off the flag. The sand wedge stopped where it landed. Short and right. The gap wedge I sent just a little long landing almost at the hole and went past. And gap wedge landed 5 feet on the green and rolled about 2 feet past the hole on the right.
All gave me decent putts for birdie. I’d avoided the inverted cone shaped mound left of the hole. The misses left and right had some slope to negotiate as well as some grain, but no more than two ball off, and the one that went past was dead straight. I dropped it and only it tonight. The other two were good putts but I learned they weren’t three ball off this time. lol I gave them both too much credit. But I also if not learned, confirmed my green reading hitting from three sides. Same basic distances. Different putts required.
This is the practice that most helps me get better.
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Kevin,
Sounds like an awesome practice session. I like that fact that you are using different clubs for the same distance. It is important to open the availability of different shots in order to be more effective when playing. Again, well done on the practice session.
Cheers Jim
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