Instruction
Four keys to make you a smarter golfer
Are you a smart golfer? Or do you regularly toss away unnecessary strokes due to mental mistakes?
Working with golfers at all levels on the mental/emotional game and having spent the better part of my entire life around the game, the things I’ve seen very smart people do on the golf course really leaves me scratching my head sometimes.
You don’t necessarily need to practice for hours and hours to lower your scores; all it takes is smarter thinking and preparing with a purpose.
What Most Golfers Do
Let’s start with an example:
A few months ago I was standing on the first tee at an event greeting players. Some arrived from the parking lot after racing across town to make their tee time, while others arrived after a brief stint on the practice tee.
The first hole was a slightly elevated par-4 about 410 yards, straight away with water down the right side. The hole opened up on the left — a wide fairway, a generous cut of rough and then trees about 30 yards beyond. On that day there was a slight cross-wind blowing from left to right.
As the players pulled up to the tee, about 95 percent of them pulled the driver from their bag without considering the shape of the hole, hazards or wind. Almost all walked up on the tee, aimed down the middle, and watched as the ball sailed into the water on the right. Every second player watched their ball start in the fairway or right-center, spin right and splash!
It was bewildering to see the look of surprise on their faces afterwards. What were they expecting? About 80 percent of golfers slice the ball for various reasons, yet none of these players considered aiming away from trouble and avoiding the hazard, even with wind blowing towards the water on the right.
Yes, mistakes were made during the swings, but these penalty strokes could have been saved even before stepping on the tee.
Are You a Smart Player?
My job is to essentially help performers/athletes get out of their own way. There are so many things that keep athletes from maximizing their performance, but the most common is just plain lack of thought.
Questions to ask yourself:
Do you properly prepare to play? Are you aware of your strengths and limitations? Do you play the course like a chess match, strategically placing your ball around the course?
Or, do you fall into the same traps that the players in the example above fall into — little to no warm-up, not paying attention to what the course gives you and not playing to your strengths? Do you makes mistakes that could have easily been avoided? Do you play some good holes but also have “too many” disaster holes?
A Few Ideas to Help You Play Smart
Here are a few simple ways — some factors you can directly control — to smarten up and immediately lower your scores.
1. Prepare yourself to play! Most players just do not allow for adequate warm-up time — a key part to allowing yourself to play to your strengths. Pay attention to your warm-up and get a sense for the flight of the ball — it will enable you to know “what you’ve got” that day. Also, standing on the first tee with the right club in your hand and thinking strategically can help build positive momentum for the remainder of your round.
2. Have a plan on how to play each hole. Evaluate each hole by first having a general focus of the entire hole including all trouble spots. Error away from trouble, then narrow your focus of the hole on a specific target area and hit the shot there. Remember that each hole is a chess game vs. the architect’s design, and you must know how to position your strength against the hole’s limitations.
3. Start slow and build. Stick your toe in to test the water early in the round and focus on keeping the ball in play. Hit the club that makes you feel most comfortable, allowing the nerves to settle and dissolve over the first few holes. Many players ignite the nerves by playing well beyond their capabilities very early in rounds. This approach puts players on the emotional roller coaster early in the round and it can be difficult to overcome.
4. Develop a “stock shot.” Every player will feel uncomfortable on certain holes in a round. What may be a comfortable-looking hole for me might be very uncomfortable for you. You should develop a shot you can trust to keep in play. It doesn’t matter what the shot looks like as long as it produces the result. Smart players acknowledge when things aren’t quite right and have a “go-to” shot when things get uncomfortable. This helps to eliminate big numbers on holes that just don’t fit your eye.
While there are many things you can’t control in the game of golf, being prepared and being smart are factors you can control. Many players like Jim Furyk have had great careers and made tremendous livings in the game of golf maximizing their abilities by having a plan and playing smart.
Use your head and see your scores drop!
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Rich Tarbert
Jul 13, 2015 at 12:24 pm
I am a multi-sport athlete. Grew up playing organized baseball and football, wrestled with friends for fun but never on a team, played pick up basketball wherever we could find a hoop, played softball, etc. I started playing golf, taking it seriously in my 40’s. I have never really had a great expectation to take my game anywhere other than having fun with my son or my friends. That being said, as a competitive athlete, the spirit of competition drives me to get better. Many instructors talk about different things, mental approach, swing speeds, technical thoughts, flow swings, tempo, and so on. In the end like every other sport it truly comes down to what I refer to as “Being Brilliant with the Basics”. I have a Marine friend of mine, who said this one day, and it took me by surprise not from him, but the profound meaning it conveys. If we stop, think, and get out of our own egotistical way for a few minutes a day, we can all become better golfers, ballers, fisherman, etc. Why is this? Because there are fundamentals in every aspect of life. It si when those fundamentals get of whack that we find ourselves in struggle. I learn this in golf by watching my son play High School Golf. I taught him the fundamentals as I learn from reading books, watching DVD’s, watching the pro instruction online, on TV, etc. I have taken him to several different PGA pro’s trying to find the right one that he relates to best, so he can work with them to take him to the next level. In those meetings, every one of the PGA Certified Pro’s has commented on the soundness of his fundamentals. All of them have only made very minor adjustments, and all said it wasn’t from what he was taught to do or could do, it was from him not executing his fundamentals on each and every shot consistently and as perfectly as he possible could. So I asked what can be some causes? They all have said, he has to learn to get out of his own way, put his ego down, and execute his fundamentals that you and he have worked out. They have compared his swing to the likes of Adam Scott, Jason Day, etc. Even the pro’s hit bad shots. So what is it that really makes us screw up on the first tee, shank a wedge when you have a prefect distance to dead center green with the pin just to the right and what should be an easy birdie? Execution of the fundamentals! To all on this post, there is no other way. You have to go to the range and do your technical work, get those fundamentals down for each club, then go play nine holes. If you execute your fundamentals on each and every shot and you know you carry distances, you will play better golf, lower your handicap, have more fun, and so on. That is a guarantee. How do I know? I started out as a 26 handicap, bought set of fitted clubs, had no clue what a good solid golf swing was, so I hit the range day in and day out sometimes two times a day. Along my way, people would stop by and say you are doing this and that. So I would try it. Never worked, I got mad and almost quit! But again, I am a athlete, now a retired US Marine of 27.5 years, and I will be damned if I am going to let something beat me! So, I talked to the pro’s. I did not have money for lessons, so I read, watched, tried, tweaked, etc. to teach myself. So in a mini tournament one of the club pro’s the one who fit my game improvement clubs, stood on the first tee with me, told me to swing at 60% off the first tee, mind my fundamentals, and pipe it down the middle. I asked why 60%? He said, take you shot, then I’ll tell you, but only if you pipe it down the middle. So, I take my shot, it was a beautiful baby draw! He looked at me and said “That is a great start to your good day!” So, I asked him why 60%? He said, he has watched all the better players tee off, most of them missed the first fairway, because they were thinking winning prize money and gifts, closest to the pins, etc.. I wanted you to think fairways and greens by executing your fundamentals, and at the end of the day, when you turn in your scorecard, I will be there to tell you the rest. So, off I went a 26 handicap, I hit more fairways that day, and a few more GIR’s, but most importantly I stayed out of trouble, I was in roughs and a few bunkers, but not like normal. I played an 87 that day. My score ever to that point. At the end of the day, back at the cookout, the Pro started calling out winners names, the last was the overall winner, my name had not been called, but I was a 26 handicap, so I had no expectations, then he called my name. I couldn’t believe it. I was shocked. I went up collected my prize check, and gift for being the worst best golfer that day! I did not understand the handicapping at that point, and when he explained it to me, he said “Now you know why I told you to execute your fundamentals on each and every shot. You will only get better from here, but only if you execute your fundamentals, don’t try to over power the course, the ball, the clubs, swing for the fences, etc., swing within yourself to your capability, take or two more clubs if you have to, but swing in rythmn and tempo, with a clear mind on each shot, remembering every shot has a purpose! For a while I did get better, then it fell apart, why? Because I wasn’t executing my fundamentals. Now that I am back and playing pick up games again, I am getting better, and shooting better scores! I only hit driver on 3 or 4 holes per round, because I play to my strengths and to what I can do, not what I want to do. It takes discipline to watch your buddies pull driver and be in the rough 50 – 60 yards ahead of you, but knowing that I am splitting fairways with irons, with better second or approach shots, makes this game worth playing again. My fairways hit percentage has increased immensely, my GIR’s has increased significantly as well, which means my putting is getting better, which leads to lower scores and more FUN!!! Unless it is a Par 4 of more than 480 yards, I don’t hit 3W, or Driver. I may use a hybrid of 5W periodically but only if I am feeling it! If not, I go to 3 – 4 iron. No matter what I always play the hole from center green back to tee. I want all of my approach shots to be within 150 yards, this is my comfort zone with 7, 8, 9, PW, 51 or 56 degree wedge. So along with my discipline to take the right club off the tee and before I strike that first shot, I have analyzed the hole, and while I don’t focus on where trouble is, I am aware of it, and I look at my yardages to center fairway and center green. I hit the ball fairly straight with a butter fade or baby draw. so on a 488 yard par 4, I subtract 150 leaving me with 338 yards. I don’t drive the ball with driver that far so I break that down, I take a look at the first sign of trouble, I stay clear of that trying to remain dead center fairway. Once that is accomplished usually around the 200 yard mark, I then break down the distance of the second shot, so in this case I am 200 off the tee, so lying 288 to the center of the green, I know I want to be within 150 of the green, I can’t fly it 288 and stick it, so play to a 100 yards or so, plus or minus roll, usually with a 6 -7 iron, if that works out for me, then I know I have a wedge in, and now I focus on 2-3 feet from the pin and mostly underneath the hole. I am seeing more Par’s when more birdie opportunities. Birdies are usually longer putts, and I am working on that and short game more and more now. BE BRILLIANT WITH YOUR BASICS!! Play better golf!!
Mark
May 28, 2015 at 7:46 pm
I’ve been playing this game for 50 years. Seen many different swings and played with golfers of all abilities. Some have been professionals or top amateurs others were weekend hackers.
This much I know. 95% of all poorly executed shots, regardless of ability, are caused by a basic error in grip, stance, posture or alignment, resulting in an inability to maintain core stability and the correct release of the club head through the back of the ball, perpendicular to the intended line of flight.
As a result, balls all too often land a long way from the desired position from which to play the next shot. Only ‘scratch’ golfers come close to executing the strategy you recommend. Playing smart for Mr Average involves trying to create often impossibly ambitious recovery shots to get the ball back in play.
Good article but a ‘go to’ shot would be redundant if we all concentrated on mastering the fundamentals.
John Haime
May 29, 2015 at 9:07 am
Thanks so much for the comments Mark – good insights.
Completely agree that golf is a game of fundamentals and having good fundamentals is the foundation of a good game. I also believe knowing your own strengths is key notwithstanding good fundamentals. Don’t forget the aspect of preparation mentioned in the article. This is also a key – but very poorly done by almost all golfers – especially higher handicaps.
Please note that those impossibly ambitious recovery shots often compound the problem and further elevate the numbers on the card. Playing smart is not hitting shots you have not practiced or shots beyond your capabilties.
Thanks again for a good contribution to the conversation!
Stay tuned for more in the coming months to address other challenges.
Peter
May 28, 2015 at 6:31 pm
A good piece of advice I was told by Nick Faldo is; “make an aggressive swing to a conservative target” this applies for every shot either from the tee / approach or wherever. Most golfers get into trouble doing exactly the opposite, they pick an aggressive target (for their ability) and as a result end up making a very conservative swing.
John Haime
May 28, 2015 at 9:57 pm
Great addition to the comments Peter – completely agree. It really is about commitment to an appropriate target. I think some players think that consideration of hazards and penalties is negative – but it is the smart way to play to consider the course’s strengths and limitations, your strengths and limitations … and then match them up.
Thanks for sharing,
Andrew
May 27, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Great insight John. For players just starting to play the game, a 10 handicap, or a tour pro, this article applies to them. In regards to #4, it’s hard to forget how many majors for which Tiger’s go-to shot played a crucial role. The “stinger” will live forever in my book and be somewhat of my go-to shot as well. Tiger has seemingly been as errant as anyone with the driver (with an exception being 1999-2000), even more evidence to mimic such tactics. Although Tiger was able to play the stinger with multiple clubs, it’s not something I would advise to the average golf who doesn’t practice/play 8 hours a day to mimic.
Bacon
May 26, 2015 at 3:58 pm
I’m a 11 handicap who fully understands what this article is about. However, after reading the first 3 paragraphs I couldn’t help but get past the following:
1. I’m supposed to play my miss, but do I swing expecting to hit the miss or expecting to hit a good shot? Most holes that I play I would have to aim into the trees on the right in order to keep my miss in the fairway, but if I hit it the way I plan to I’d then be in the right trees. The idea is good if you have a gaping fairway w/ very little trouble on either side.
2. I can throttle back on the club off the tee, knowing I will still have a manageable second shot distance. Inevitably, whenever I do this my “safe” tee shot is now a chunked 3W/hybrid/iron (regardless of what club it is). So I’m screwed anyway.
Adam
May 27, 2015 at 9:22 am
Bang on!
I can’t tell you how many times I made the smart decision only to shank the shot or put an uncharacteristic flight into a hazard.
Sometimes approaching a shot in Hero-mode actually makes me execute a better, more confident stroke instead of the usually “too-easy”and safe shot which is less natural and is accompanied by doubt and expectations of trouble.
Daniel
May 27, 2015 at 9:40 am
I’ve had this problem to in the past. I found that what I was doing was choosing the smart play and then making a tentative swing that tried to guide the ball into the fairway. As you can guess that formula produced some awful shots and lots of frustration. What I have done to lessen the problem is to pick the smart play just like before and then make sure to take a normal aggressive swing. The main thing is to not be tentative.
John Haime
May 27, 2015 at 2:01 pm
Hey Adam – thanks for the comment!
I think that it’s important to note, as mentioned in the article, that there is an initial macro focus to have a realistic view of the hole and where the trouble is. After all, considering trouble is not negative – it’s smart! Once you have done that you can narrow your focus (more positive). Taking an initial “wide” look limits big mistakes by widening your margin for error. As you know golf is a game of mistakes so awareness around this is important.
I think the “hero” mentality may work periodically – but will also put big numbers on your scorecard! Keep in mind there are times in a round where paying attention to the “yellow” light is key to making a score.
Happy that the article made you think about it – hope to help more in the coming months.
The best to you.
John Haime
May 26, 2015 at 3:07 pm
Great comment Scooter – thanks!
Yes, important to gauge and play within your own abilities. If most golfers could play smarter and eliminate penalty shots – especially early in the round – many shots would be saved.
Greg V
May 26, 2015 at 2:56 pm
Talk about playing smart? On par three’s, club yourself to the back of the green, especially if there is trouble in front and not in the back.
I used to work at a golf course re-seeding the tees on par 3’s in the afternoon when my main responsibilities were over. Most everyone came up short. I can’t remember anyone coming up over the green. And that goes for everyone that I play with, as well.
other paul
May 26, 2015 at 2:31 pm
I just played my best round ever by aiming for 100 yard markers off the tee. Almost holes out twice from the fairway. Started hitting my sand wedge really nice and getting them close. Worked great.
Mike Gomez
May 26, 2015 at 1:46 pm
@Mike. The problem is the people on the first didn’t even bother to aim left and play the slice. Therefore they likely double or trippled the hole when they could have easily walked away with par if they simply thought about hole before going yak yak yak to their buddies and swinging away.
Mike
May 26, 2015 at 11:51 am
Would’t the “stock shot” idea only be applicable to better players? I’m a 5 handicap and don’t have a “stock shot” and I know most if all higher handicaps certainly do not hit the ball with any consistency to be able to hit that “stock shot”.
In addition to this, what do you do if you are a short hitter on that 410yd par 4 or don’t hit your 3 wood any straighter than you do your driver? Do you knock it all the way down to a 180yd 5i off the tee with 230yds left and play it as a par 5?
Not a criticism of the article, but questions to better understand your logic.
Adam
May 26, 2015 at 12:32 pm
I’m a 13 handicap and last season I started the year by practicing a stock shot. I stopped swinging aggressively while trying to aim straight. I spent a few sessions on the range just working on hitting a fade at about 75%. for me this meant I would align myself to my target and hit a shot that intentionally started in the direction of the left rough and then curved back to the middle. This meant if I did miss, then I’d either pull it but likely still be in play, but more often my miss would fade too much but I’d be safely on the right side of the fairway at about 240 yards. If everything went perfectly I would be in the center of the fairway at about 250 yards.
This is significantly shorter than my potential distance, but it led me to 65% fairways and 90% playable second shots.
Granted I did spend this past off-season straying from this “safety”shot because I wanted the extra 40 yards that I get with a baby draw, but it should be noted even though I now average 285 yards from the tee, my fairways hit have decreased to 50% and my playable 2nd shot is around 85%.
So the stock shot is possible, and very likely the better approach. If only I could fully suppress the ego!
Adam
May 26, 2015 at 12:43 pm
I would also note that the majority of bad decisions I make in a round aren’t from the tee, but more times it’s going into hero mode from the rough or on approaches on par 5s. I probably give away up to 5 strokes a round by not talking myself down from unnecessary risks.
Scooter McGavin
May 26, 2015 at 1:51 pm
I think what you just said about using an iron could still be viable for a number of players. If they can at least keep their irons straight and get to the green in 3, they will be hitting their 3rd from 50 yards out and at least still have a chance for par, and an even easier chance at bogey. Compare that scenario to slicing into the water and having to drop and hit your 3rd shot from 150-200 yards away. Most high handicappers are then going to make 6 or worse. You have to take into consideration whom this approach is geared toward. Sure, a really good golfer may be aiming for birdies and so this wouldn’t be the best method, but a 15 hcp would usually be pretty happy with a par or bogey on the first hole. And also remember that it is only being suggested for the first few holes, so the player gets comfortable. Just my $.02.
Mike
May 26, 2015 at 3:15 pm
I’m going to play my home course tomorrow and every hole I’m even remotely scared of being in my pocket for my second shot I’m going to hit a 5i or 6i off the tee and see how it turns out. My guess is that the 180-200yd tee shots will probably put my second shot in jeopardy or I’ll have to make a decision to play to a par 4 in 3 shots, BUT I want to see how it will turn out.
John Haime
May 26, 2015 at 3:14 pm
Hi Mike,
Certainly well within the capabilities of a 5 handicap to develop a stock shot. It might be with a hybrid or a club you are comfortable with.
Alot of the article is about understanding what you do well, what your limitations are and making sure you are playing that chess match with the course – and winning the match! Playing within your capabilities and not wasting shots! If you are a very good wedge player – a 5 iron on the hole might be the play. If you aren’t, consider what might be a play for you where you can use your strengths.
If you feel uncomfortable on a hole – do what it takes to keep the ball in play and always play to strengths.
Great comment – thanks!
Alex
May 26, 2015 at 4:15 pm
My handicap’s 4 and I do have a go to swing or shot so I guess you’ve got the skill to develop one. My go-to shot’s a 3/4 swing that hits a lowish baby draw. I usually take 1 or 2 more clubs and go for it when I’m out of sync or try to get out of a mess. The go-to is a real life-saver during the round. Go get yours.
John Haime
May 27, 2015 at 8:41 am
Great example Alex – everyone must find their own stock shot that they can trust when needed. Sounds like you’ve found yours.
Thanks for the comment!