Do you GO FOR IT from 200?

[Libre]

WHen I'm at or just inside the 200 yard marker, I ususally go for it with a fairway wood, just in case I happen to hit it, when I might wind up somewhere near the green. Maybe.
It's a very low percentage shot for me.
Of course, I remember the times that I HAVE made it, and that makes me want to try it most of the time.
On the other hand, if I want to learn to play smarter and score better, perhaps I should lay up with an iron or my #4 hybrid, short of the green, and then hit a wedge (a club I'm pretty good with). THen, a 1 putt will still save par or a 2 putt for the bogie. Especially good idea from an iffy lie.
But I let stupid thoughts intrude. I don't want to wuss out, so I go for it. But I often blow the shot. I might hit it on the ground and watch it roll 50 yards. I might make the ball pop up vertically about 2 feet, and then fall back down almost into it's original position. I might hit off the toe and watch it skip over the ground to the right, at almost a 90* angle from my intended line. Or I might pull hook or push slice the ball into jail.
Or, I might hit it squarly and make the green or the fringe. Maybe a 1 in 5 proposition.
From 175 and in, I'll almost always go for it. No point in laying up from there, as it's well within my range. But the 200 marker spooks me.
What's your philosophy from 200?
And, if you don't go for it from 200, what yardage do you feel reasonably comfortable trying for the green?

[warbirdlover]

Always go for it, especially with my hybrid... also have a pretty fair success rate. I'm not afraid of sand traps anymore, I've hit some nice shots from the sand since I've got my Vokey.

[Shea_Butler]

from there i have five iron in... why not

[footballking732]

5 iron for me, but i have absolutely no confidence in my long irons, and i never hit them well...

[MIKE1218]

Sure. Depending on my mood I would hit a really hard 4 iron or punch a 19* hybrid a little.

[Clugnut]

What is the trouble? Water? Sand? Rough? I'll always go from 200. Once its over 220, which is my 19 hybrid, than I start to think.

Example is a par five on my home course. 510 yards, with a creek at 260 from the tee. Then the fairway runs along a lake down the left to the green. I've started hitting three wood to lay-up off the tee, and then hit three wood from 240-255 at the green. But its comfortable, because if I hit it straight, I'm on or over, which is safe. If I lose it right, its in a fairway or greenside bunker which is OK. I play the hole better going for it, even though its risky.

[ezra76]

Yes, I go for it every time. It's not a matter of "going for it" as much as it's just a standard shot with my 21* hybrid. Around 230-235 is when I start thinking about "not going for it". Once I'm reaching the outside of my 5W range I have to take some things into consideration, mainly how far I need to totally fly the shot. A straight run to the green? I'm going for it from any yardage inside 270. I pulled driver off the deck on 18 today. Not that I could reach, it was a 600yd. par 5 but with a good slightly uphill lie and no real trouble... why not?

If the shot is killing your scores, then by all means layup though. You'll get better ballstriking practice/skills by taking a mid and then a short iron or wedge anyway IMO. Work on the fairway woods on the range until you feel more confident you can hit a good shot with them from around 200.

[kwcsports]

It depends on the situation. If I have a terrible lie in the thick rough and it is all carry over water, I may not go. If it is a straight forward 200 I will hit 3 iron or my new favorite 20* hybrid.

[SilverUberXeno]

The situation is certainly important. If you have water, troublesome bunkers, a narrow fairway, trees, whatever, play the safe shot... but otherwise, think about this...

The best way to get it as close to the hole as possible is by trying to get the ball IN the hole. You can say layup, chip, putt on a good day. But there's a real good chance you can hole it in two putts on a good day too, which you'd have the opportunity to do for the same score if you went for it.

I can't think of many times I'm not "going for it". Just happens that I don't have a club I can hit 550 yards

[ezra76]

If I can offer one piece of advice, you've heard it before, don't try to kill the ball. Now I'll explain what they didn't tell you. When you try to "kill" a fairway wood or even a hybrid, there is a very good chance you will get the arms disconnected, lose your spine angle, get off balance and then you are screwed. I hit my fairway woods well and can even hit the driver off the deck with moderated success because I focus on making a smooth connected swing, stay balanced and maintain my spine angle. Only when the club is 100% on plane will I turn it up a little before impact, firing through the ball. It's all about the tempo with those clubs, you have to trust it's going to go 200yds. Don't hit it like you are trying to hit a 7iron 200yds.

[Sandpiper3]

Just a smooth 5 I found out today (flew two greens playing at 185 which I thought was my 5i distance...).

As long as the pin is reachable, its goable

[lamebums]

I always "go for it" from 200 yards. Depending on the situation it can be anywhere between a 3 and a 6 iron. I don't hit many greens from that distance, but I have no problem with missing in a trap. (I'll take the sand trap over being in the trees any day of the week).

The only time I start thinking about laying up is if there's some serious trouble between me and the green (water, trees, or OB) and I'm more than 250 yards away. That's about the limit of my 3 wood. Even if I'm further than that, I might hit 3 wood anyway to shorten the hole as much as possible. Odds are I can get it closer with a 30 yard chip than a 120 yard full wedge shot, anyway.

[FKA19]

smooth 4i from there with a tight little draw

[Rockford35]

I go for it from 275.

R35

[zaphod]

190 to 250 is right in my wheel house 26*,22, 18*, 16* hybrid. Would have to be thick rough not to. Those clubs are high and soft landers. A little like cheating. Saw sssmokin nail one today and stick a hard green with a Nickent hybrid. Thats the Red Zone baby.