Approach Shots

[EnglishGolfer]

I'm having a re-think about the way i approach "approach shots" and was hoping you lot could give me some insight. In the last few years my game has plateaud despite my driving and general ball striking improving and I'm putting it down to the fact that whether I hit into a green with an 8 or 9 iron I end up with the same results as with a about a 5 iron. I rarely trouble the pin (within 10 feet) and often end up going off an edge if the pin is to one side. I therefore rarely make birdies compared to other similarly handicapped golfers but thanks to my chipping I still make lots of pars.

I am not one for playing safe, I always take the tightest line and go for every pin and this is probably a big factor of my downfall. I was wondering what you all generally do when faced with a mid iron from a reasonable lie into an average green. I am thinking about starting to aim for the middle of every green which is a bit duller but the potential benefits are hopefully there. I'll just have to take even tighter lines on my tee shots to get the excitement back .

Oh and I've put an option in there for the hackers amongst us

[Eracer]

I'm having a re-think about the way i approach "approach shots" and was hoping you lot could give me some insight. In the last few years my game has plateaud despite my driving and general ball striking improving and I'm putting it down to the fact that whether I hit into a green with an 8 or 9 iron I end up with the same results as with a about a 5 iron. I rarely trouble the pin (within 10 feet) and often end up going off an edge if the pin is to one side. I therefore rarely make birdies compared to other similarly handicapped golfers but thanks to my chipping I still make lots of pars.

I am not one for playing safe, I always take the tightest line and go for every pin and this is probably a big factor of my downfall. I was wondering what you all generally do when faced with a mid iron from a reasonable lie into an average green. I am thinking about starting to aim for the middle of every green which is a bit duller but the potential benefits are hopefully there. I'll just have to take even tighter lines on my tee shots to get the excitement back .

Oh and I've put an option in there for the hackers amongst us

I normally aim for a spot close to the flag, but away from trouble. If there is a water hazard to the left, and the pin is on the right, I will aim just left of the flag. I know that I'm not always (usually? sometimes?) very accurate. So I aim away from the worst trouble. I also think it's important to aim for a precise spot, and not a big target like "the green", or a big part of the green. All tasks that are target-related, like basketball, baseball, shooting, etc., require focus on a very specific target. The pitcher looks at the catcher's glove. The basketball player looks at the back of the rim, the shooter looks at the 10-ring. Golf is no different, except that the target is a long way off.

I know that common wisdom says to ignore trouble ("don't focus on what you don't want to hit") but I think you have to integrate that information into your decision of what target you choose to focus on.

[DouginGA]

Thats a very interesting question, EG. And does make me think. As I am not the golfer you are (would guess I am about a 17 or 18 hdcp shoot high 80's low 90's) I doubt my response is relevant.
But the bottom line is - it depends . Assume that the situation is about 150 out and a decent lie, in the fairway. Where is the sand?, the water? The pin? I try to play smart, not that I succeed. ( I usually just suck ).
Two holes at my usual course come to mind, the 7th and the 18th. The 7th is downhill, the fairway and green sloping hard left to right, go over or right and you end up in real trash. So I usually aim short, left and with a less lofted club to let the ball roll on, with a little effort to end up in the general area of the hole, but content to be on and hoping to be putting for birdie.
The 18th is well elevated green with a good slope behind acting as a backstop, and no major problems if you do go long, except having a real downhill putt. I almost always take a higher lofted club and try to stick the pin. If i end up short at least I have an uphill putt.

[EnglishGolfer]

As I am not the golfer you are (would guess I am about a 17 or 18 hdcp shoot high 80's low 90's) I doubt my response is relevant.

Don't put yourself down Doug.................................... there are plenty of people here who wil do that for you

I will be drawing my conclusion from all levels of players e.g if someone is off 28 and has been for a while and keeps going for pins then I will factor that in. There are some people who are off a higher handicap purely because they don't hit so far and struggle to get to greens in regulation but they still might hit decent approach shots to save them a few shots.

[Pa Jayhawk]

I chose the option just don't lose the damn ball because it most closely reflects my thought. Not losing it to strokes. I go for the pin if there is no chance of serious consequence, regardless on whether I think I can hit it close from there. If there is a big downside where I do not feel I could get up and down if I miss or would take a penalty, I simply try to aim for the best option on the green without consequence, not necessarily the center because it would usually be well protected as well. From inside 120 yards I will always aim at the pin.

[ualtim]

I tend to shoot for pins (particulary to to keep the approach shot pin high) as long as there is a reasonable amount of room for error. If there is not at least a 20 to 30 foot circle of safety around the pin, I will play to the safer side of the pin. As most courses set up for amateurs do not usually put the pins in difficult locations, I get to shoot for the pin an aweful lot. If the pins were set up like at Colonial on Sunday, I would be playing a lot more shots to the safe part of the green.

[Highdraw34]

I am definitely a pin seeker. I play that way because it is safe for me. I am a horrible horrible horrible horrible putter on most days. I save 90% of the time from sand or green side trouble however. I would rather be off and close than on and putting from over 30 feet.

So if I fire at the flag I'm either going to be on for a birdie putt or off for an up and down. If I fire at the center of the green and have a long putt I'm going to make bogey 5-10 times, I need to learn how to putt.

[Matthew_22]

I am a 22 handicapper, and I guess I aim for the middle of the green.
I do try to get it close to the pin, but really, I'm just happy to get the ball on the green.

I guess by aiming for the exact middle, then if I have a bit more room for error in all directions.

[dave.]

No answer for me,I choose each shot on risk,some pins,some middles

[IrishGolfer]

No answer for me,I choose each shot on risk,some pins,some middles

Good point Dave.
It really depends on conditions (wind, ground, lie) situation and most importantly confidence and ho well you ware swinging that day. To take a dangerous pin on every time is just stupid if eve one of the above factors are against you. At the same time if you are playing well there is a risk reward element to taking on a pin.

I go for Option D. It depends on the situation.

[EnglishGolfer]

I go for Option D. It depends on the situation.

You're not getting off that easy, I did mention in my opening thread "mid-iron shot off reasonable lie to an average green" pretty much suggesting that there is no real trouble around. But it's my own fault for not being specific. Therefore assume the folowing:

You have a 7 iron to go
It's a flat fairway lie
No bunkers, trees or water within shanking range
No wind
Pin is central on the green
You're using a Tit' ProV1
You're in a generally good mood
You're having a good hair day
and you are wearing your comfiest socks

[EnglishGolfer]

[quote=Highdraw34] I would rather be off and close than on and putting from over 30 feet. quote]

We are indeed a rare breed it would seem mate. If I could get away with it I would chip long putts on the green (Calcavechia style for the over 25's here) as I almost guarantee myself an up and down doing a chip and run. What makes me sigh a bit is when people insist on using a putter from off the green when they have rough to go through and undulations to deal with. I've even seen someone try to putt through a bunker rather than chip over it!!

[DouginGA]

[quote=EnglishGolfer]

I've even seen someone try to putt through a bunker rather than chip over it!!

You were at sunrise gc on sunday?? That was me!! Well actually I didnt putt thru the bunker, just out of it.
and why not? they have just refilled the bunkers a few weeks ago, it had rained saturday night, so the sand was firm, there was no lip. You could barely see a foot print when you stepped in the bunker, the ball was sitting way up. putted out no problem, think I left 10' to the hole. cant remember if i went par or not but am sure it was no worse than bogey. anyone else ever putt out of a bunker?

[Big Brother Dunk]

I agree that it depends on the situation. Nonetheless, I selected "middle of the green". I think the average golfer is more likely to save himself strokes if he plays for the middle of the green.

In fact, I read of a study where, as an experiment, a course had no flagsticks on the greens for that day. The average scores were lower that day than when flagsticks were in place simply because people were shooting for the middle of the green.

Going for the flag is for low 'cappers.

[David B]

What makes me sigh a bit is when people insist on using a putter from off the green when they have rough to go through and undulations to deal with. I've even seen someone try to putt through a bunker rather than chip over it!!

Isn't that type of shot called a 'Texas Wedge'?
I'd much rather hit a wedge shot than use a putter in those situations too... I find that even when I'm playing video golf *cough* I prefer the bump n' run shots to long putts of the same yardage... and actually my accuracy is a lot better on those shots.

I voted for 'not losing the damn ball', because currently that's my primary objective.