Golf Ball Clip Art

Lay Up From The Danger Zone

Despite their genuine experience and dedication to the game, I’m amazed by some golfers’ naivity when it comes to course management.

Many can strike the ball well off the tee, off the fairway and out of the rough; can play bunker shots with finesse; even shape shots around trees and mounds.

But when it comes to playing a chip 20-40 yards short of the green, they’re terrified they’re going to flub it or thin the ball through the back of the green or into a hazard.

This was the tale of woe I heard the other day from an experienced ten-handicapper, who admitted he’d been playing for 20 years without really grasping the art of course management.

I told him that he shouldn’t really be complaining about leaving himself with awkward chips and pitches in front of the green – he shouldn’t be there in the first place!

Why take the risk of trying to rip a driver to a short par-4 on to or just short of the green, when he could take a more accurate long iron or fairway metal and leave himself a full shot into the green?

Nearly all mid to low handicap golfers can clip a wedge or sand iron on to a green from 90 yards with some degree of consistency. Why leave yourself with a tricky shot when you could ‘lay up’ to leave the shot you’re comfortable with?

My advice is to take the mystery out of golf by keeping clear of that danger zone in front of the green.

While I appreciate we nearly all want to tell our mates how we had the chance to reach certain par-5 holes in two shots or almost drove a dogleg par-4, common sense should be our secret weapon.

Tiger’s ‘stinger’ follow through

Ernie Els and Tiger Woods aren’t just two of the best players in the world because they’re among the longest, straightest hitters. They’re two of the best strategists.

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