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At what distance do you lay up?

Handicap - 9, so that chart says 200yds is a toss-up for me

To me, the distance is not the issue when you get out to 200yds+ but more a couple of other factors

1 - What hazards surround the green
2 - What is the lie of the ball like
3 - What is the wind doing
4 - How well am I controlling the ball on that particular day/hole

If I have a terrible lie and am 200yds out, I am likely not going for the green unless there is no danger, but at the same time if I have 220yds with a good lie and no hazards around the green then I will still have a go at it
 
I don't layup, but my strategy changes depending on distance. With a PW or less in hand I aim at the pin most of the time. With a 7-9 iron I aim at the center of the green. With a 6 iron and up I aim away from the trouble and try to hit it hard as that seems to make the ball go the straightest IMO.
 
The ONLY time I layup is if there is a hazard in the way or I am blocked out by a tree or something. Otherwise is all systems go always
 
As is usually the case, one blanket statement doesn't fit all.... not all HC groups, not all golfers, not all greens.

It makes for a good discussion, but I'd love to have the folks who come up with this stuff caddie for me and show me how I can drop strokes by making different decisions.
 
This is such a subjective question bc no two golfers are the same.

For me it’s anything over 230 I’m laying up. 220-225 is my max where I feel comfortable going for it.
 
For me it’s less about distance, much more about what the course is, or isn’t, giving me on the next shot.
 
Stemmy66 said:
I can't reach the green if its anything over 225-230 so that is the layup point for me..... Not saying I'm hitting the green at that distance, but I'm hitting the club that gets me that distance unless there is water or significant hazard.
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Was just about to post basically this exact thing. Well said sir!
 
240ish or more I'll lay up to 60-80 yard range. If there is a hazard worse than bunkers I'd lay up if it's over 200.

I'm OK if I get it a few yards off the green or back to half wedge distance 40-50 yards. I'm not good at the 1/4 wedge shot of 25-35 yards.
 
I'm a go at the green kind of guy. Like there needs to be some serious hazards around the green to make me not want to go at it. If I'm like 270 out then yeah I will likely layup, but 180 is in the heart of my iron set.
 
Strictly hole situational for me. Max safe carry is 185 over hazards. Obviously not a long hitter.


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Conservative but not unreasonable. Even among better players hitting a green from 200 yards is lower probability. Hitting near the green is not always better than hitting to a distance and spot with a good approach.

We are going to see many, many more analytics based recommendations like this. Data science has invaded golf.
 
Yeah I don’t really agree with that chart at all. There’s so much more to going for a yardage than just a number. What color hazards are there in the way if I miss. Especially the type of Miss I have with that said club. And having players who shoot almost 90-100 laying up at 140 to 160 is kind of ridiculous. At that point them laying up I guarantee you can go just as badly as going forward.

I mean they’re short games are typically very very bad. They chunk a lot of wedges or they thin a lot of wedges. Plus from 140 to 160 what are you having them lay up to? 100, 60, 115? All those distances are going to be just as problematic as that 140 to 160 shot
 
mtcowdog said:
Conservative but not unreasonable. Even among better players hitting a green from 200 yards is lower probability. Hitting near the green is not always better than hitting to a distance and spot with a good approach.

We are going to see many, many more analytics based recommendations like this. Data science has invaded golf.
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I mean I feel like we’ve seen plenty of data about this type of stuff. Most the data says the closer you are the better score you’ll make on average versus laying up to a specific number. Now obviously that doesn’t take an account again what type of green complex it is/hazards in the way, but in general I will hit it as far as I can to a safe spot instead of just laying out to a number.
 
Really strange how the past day or two my posts have been doubled inside of itself. Sorry for the confusion.
 
that chart is ridiculously stupid. Firstly, many amateurs dont even posses a 200 or more yrd shot from the fw to begin with. So its not laying up via a choice but only via there is no choice.

Secondly, its much more about scenarios. The stance , the lie, the weather, the obstacles, the layout, etc....

is someone who shoots 95 (like me) going to intentionally layup from 170 yrds which is like a 7 or 6iron depending on weather and elevation? I mean if I have to intentionally lay up lay up from a 7 or 6 iron approach, what would I use shorter and lay up to? Would i hit a sw and lay up to 80 or 90 yrds? this whole thing is the dumbest chart ive ever seen. At some point you have to play the game for what it is. I believe in smart choices and safer choices when it comes to managing for more consistent scores and minimizing blowups. But we have to play the game for what it is. Even our longest capable shots need to be attempted when the situation presents little to minimal or no risk. At some point, once avidly participating what good is playing the game if we are not going to play it for what it is. I mean we fail to execute so be it but thats just the breaks. laying up due to risk and troubles with lies , stances, obstacles, and layouts, and even inability to hit longest clubs unless perfect conditions, etc.. is one thing. But laying up for no other reason other than for the sake of it just becomes more a detriment than a help. Imo we have to play the game at some point. If not then may as well play only par 3 courses.
 
assuming there's no trouble around the green, 220ish is the cutoff for me.

i'm hoping this number goes up in 2020 now that i've added to my arsenal.
 
Zero trouble around the green:
220 plus---layup to 100
200-215--smooth 3h as close as I can get
under 200 going for green
Trouble around green of forced carry:
200 plus---layup
under 200 going for green
 
For the simple answer, that's not far of for me; 215-220 is when I start to think of laying up.
 
For me it depends on if there is any trouble. I am a decent golfer and hit my 3W straight but not super long (215). I am good from within 60 yards including green side bunkers so I would generally prefer to be close to the green.
 
There is too much that is scenario based to answer this question. Are there hazards, what is the risk reward ratio etc. i would say anything under 250 is a pretty automatic go. Past that, I think about it.
 
Barring over circumstances, around 230 I start really thinking I'm not getting there unless I'm really feeling a fairway wood off the deck.
 
PapaJohick said:
I mean I feel like we’ve seen plenty of data about this type of stuff. Most the data says the closer you are the better score you’ll make on average versus laying up to a specific number. Now obviously that doesn’t take an account again what type of green complex it is/hazards in the way, but in general I will hit it as far as I can to a safe spot instead of just laying out to a number.
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I don't know what this is based on, so maybe it is way off. Definitely course, player, and lie dependent. My home course is setup such that 10-15 yard misses with an approach to a green can end up in a world of hurt. I've also seen quite a few low cap golfers who don't hit driver much further than 200 yards. I additionally think about fairway versus rough. I've played some courses where I could only get about 80% distance at best from the rough with a good lie. That changes the equation, and how many golfers are always in the fairway. (edit: I know the chart says from fairway, but I'm taking this more generally). Anecdotally I can see how this is a reasonable starting point to consider. For my own game I plan to play a bit with when I go for it or when I lay up. I want to learn how to score better and my game management is not my strength.
 
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Well, I end up usually laying up, but not intentionally. I just hit it short of where I'm aiming. Now, I will intentionally lay up to avoid water, or some other non-savable hazard.
 
I thought more about this and I am just not sure laying up would make a huge difference for my score. Say I am, as the chart suggests, 180 yards out and layup. Therefore, I hit my PW to be about 60-80 out. I don't think I am guaranteed to hit the green with my SW/LW. If I were to hit say a 7i (one of my better clubs) or 8i. I would be about 40-55 yards out and now I am in-between a full club and a chip shot. That could cause a huge issue if I don't hit the correct shot.
 
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