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Play This Shot - Par 4

Man I wouldn't agree that it's easier to avoid a miss with a full swing at all. That's just me though.
 
Hawk said:
Man I wouldn't agree that it's easier to avoid a miss with a full swing at all. That's just me though.
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Same for me. I suck, so the shorter the shot the better for me.
 
I think, like the first reply says, it depends on a bunch of factors - some hole-related, others golfer-related. If the FW is tight at the driver yardage - a 50-60 yard shot from the rough is going to be harder to get close then a longer shot from the FW - especially if the green/pin doesn't lend itself to the ball skipping and running. Even from the FW, if the green/pin is tight it may depend on what wedges you carry and what your favorite yardage is. On the flip side I think a lot of folks will do best, on average, by getting as close to the green as possible. Shorter shots always look easier. :)
 
dhill said:
Here's the situation. You step up to a par four.
If you pull driver you leave yourself 40-60 yards to the green.

What do you do? Pull driver or take another club to leave yourself a full club distance in? If you pull another club what is your ideal distance you want to lay up to?

Are you comfortable enough with the short game to be happy with the shorter distance?
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Considering my average drive is around 250 I'm going to guess this hole would be around 300 yards for me in this scenario. If it was wide open I'd hit driver (comfortable with my short game), if it was narrow I'd go 3 iron and leave around 100 yards in.
 
I would use driver for sure. For some strange reason it is more consistent than my 3 wood right now.
 
Would depend on trouble at 90yds and green entrance and layout.

If nothing in front of green I would prob bomb a driver to leave a simple easy chip n run.

If pin hiding behind bunker then would hit 3w or rescue to leave 90yds in so I can generate full spin and know it will land within 2yds of said distance.
 
My ball striking isn't what you'd call stellar, but neither is my short game, so neither way offers an advantage for me.

I have equal opportunity to make par or double bogey from either 50 or 120 yards.
 
I think the key for me is to pick a shot and commit to it, that being said I would probably lay up to between 90 and 120 yards.
 
I hit a 3w instead of driver which would leave my about 90 yards which is a perfect 58 for me
 
I will likely pull my 3w or 3h, whatever leaves me 95 yards to the pin, as that's my perfect 60* club. Otherwise, I'll take a iron off the tee and leave a nice PW into the green.

Dan
 
No guts no glory. Driver wedge tap in birdie. I'm out
 
The old Cory would have hit driver and figured it out when I found it. My best yardage is 90-100 yards. That is where I am learning to lay up to and score from there. I will put a 95 yard shot inside 10 feet way more often than a 50 yarder unless I am playing 3 or more times a week and get better feel working.
 
I prefer to be as close to the green as possible, I feel comfortable with my half wedges so I like my chances from there.
 
i'm just as comfortable standing on the tee with driver or 3W when it comes to accuracy, but planning this hole would all depend on trouble of the approach shot. if there's lots of room to run it up from the front, driver all day. if i need a higher flighted option, better to lay it back. a 40-50 yard pitch with zero trouble in front i'll take that any day.
 
Driver, half swing 59* wedge and go for my birdie.
 
In this scenario I'll typically lay back to 100-115. If I can get I inside of 30 yards off the tee, I'll hit the driver most times. That 40-60 range is a dead zone for me.
 
We have a hole like this at my course. When the tees are up you can hit the green with driver so I always go for it, but when back or into the wind gonna come up short no matter how good a drive (unless can drive 300+). There are trees left and a marshy hazard right (pitch out trees, but hazard you can hit out of over half the time I'd guesstimate), but when going at the green it would have to be 15-20° left or right to get in trouble. So similar situation.

On my course it's the 15th hole, so no matter what, if I'm hitting my driver well I'll hit it (I'm of the closer-is-always-better clan). If not, or if this was a hole early enough to be unsure, I'd likely hit a 5w just to be in play and have a nearly sure thing at a GIR.
 
Up until two weeks ago, I pull driver without hesitation. Due to my recent mental block with it though, now I'm hitting fairway wood.

And I agree that it's just as easy to miss the green from 100 yards with a full swing than it is from 50 yards with a half swing, count me in the group that finds the full swing the more comfortable of the two.
 
Clemenza said:
Up until two weeks ago, I pull driver without hesitation. Due to my recent mental block with it though, now I'm hitting fairway wood.

And I agree that it's just as easy to miss the green from 100 yards with a full swing than it is from 50 yards with a half swing, count me in the group that finds the full swing the more comfortable of the two.
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Unless I have to carry bad trouble, I always prefer closer because it gives me more options. I can flop it, hit a low checker, hit it normal, or if bored I can even putt with an 8 iron (I'm actually quite good at that, I've a lot of practice from under trees unfortunately).
 
I love the little 50 to 60 yard shot assuming I have an opening to the green. Sets up nice for a punched 50 degree wedge. This is my favorite shot.
 
My 3W is for reaching on a par 5 or for drives with hazards around 275ish. Everything else is driver. If I'm going to lay up on this short par 4, which is rare, it's because I need to be in the fairway within 150 yrds from the pin (money on the line). Usually a 5i will do the trick.
 
I'm pulling driver, I can hit a full or 3/4 lw from 60-40 yards and have much less chance of being offline compared to a longer iron or wedge. I also have been very straight with driver lately.
 
Way I'm hitting driver right now, I hit whatever leaves me ~100-125 in. Been playing this way more lately and it has helped lower my scores.
 
As most have stated already, I try and leave myself 100-120 yrds in, depending on the layout of the hole.
 
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