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Do You Play Smart Golf?

One of the areas we were specifically speaking about was taking less off the tee to avoid a narrowing fairway or bunkers. Punching out vs trying the hero shot. Playing to the right area of greens rather than pin hunting each hole.

I will take less off the tee but not to avoid trouble but to leave myself a full shot into a short par 4. I definitely have learned that I can best avoid big numbers by punching out as opposed to trying the hero shot and often find that I am actually able to save par doing so! I tend to aim for pins but will opt for the safe distance beyond the pin if there is trouble short or play short of the pin if it is in the back and at an odd distance for my gapping.
 
Tried playing smart golf but dumb golf seems to suit me better
 
Favre all day. When I lay up, I usually end up shanking it anyways, so why not go for it?
 
I try to play smart. Rarely I'll try to play the hero shot, and when I end up with a triple bogey (or worse) I go back to being smarter. You get funny looks when you lay up to "reachable" green on a par 4. In my mind when the tee shot is not good I've already conceded bogey and play for that and try to stop the bleeding.
 
I used to try and impose driver - wedge on every hole I could but I've since started to play smarter. I will typically play to the fats of the fairways and choose a club that eliminates any hazards at all.
 
Badger_Golfer said:
Favre all day. When I lay up, I usually end up shanking it anyways, so why not go for it?
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And there lies a valid point. Although less likely, I can easily make a bollocks out of a 100yd shot as I can a 240yd shot.

I feel much better about making treble with a silly shot than I do playing sensibly.
 
I try to play "smart" golf. I haven't gone for a par 5 in two in years, and try to leave myself between 90-110 yards for my third, even though I could easily get closer and have to hit a partial wedge. I don't try hero shots, and usually play safe, defensive golf.
 
I generally play smart golf - today the only dumb thing I did was take driver on a hole where i shouldn’t have it worked out for me
 
I'd like to think I play the smart play. Played a course last Thursday that I'd only played twice so far. Both other times, one of the par 5's was a pain. The first time, I scored a 12 (I think... maybe 13... lost 2-3 balls). The second time, I think I took a 9. Don't think I lost any balls the 2nd time, but I got into the trees on the right side and even trying to play the smarter shot, I still couldn't make it out soon enough to salvage a decent score. Last Thursday, I took 2h off the tee, hit my 2nd with a 4h to ~50 yards of the green. Pitched up for a GIR and 2 putted for an easy par. Should have played it that way the other two times.

I routinely take less than driver off the tee. Unless a par 4 is over 380 or under 300, I don't even really contemplate hitting driver. I've even hit 3wd on par 4's up to 420 if the conditions dictate. As for par 5's, if it's under 500, then I might hit driver to try to reach in two and if it's over 550 or so, I might hit driver off the tee to give me a better shot of getting in good position for the 3rd shot, but in that 500-550 range (which is where many of the par 5's I play fall), I have no qualms hitting 3wd off the tee because I'm gonna be long enough to probably have a wedge or short iron in hand into the green and I'm not going to reach in two anyway without a great drive.

EDIT: Obviously, course layout and really good lines will change that if the stars align right. Yesterday, I played this "564 yard par 5" by going for the green in two because although it played 564 around the fairway, it was probably closer to 464 in a straight line. If there hadn't been a 15mph wind or so, I would have been on the green after the 2nd.
 

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Depends on how my round is going. If it is going well I play with thought about shots and where I want the ball to end up. If it goes south it’s Ricky Bobby time. But for the most part I try to play with some thought about percentages and risk/reward.
 
No, No I don't … :banghead:
 
Aggressive in casual rounds and more conservative in competitive rounds.
 
... After hanging around about a 10 for several years I saw Anika Sorenstam have a decent opening between some trees, but she punched out to the fairway, hit a wedge close and saved par. After the round they asked her why she didn't go for the shot between the trees and she said she had about a 60% chance of pulling the shot off and hitting the green. She does not attempt a shot unless she thinks she can hit it successfully 8 out of 10 shots. If the best player in the world at that time didn't try an iffy shot, why should I? It was a real turning point for my course management.
 
JB said:
Its a question that came up this morning about whether or not you play Brett Favre style or Alex Smith style (for NFL fans). What we were talking about is course management vs playing your game regardless. One of the areas we were specifically speaking about was taking less off the tee to avoid a narrowing fairway or bunkers. Punching out vs trying the hero shot. Playing to the right area of greens rather than pin hunting each hole.

What say you THPers?
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What's "smart" golf? Layups are for basketball, go for it every time. Of course, that could be why I don't score better.. LoL
 
JB said:
Its a question that came up this morning about whether or not you play Brett Favre style or Alex Smith style (for NFL fans). What we were talking about is course management vs playing your game regardless. One of the areas we were specifically speaking about was taking less off the tee to avoid a narrowing fairway or bunkers. Punching out vs trying the hero shot. Playing to the right area of greens rather than pin hunting each hole.

What say you THPers?
Click to expand...

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. Off the tee I usually do, especially at my home course. Over the last few weeks I've been messing around with iron/UT/hybrid/3w off the tee to support accuracy rather than bomb and gouge, which leaves me in a great way most of the time. As my course is basically a second shot setup, it forces me to hit a few different distances into the green but nothing that is not manageable. Hardest thing for me is playing away from the pin. I struggle a lot with the idea of not being able to execute a shot regardless of where the pin is.

All this makes me want to do is get something tracking, like Arccos, to support my ideas.
 
I’ve tried to play smarter this year and my scores are improving. All of the common sense stuff, and a couple that are probably less common like chipiping/pitching away from the pin to guarantee a one chip/pitch, or learning to create a variety of shots around the green with 1 club versus trying to hit different style shots with different clubs.
 
Canadan said:
I've been thinking a lot about this lately. Off the tee I usually do, especially at my home course. Over the last few weeks I've been messing around with iron/UT/hybrid/3w off the tee to support accuracy rather than bomb and gouge, which leaves me in a great way most of the time. As my course is basically a second shot setup, it forces me to hit a few different distances into the green but nothing that is not manageable. Hardest thing for me is playing away from the pin. I struggle a lot with the idea of not being able to execute a shot regardless of where the pin is.

All this makes me want to do is get something tracking, like Arccos, to support my ideas.
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Seems like those Forged TEC Black irons are in your head.
 
I played A LOT more conservative today and it paid off I guess with a much better score. Generally speaking though no..I play much more like Brett than Alex.
 
As I have gotten older I can look at a hole and make better decisions than I used to be able to. I know my best second shot on a par 5 is either my 6 iron for a sure 160 yard advance if it's pretty open, or a punchy knock down shot with my hybrid if its tighter going (that's a 130-150 yard advance that goes directly where I aimed it). Either of these usually get me within 150 or so where my excellent short game comes into play. I am good at par 3's so I know inside of 150 I can get close with my next shot and then 2 small shots will get me in the hole. I have had to give up thoughts of hitting consistently from 200+ yards away, I just realize this is very tough and courses in Kentucky and Indiana have a lot of trees so strait is at a premium compared to distance here. Why try long shots that have a good chance of putting me in trouble when I can hit a bit shorter and get good position to put my excellent short game into play?
 
I thought I did but now I'm not so certain.
 
I’m trying to play smart golf but getting a little more aggressive with the driver since I’ve built up more confidence with my control


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Last two rounds the driver has stayed in the bag... across 36 holes, I hit driver four times. The 17 degree PXG has been on fire, 230 with complete control and keeping it in play is smart. If I can get close to the 150 market I’m a-ok with my irons and hit a lot of greens. Despite a new driver I believe these last two rounds are going to really influence how I play.
 
Normally, I do, although I made a few conscious decisions to not make the smart play today.
 
I would say yes. I know my game pretty well, I try to take a look at a holes layout so I can have a strategy of how to play it (but always ready to deviate when things don't go according to plan).
 
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