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Middle Of The Green

I aim at the safest part of the green almost exclusively. Shallow greens give me the most trouble, but I tend to look at a green and try to figure out where the "center" or the fattest part of the green is.

If I get a GIR, I'm pretty confident I'm not leaving that hole any worse than bogey. So I'm just looking to get it on the green.

I'd say I aim for the safest part of the green about 80% of the time. If there's a safe approach from where I'm at into the pin, then I'll gun it at the pin, but that's rare.
 
Not nearly enough. One bad thing about having the rangefinder is it focuses me on the pin.
 
Nowhere near as often as I should be.
 
I tried all this year to focus more on aiming just for the center of the green. Less danger there, less front bunkers guarding tucked pins in the middle. Doesn't mean that where my ball went, however that's what I aimed for.
 
Almost always. I'm not good enough to go pin seeking unless I'm in close.
 
I always play to the middle. It's when I get cocky on a tough hole location when I'm hitting bunker shots.


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To be honest I just aim at the green and are happy where it lands.
 
Most of the time I shoot for the middle. I'd say 80/20 split.
 
Having played a number of courses with small greens, the middle and the pin can be one and the same sometimes

At my handicap level, I am aiming for the middle of the green all the time, and if I mis-hit it slightly and end up closer to the pin somehow then that is a bonus
 
I'd guess 50/50
 
Generally speaking on every approach outside of 130 yards. But it also depends where the pin is; if it's tucked just behind a bunker or if I want to keep the ball under the hole, I might opt for the safe route anyway.
 
Maybe 20% of the time is a shot where I just want to get on somewhere. Otherwise I get the distance to the flag and aim at it. I tend to hit a straight ball so I don't have much fear of missing too far right or left. There are the occasions where I'll play off to the side a little to protect the shot, but it would rarely just be aiming at the center. Some greens are just too big to knowingly leave a shot far away when I don't have to. Plus, the places I play will rarely have a pin that is 3 paces off the back and 2 from the side like they have on tour. I don't see many of those so it's usually a green light.
 
Depends on what club I am hitting, and the pin placement. If I have a PW or less, I will shoot at the pin unless it is an extreme sucker pin. Anything more I am aiming for the big part - or safest part - of the green. One observation I make often is that people will often say they are hitting to the middle of the green because it's the safest. Is it always? I have played a few courses where a putt from the middle of the green will have to navigate big slopes, fast downhill putts, or even may come close to hitting the edge of the rough. I think you have to think a little bit before you pick the shot. But, I agree for the most part, the middle of the green is usually the safest play.
 
well, honestly with my Greens percentage numbers I probably should be aiming everywhere except the greens and just maybe I'll hit more of them :)

But really it just depends on the situation of what's over there. A pin is far left/right or far back/front? Where are the water and/or bunker hazards, how is the rough on that side, any hills, and green undulations too, or whatever. If its more penalizing to aim pin then I'll aim center and if the green is very large I'll aim center but side shifted unless of course we're talking two tier green or something, it just all depends. It sounds like a lot but I don't sit there and overthink it. Its pretty simple . Take a look, see whats there, be smart about it and go. :) Unfortunately the ball usually doesn't end up there anyway :( But going for the center has many times gotten me on :)
 
JB said:
How often do you just play to the middle of the green and not worry about taking aim at the stick?
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I usually favor the middle of the green but on our greens, it is far better to almost always be below the hole. On several greens it's better to be off the green below the hole than to be in the center of the green above the hole.
 
At 100 yards, I usually start pinseeking. I tend to get closer to the fattest part of the green the further out I am, especially avoiding front bunkers and such. Actually, I might miss a few greens per round just because I'd rather be just off than in a trap. Chipping is easy.
 
Depends on distance and where I am. If I have a comfortable numbers (100-130) and am in the fairway, I would take aim at the pin, assuming there isnt a bunker right in front or something. Otherwise, I just try to hit the green and make a putt.
 
Really depends on how my practice / warm up session goes - if I am not confident in my distance control I will aim for the center of the green.

However, if the practice round isn't that great but when I get to the course after a few holes I get it under control I will attack it more.
 
I try to aim for the stick from 100yds and in, unless there is some major factor to why I shouldn't. If I'm outside that I feel its safer to play for the green and have a putt than be forced to pitch/chip to save par. So... 50-60%?
 
Depends on how far out I am. Inside 100 - dead aim. Inside 165 I divide the green up in 3rds and try and hit the 3rd where the pin is at. Outside 165, depending on the shot, the middle of the green thought comes into play about 75% of the time.
 
85 to 90 percent of the time.
 
Depends on distance.

100-110 yards and in I'll aim at the flag unless it's stupid to do so.
Outside that but within reasonable I'll just try to play away from trouble.
Outside 175 or so I'm just aiming in the general direction and hoping.
 
I'd like to say I aim for the middle of the green all the time, but it's not something I even give any thought to.
 
Nate said:
Depends on how far out I am. Inside 100 - dead aim. Inside 165 I divide the green up in 3rds and try and hit the 3rd where the pin is at. Outside 165, depending on the shot, the middle of the green thought comes into play about 75% of the time.
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This is a great plan, one I may need to incorporate. Typically I take aim at the pin from everywhere. The hit it and hope. Based on my GIR numbers that clearly is not a good plan.
 
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