Playing safe

[Albo]

For me it’s depending on how my swing is going on the day, if I’m flushing driver and it’s going a consistent shape then I’ll more likely take driver at every opportunity, if it’s been a bit wild or the misses are both sides I’ll slide back to using 3w or 2i.
On approach shots unless there is an absolute no go area (water, OB, horrible rough) then I will aim for middle of the green outside of 8i and 8i down I’ll look at front /middle / back. If there is a no go area then I’ll aim away from that - water left, I’ll be aiming right fringe on the green, or if I’m 170 or more out I’ll be hitting something that can’t reach the water for example.
For me attacking pins that I have no right to attack is asking for trouble and something I’ve been suckered into far too often (and still do especially if I’m chasing a score).

 

[bobmac]

Using your shots is all very well if you're trying to play to your handicap but no use if you're trying for your best score.
''I've got a shot here, I'll lay up'' is sometimes the worst thing you can do and the fastest way to never improve.

If I can reach a hole in 2, I don't care if it's a par 4 or 5, I'm trying to make 3.
If I can reach a hole in 1, I don't care if it's a par 3 or 4, I'm trying to make 2.
But if I can't reach a long 4, I treat it as a par 5, get as close to it as I can in 2 and try and make ''birdie'' from there.

Obviously, different situations call for different approaches....sucker pins, OOB, water etc but if you know your capabilities/limits, you can make good decisions.

There's not much fun in laying up unless you're playing for money and your gas bill is due.

 

[cliveb]

Maybe a six iron or is that too simple?

It is. Dropping down to a 7 was really my only guarantee that I wouldn't go through the back of the green, even though in my heart I knew that a 5 probably wouldn't, and a 6 was only remotely likely to do so.

 

[Springveldt]

Perhaps "attack the course" is the wrong term.

Example: Playing a par4 that I can often par, faced with a 160 yard approach to the green.
I could hit 5 iron which should get me there. But the greens are running fast, and beyond that green is a horrible drop off. If I flush the shot, it's a probable double, maybe a triple. So instead I hit 7 iron which 9/10 times isn't going to reach - unless I flush it. Of course it came up short and I had to content myself with a chip and 2-putt for bogey and 2 points. Is that "not attacking" or "chickening out"?

I still came away feeling that by playing safe I had eliminated the chance of having some 3 pointers in the bank to cover the inevitable cock-ups that come at some point in the round.

Another way of putting it is that if you play safe, you can't afford any cock-ups. I'm not good enough to rely on that.

Sounds like a gapping issue or you have no confidence in your strike if you think there is a chance that a 5 goes through the back and a 7 doesn't even make it unless you have small greens as well.

I wouldn't say you are "chickening out" if you hit the club that you think will get there if you flush it but maybe you should be going up a club and thinking "if I flush this it will go past but not off the green, if I hit it ok it will still get me to the front and a putt". It's more a strike execution issue than anything else.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I see the term "playing it safe" as too emotive. I prefer "playing the percentages".
And yes, I will but with a positive mindset which would be lay up, pitch on and putt for par.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Too many holes at our place that you simply can't attack on if you are not in a good position. I've tried going out with that mindset and it usually ends in disaster. with 4 holes that are out of range for me to get in regulation (reaslistically), I'd have to pretty much hit everything sweet to break 80.

 

[cliveb]

Sounds like a gapping issue or you have no confidence in your strike if you think there is a chance that a 5 goes through the back and a 7 doesn't even make it unless you have small greens as well.

I wouldn't say you are "chickening out" if you hit the club that you think will get there if you flush it but maybe you should be going up a club and thinking "if I flush this it will go past but not off the green, if I hit it ok it will still get me to the front and a putt". It's more a strike execution issue than anything else.

I certainly don't have a lot of confidence in my strike execution. Lack of strike consistency is the biggest problem with my game.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I used to play handicap team with one of our old greenkeepers and his mentality was "if I know I can do it, then I'm trying to".

He played off 4 but when he was on song he was capable of unbelievable things - but was just as likely to birdie a hole as double bogey it.

He played my fiancé's stepdad for the handicap team once and racked up 7 birdies in the 14 holes the match took. My stepdads fiancé (off 5 himself) accused him of being a bandit and was raging when he got off the course saying he'd never seen a player above scratch hit a ball like it - he'd driven 4 of the par 4s! Pete quietly told me it had been a bit embarrassing as everything he tried had come off .

Conversely I've played in comps with him and he's struggled to break 90 - even when he's having a stinker he won't take his foot off the gas and play it safe.

I don't know if it's a mental thing or now but I can remember the times I've played it safe and it's backfired more than I can remember the times I've gone for it and it's gone horrendously wrong - so I tend to go for it more often than not.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

We've all heard that you shouldn't attack the course.
In yesterday's stableford I made a conscious decision to stick to that.
Never attempted to go for an ambitious shot.
It all started so well with nine straight 2 pointers.
But all it took was a couple of clumsy 3 putts and one wild shot into the bushes on the back 9 and the round was gone, with no 3 pointers in the bank to compensate.
Ended up with 33 points.
So I'm going to attack the course in future.

I'm aware of my habits as well.

I'll take ludicrous risks to hit a green,
but I couldn't be more conservative off the tee.

I have to see wide open spaces to take the donkey head cover off my driver.
I wear driving irons out.

I just don't like to take myself out of a par 4 or par 5 hole on the first shot.

 

[C7usk]

I'm aware of my habits as well.

I'll take ludicrous risks to hit a green,
but I couldn't be more conservative off the tee.

I have to see wide open spaces to take the donkey head cover off my driver.
I wear driving irons out.

I just don't like to take myself out of a par 4 or par 5 hole on the first shot.

How do you find the driving irons? Are they Difficult to hit? ... I am murder with the driver, mega inconsistent. About half are fade to slice level... With the occasional straight left to really fork you up...can't beat a double miss..

 

[bobmac]

How do you find the driving irons? Are they Difficult to hit? ... I am murder with the driver, mega inconsistent. About half are fade to slice level... With the occasional straight left to really fork you up...can't beat a double miss..

That's because your grip is wrong.
When you take your grip, can you see your left thumb?
Check it in the mirror, it should look like below

 

[C7usk]

That's because your grip is wrong.
When you take your grip, can you see your left thumb?
Check it in the mirror, it should look like below

View attachment 53686

Cheers bob, your spot on.. just checked and yes you can see about a quarter to a 3rd of my left thumb... I do have quite a strong right hand grip...

 

[bobmac]

Cheers bob, your spot on.. just checked and yes you can see about a quarter to a 3rd of my left thumb... I do have quite a strong right hand grip...

You have an out to in swing.
When your strong right hand kicks in, it squares up the clubface to your swing path, hence the shot left.
When your left hand weakens, the clubface weakens and you get your fade.

You have a choice, depending on if you're happy with your fade or not.
1. If you are happy with your fade, turn your right hand anti clockwise to cover your left thumb. That should stop the shot left.
Or
2. If you don't want the fade, turn your left hand clockwise so the clubface is square to the swing path. Then aim right.
Your swing path will still be out to in to you but will be square to the target.
Basically, you're aiming right and hitting a pull which will go straight.
It's a bit of a cheat but it works and takes away the two way miss.

Disclaimer
If your swing is really out to in a long way, option 2 may not be possible.

Play around and experiment with it at the range because it does work....if your swing path is straight (because you've aimed right) and the clubface is square to the swing path, the ball will fly straight.

 

[Golfnut1957]

In a magazine article from a long time ago, Monty was on about the differences between amateur and Pro, of which his biggest difference was how a Pro would always play the percentage shot from trouble, thus ensuring no worst than bogey and possibly even par. Whereas the amateur would take on the impossible, thus ensuring a triple.

Never was this more true than during yesterdays Stableford. I have always subscribed to those wise words from Col, we have always called it "Monty's Third law". However, yesterday I had a brain fart moment when, having put my second on the Par 5 2nd into the trees, I needlessly attempted the miracle shot. I then attempted a second one, finally the third miracle shot, which truly was miraculous, made the green, only for me to 3 putt.

I'd like to think that '8' on the card will be a constant reminder to me. Thank you Monty.

 

[BiMGuy]

In a magazine article from a long time ago, Monty was on about the differences between amateur and Pro, of which his biggest difference was how a Pro would always play the percentage shot from trouble, thus ensuring no worst than bogey and possibly even par. Whereas the amateur would take on the impossible, thus ensuring a triple.

Never was this more true than during yesterdays Stableford. I have always subscribed to those wise words from Col, we have always called it "Monty's Third law". However, yesterday I had a brain fart moment when, having put my second on the Par 5 2nd into the trees, I needlessly attempted the miracle shot. I then attempted a second one, finally the third miracle shot, which truly was miraculous, made the green, only for me to 3 putt.

I'd like to think that '8' on the card will be a constant reminder to me. Thank you Monty.

In a similar vain at Memorial. Scheffler had a very difficult chip. His caddy said, let’s make the putt the great shot not this one.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

A lot of the mental golf podcasts I've been listening to all say the same message about taking your medicine and trying to take big numbers off the card. I am finally getting it into my golfing brain although I to can have the odd bad decision still

 

[Albo]

I’m finding these days that a large percentage of my double bogeys are coming from 3 putts when I miss a GIR, if I look back over my last 10 rounds I think over 50% of my doubles come this way and probably 50% of my 3 putts too.
I’m not sure if I’m going after the 1st putt to try and make up for missing the green, or checking out mentally and not concentrating on the first putt, but it’s definitely a trend I currently have

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I’m finding these days that a large percentage of my double bogeys are coming from 3 putts when I miss a GIR, if I look back over my last 10 rounds I think over 50% of my doubles come this way and probably 50% of my 3 putts too.
I’m not sure if I’m going after the 1st putt to try and make up for missing the green, or checking out mentally and not concentrating on the first putt, but it’s definitely a trend I currently have

I thought that was a mandatory way to end a crap hole. It seems whenever I have a real horror I cap it off with a three stab

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

How do you find the driving irons? Are they Difficult to hit? ... I am murder with the driver, mega inconsistent. About half are fade to slice level... With the occasional straight left to really fork you up...can't beat a double miss..

They are much, much easier to hit than the old blade 1- or 2-irons from days gone by.
Only really strong players get more than 200 yards out of them, however, so safety comes with a price.

I can hit driver extreme left to right or extreme right to left at will.
Those are easy shots, unlike controlled draws and fades.
If I have to hit it straight, however, it could be either a hook or a dead push right. It's not likely to be straight.

That's why I need to see wide open spaces to take the headcover off my driver.
Otherwise, I play a safe, ugly line drive with driving iron, even if it means having to hit fairway wood to the green.

If there's a generous landing area for the tee shot, however, the driver will clearly be longer off the tee.

 

[C7usk]

You have an out to in swing.
When your strong right hand kicks in, it squares up the clubface to your swing path, hence the shot left.
When your left hand weakens, the clubface weakens and you get your fade.

You have a choice, depending on if you're happy with your fade or not.
1. If you are happy with your fade, turn your right hand anti clockwise to cover your left thumb. That should stop the shot left.
Or
2. If you don't want the fade, turn your left hand clockwise so the clubface is square to the swing path. Then aim right.
Your swing path will still be out to in to you but will be square to the target.
Basically, you're aiming right and hitting a pull which will go straight.
It's a bit of a cheat but it works and takes away the two way miss.

Disclaimer
If your swing is really out to in a long way, option 2 may not be possible.

Play around and experiment with it at the range because it does work....if your swing path is straight (because you've aimed right) and the clubface is square to the swing path, the ball will fly straight.

Cheers bob.. Really appreciated.. I'll have a go at the range..