Conservative play versus Aggressive

[Patrick Gilmore]

I said a bit of both, but as Dirty Harry would say a mans got to know his limitations.  I will play careful strategy with hopefully aggressive shots when I need to.  The one thing I rarely do is try the hero recovery after a bad tee shot.  Its one thing to pin hunt on a short hole or easy pin position, but turning a bogey into a triple by deluding myself I have phil the thrill or tiger skills is just stupid golf.

[jetsknicks1]

Originally Posted by plugged

For a high HC'er, aggressive play is stupid play.  I still play that way sometimes, but the more confident I get in my game, the less I do this.

I agree. the worst thing for golfers like us, is to try to pull off shots that we know deep down we can't make.

[The_Pharaoh]

I tend to play aggressively as I'm the sort of person that if I try to lay up short of a lake in front of the green, will inevitably knock it in the middle of the lake! I'm also horrible taking anything less than a driver off the tee for some reason. I'll always find trouble hitting a 3 or 4 iron off the tee! I think it's psychological more than anything.

[golf4fun12]

I play again on monday and I plan on going out there and play mostly aggressive with my shots. I just want to see how things go. try a new approach to how I normally would play which is conservative.

[ghalfaire]

I voted for 'a bit of both".  For me I let the situation and the day (how I'm doing that day & weather) determine the next shot I attempt.  Having said that I do, almost always, never try a shot I don't believe I can make more than 50% of the time even if I'm down 2 with 3 to play.  I do tend to be aggressive when putting as I'd rather have 3 feet coming back than be 1" short.  But even on the greens I try to not be stupid and don't putt aggressively on a slick downhill putt that can leave you chipping the next shot if you don't take care.

[Chicago Lefty]

I voted aggressive, but I will lay up in certain situations. For the most part I try to overpower most courses. I love going after Par 5's in two.

[Mattplusness]

As a fairly new golfer, I don't have the confidence most of the time to attack the pin the majority of the time. I try to get it on the green and two putt. I figure if I can hone-in my accuracy a little more I will be fairly aggressive in my game play and lower my score. Until then, par is a great hole for me.

[late347]

I think it depends on what you are trying to accomplish that round or what type of golfer you want to become. If I'm a weekend golfer out to swing for the fences and have a great time with guys, lay up isn't in my vocab. But if I'm trying to build a good handicap or prepare myself for tourny playing a mix of both is a must. I'm a firm believer in gut feeling, if you think your gonna hit it short and in the hazard don't let a Tiger wanna be talk you into a snow man. Just be you and do what you know you can do. If it doesn't work out you'll live and learn for the next situation . That is the great thing about this game, no one is there to tell you what to do (just suggest) and if something goes wrong it's your fault.

don't the golf rules also say that it's forbidden to give advice to players?

so if some dude is just trying to mess you up with his "tips" that's a penalty stroke isn't it?

[WUTiger]

A lot of it has to do with how I'm swinging on a given day, and my shot trends for the month.

If my fade has been working for my irons, I may try for a pin or two. If I'm spraying the shots, I likely will play for a safer line to keep misses away from bunkers and such.

There's also weather and course factors. One uphill par 5 has OB left, hazard and bunkers right of landing area, and often a crosswind or a headwind. The green, with front and side bunkers, sets on a shelf-top. On windy days, I will just hit back-to-back 4Hs and get to a flat spot going uphill. Then, I take a 3/4 6i to keep it low and hopefully end up on the back half of the green, or maybe the back fringe. From there, I can get par or maybe a 6 - which is much better than an 8 when things really go wrong on the hole.

If the weather's nicer, and I'm swinging well, I might try Driver + 7W to allow a wedge approach from where I can see the pin. ( Secret : You have to fly the ball into the green. Try to bounce on, and it's in the sand).

Also, grass length can vary. If the crew mowed that morning and I pull a drive into the light rough on a longer par 4, I might try a 5i to put it on the green. If it's been rainy and the rough is a bit shaggy, I would chop out with a hot 8i and run it up in front of the green - see if I can get up and down.

So, it depends on how I'm swinging, the weather, and the turf conditions.

[Dave2512]

Cool old thread, will have to read all of it at lunch. Put me down for bit of both. I try to hit the ball as far as I can while avoiding trouble. Really depends on the hole. Couple weeks ago I play a par 5 hitting 5i 5i 9i, hit GIR and had a makeable birdie putt that I just missed. Because of the way the hole sets up it was a bit of both. It kept me in play but required good execution to pull it off. I've been hitting more long irons and fairways from the tee lately and scoring better. Not sure if that is aggressive or conservative.

[Fourputt]

I didn't go back and read what I wrote back when, but for me it's case by case.  Everything depends on the circumstances - lie, amount of risk, state of the match or score, how I'm swinging that day - it's all part of using good course and game management.

[GangGreen]

I'm in the bit of both camp for the most part. I usually start my rounds playing relatively aggressively and adjust depending on how I'm hitting the ball that day. A lot also depends on how familiar I am with the course. If I know the layout well, then I find that I actually play more conservatively because I know where the trouble and/or good lay-up spots are and can factor that into my club/shot selection.

[CarlSpackler]

Mostly aggressive, but I occasionally turn into Col. Sanders.

[JuddMack]

As a beginner, I know that I have to play to the biggest target I have. I try to play conservative to give myself the best, worst case for my next shot.

[Abu3baid]

Yes.. I am an aggressive player who goes for broke and probably pay for it most of the time..

I think there is a book coming out soon to discuss strategy or something on a course, maybe that will help me out?

[Lihu]

I answered "a bit of both", hopefully that doesn't make me a bipolar golfer.

[Jacktgolf]

I chose mostly conservative, which is how I play, but I found that most better players on this thread (handicaps from 7 downward) tend to play more aggressive. Either that or they play aggressive on shots that are open to it, whereas on danger shots they'll play more conservative. Most of the lower HC's say a bit of both, which means they're choosing their shots depending on the situation. I see on this thread 20 HC's saying they play conservative, and it makes me think that if they were to go after a few flags and make more birdies, they'd naturally improve their score. Just something I've noticed, don't know if anyone else has though.

 

I'm a 10 handicap, and I don't go after any pins, so that must mean my short game is either really good, or my ball striking is good enough to where I can control my flight and choose where I hit the ball.

 

I normally shoot low 80's, and have broken 80 four times this year, not even playing for the green sometimes. I can control my flight, so I need to be going after flags if I'm to make more birdies and pars and get my HC down. My coach keeps telling me to go for flags and take driver off the tee, and I just don't have the guts to do it.

 

When I did end up breaking 80 those four times, I averaged three birdies a round and 11 greens in regulation. I was going for the flag when I made those birdies, so maybe this is something I need to do more often.

 

Sorry to bring back up an old thread, I hope this doesn't get too many complaints. Just found it and wanted to offer my two cents.

 

I'm new to golf forums, but not forums in general. Let me know if there's anything I need to know.

[iacas]

I play by the "rules" I set out in Lowest Score Wins, of course. Generally speaking, this means fairly aggressive at going for greens (drivers off many tees, longer clubs for second shots on par fives, etc.) and then conservative at flags to hit the greens.