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How would you play this shot (if you were me) -->


inthehole
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I'm your basic average length driver (240-ish), typically wind up with 200-220 yards in on ALOT of par 4's, or if something for whatever reason goes wrong somewhere in the first two shots.    I hate that distance & I'm torn - never know if I should go for the hero shot if it's a nice fairway lie (3 wood - if I force myself to swing easy & make good contact, I can't get more than 200 out of it plus a goodly amount of roll) --- OR --- pull the PW or 9 iron & lay it up for a sand/gap wedge in.     I'm improving, but having trouble consistently breaking 90 - do it less than 50% of the time.      I'm just having a hard time coming to grips with giving a shot away by laying up, but often, I give more than one shot up recovering from an errant 3wood.

Which route would you recommend to maximize my scoring potential on this common shot ?

Thx

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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I'd go for it...pretty much every time.

Driver:  Callaway Diablo Octane 9.5*
3W:  Callaway GBB II 12.5*, 5W:  Callaway Diablo 18* Neutral
3H:  Callaway Razr X, 4H:  Callaway Razr X
5-PW:  Callaway X Tour
GW:  Callaway X Tour 54*, SW:  Callaway X Tour 58*
Putter:  Callaway ITrax, Scotty Cameron Studio Design 2, Ping Anser 4

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I'd go for it too.  No way to get better at that 200+ yard shot if you don't take it...

You will sacrifice short term scoring for long term scoring potential.

Driver:  :callaway: Diablo Octane
Fairway Wood:   :adams: Speedline 3W
Hybrid:   adams.gif A7OS 3 Hybrid 
Irons:   :callaway:  2004 Big Bertha 4-LW

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Perhaps you are putting too much pressure on yourself in trying to hit the green with your fairway wood.  That's a tough shot for any golfer. Rather than admit "defeat" by laying up, I would suggest you work hard on your short game, so that you can convert more up-and-down opportunities from within 30 yards.  That way, a wayward fairway wood shot won't be so disastrous in your mind, which might free up your swing and allow you to hit more of those long par 4's.

We have a 215 yard par 3 at my home course.  It's a tough green to hit, especially with the wind blowing, which is most of the time.  I used to worry about missing the green, because that usually meant bogey. I really worked on my short shots around the green, and now convert most misses into pars.  This freedom now allows me to just go for it, knowing that even if I miss, I'll generally make par.

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What are the total yards for the tee you are playing?

If your drives are 240 and you are left with 200-220 you must be playing from the back or second back tees.

Maybe try moving up a set of  tees for a while, get your long irons into play to make your GIR.

Your stats should tell you what to do.  If 75% of the time you go for it results in a double and if 75% of the time when you treat it like a par 5 you bogey, you have your answer.

Good luck!

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Well you could always go move up to a set of tees, you might be playing the wrong length on the course.

what are you more comfortable with, a chip shot or a full wedge. If you can get it near the green and up and down, that might be easier than trying to lay up, and then if you miss your going to have to chip in for par instead of putt.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
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First, agree with looking at the tees you're playing.  If almost all the par 4s are 440-460+, you've really gotta be driving 270+ to be playing from those tees.  You shouldn't be playing from tees where you're hitting a smooth 3W as your approach shot on most par 4s.

That aside, I agree with Harmonious.  Get the practice of taking the pressure off yourself and seeing if you can hit the green with the long club, and practice the short game.  Plus, even if your short game is mediocre, you've still gotta have a higher up and down percentage from <= 30 yards compared to 100 yards, no?  Just think of it that way.  Hit a very smooth 3W where your goal is not to magically always put it inside 20 feet.  Have your goal be just to give yourself a reasonable shot at an up-and-down.

Matt

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Sure you can change tees. Maybe you should. But to your OP, I'd say hit the longest club you are comfortable hitting. My yardages are different but the situation is the same. If I have anything over 220, I hit my 220 hybrid and leave the three wood in the bag unless it is very open near the green. I stopped laying up to 100 yards a while ago. I find my worst chips from 20 yards are as good or better than my average wedge from 100. But going for a green from a sucker distance is being a sucker.

Russ - Student of the Moe Norman swing as taught by the pros at - http://moenormangolf.com

Titleist 910 D3 8.5* w/ Project X shaft/ Titleist 910F 15* w/ Project X shaft

Cobra Baffler 20* & 23* hybrids with Accra hybrid shafts

Mizuno MP-53 irons 5Iron-PW AeroTech i95 shafts stiff and soft stepped once/Mizuno MP T-11 50.6/56.10/MP T10 60*

Seemore PCB putter with SuperStroke 3.0

Srixon 2012 Z-Star yellow balls/ Iomic Sticky 2.3, X-Evolution grips/Titleist Lightweight Cart Bag---

extra/alternate clubs: Mizunos JPX-800 Pro 5-GW with Project X 5.0 soft-stepped shafts

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Thanks to everybody for the responses !     I especially liked rustyredcab's response - laying up to 20 yds instead of full wedge distance.     I've put more time into chipping than any other part of my game & I think I'll concentrate on this approach.     The best thinking is to shoot to whatever distance is your most comfortable UP AND DOWN distance - which in my case will not be the pin from >200 yds.     I will definitely work on this new approach  ... thanks again !

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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You never said what tees you play? And what is the yardage on the courses you are playing?

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha 10.5* 

3WD:  Callaway Big Bertha 15* / X2 Hot H4 Hybrid
Irons:  Callaway Apex 4-PW Project X 5.5 shafts

Wedges: Callaway MackDaddy 2  52/58
Putter: Odyessey Metal X Milled 1

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Originally Posted by Motley01

You never said what tees you play? And what is the yardage on the courses you are playing?

My course plays 6716 yds from the white tees, which is what I always play.    There's a bunch of 420-440 yd par 4's from the whites.     On another nearby course, there's one monster 465 yd narrow par 4 from the whites - my goal is to par that one ONCE this year - for that to happen I have to hit a massive 3w on my 2nd shot & get it at least close for an up and down - we'll see ...

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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For me the shot I would select varies with the situation at 200-230 yards.  If the green is well protected or/and my lie isn't good I'll lay it up almost every time (in a match play I likely would go for it if my opponent did and was successful regardless).  But if the green is pretty open and I have a good lie I'll go for it as the downside of missing isn't too severe.

Butch

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Thanks to everybody for the responses !     I especially liked rustyredcab's response - laying up to 20 yds instead of full wedge distance.     I've put more time into chipping than any other part of my game & I think I'll concentrate on this approach.     The best thinking is to shoot to whatever distance is your most comfortable UP AND DOWN distance - which in my case will not be the pin from >200 yds.     I will definitely work on this new approach  ... thanks again !

I have a related question: what are your partial wedge distances? You might find that you like hitting a 52[ent]deg[/ent] quarter shot the most, and can "lay up" (on some greens/pin positions) to a spot where you'll be able to play that one easily with a good shot to get up and down. As for me, I love the half 56 shot. When I was playing regularly, I would frequently lay up to there (35 yards) if the hole and pin position permitted it (and if I was laying up). To expand on the point: you're going to get it on the green more often the closer you are. And you're going to hit it closer to the pin the closer you are. Among other things, being close to the green allows you to look at the break more easily. And if you're already thinking it's going to take you two shots to get to the green, give yourself two easier shots (maybe an easy hybrid or mid-iron followed by your preferred half wedge), especially if the hole setup permits you to hit the second shot from a closely mown area to the green without having to go over a hazard.

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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Originally Posted by inthehole

My course plays 6716 yds from the white tees, which is what I always play.    There's a bunch of 420-440 yd par 4's from the whites.

That seems excessive.  I played sets of blue tees at two different courses this weekend and both were right around 6500 yards.  Do they have a set of forward tees that aren't ladies/senior tees?  Is the course wide open with minimal hazards?  That just seems pretty long for a set of white tees.

Brandon

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Brandon a.k.a. Tony Stark

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The Fastest Flip in the West

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Originally Posted by inthehole

My course plays 6716 yds from the white tees, which is what I always play.    There's a bunch of 420-440 yd par 4's from the whites.     On another nearby course, there's one monster 465 yd narrow par 4 from the whites - my goal is to par that one ONCE this year - for that to happen I have to hit a massive 3w on my 2nd shot & get it at least close for an up and down - we'll see ...

I think you are playing from the wrong tees...

Driver: Taylor Made RBZ HL
3-Wood:Taylor Made RBZ 16*
Hybrid: Taylor Made RBZ 19* and 22*
4i-PW: Titleist AP 1
Wedges: Vokey 54*, 60* Putter: Cameron Squareback 2 Ball: Pro V1x

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I would agree those tees are too long for a higher handicapper.  The "white" tees at the courses I play are not that distance.

Driver:  :callaway: Diablo Octane
Fairway Wood:   :adams: Speedline 3W
Hybrid:   adams.gif A7OS 3 Hybrid 
Irons:   :callaway:  2004 Big Bertha 4-LW

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Originally Posted by Gresh24

I would agree those tees are too long for a higher handicapper.  The "white" tees at the courses I play are not that distance.

Interesting - this is apparently a pretty long course & maybe why I'm having trouble from the whites (greens are TINY as well).    If interested, I play the West Course - here's the scorecard: http://www.oobgolf.com/courses/scorecard.php?id=13644

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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I should go for the layup shot, the first 5 years i only hit irons, at my homecourse We have a 440 yard par 4 (most dificult par4 on the course) with water front right Off the green! And the fairway slopes uphill from 200 yards till 300! Than it slopes Down again to the water! It's only the last few years i take driver Off the tee, before i used to hit no more than 5 iron depending on the wind! What i'm trying To say is, you should have a plan off playing a hole before you hit the Teeshot! I chose layup all the time, and chise a club from the tee That i feel comfortable with and i hardly missed the fairway resulting in A score that is no worse than bogey in 95% off the time! And after a good wedge in, i could still putt for par! Just for saying i played Hdc 10 with only irons in the bag

Dirver: Mizuno JPX 825 9,5 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 65 g.
3 wood: Mizuno JPX 825 14 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 75 g.
Hybrid: Mizuno JPX 825 18 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 85 g. 
Irons: Mizuno MP 59 3 / PW KBS Tour stiff shaft ( Golf Pride Niion )
Wedges: Taylormade ATV Wedges 52 and 58 ( Golf Pride Niion )
putter: Taylormade ghost series 770 35 inch ( Super Stroke slim 3.0 )
Balls: Taylormade TP 5

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Note: This thread is 4337 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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