GO FOR IT or Play it Smart?

Play it safe or go for the glory?

Personally, I hate to lay up on a par 5 when I know I can reach it in 2.  On 18 yesterday, for the first time all day, all 4 of us hit good drives and had 200 to 225 in to a front pin with water right and a bunker left.  The other 3 guys had played poorly all day and I was surprised when I was the only one who went for the green.

Do you go for it whenever you get a chance or play it safe if there is trouble?

Apologies if this has already been discussed, but I didn`t see an exact match when I did a search.

It really depends on the length of the shot, obstacles in the way, and how much green there is to work with up ahead. I hate laying up but sometimes if the green is packed behind some bunkers and its a tough angle into the green, or I might possibly go off the back of the green, I'd rather be short and try to pitch it close.

I definitely go for it if I think I have a decent chance to get it on the putting surface.

If I have to take a headcover off something, it's a good time to reconsider.

I'd hit a long iron any day of the week but usually not a wood unless there was no penalty. I can usually put the ball on the right line with irons, but woods could miss right or left. I would lay up to as close as possible in most cases, not worry about leaving myself 100 yards. If the hole is like 570 yards I'd probably fire away knowing no one else is scoring on that hole anyway. I'd definitely take a crack at it out of the rough, swing hard with an iron and just try to run it up.

Now, that goes for a par 5, but if I'm in a defensive position 220 yards in the rough from a par 4 after a bad tee shot, I'm gonna try to salvage my GIR. Rarely in either case is a greenside lie worse than the fairway 100y out. My wedge game at that range is less sharp than within 50 feet or so, regardless of the lie.

If there's water or OB in play, all bets are off. I'm not man enough to go for a swim over 1 stroke.

Depends how i'm hitting them. Like right now I would go for a green with anything but a 3 wood. I might not go for it if there was bad trouble on both sides of the green.

It always depends on the situation I mean if I'm playing a casual round yeah I would take a rip at it. If it's a stroke play tournament I'd probably lay up unless it the final day and I need to make up shots. I think everyone gets my point but I would never just go for it for the sake of going for it unless there is not a lot of trouble involved.

If you feel comfortable with the entire shot, then by all means go for it. But look at every possible scenario...where is the bailout area, where must you NOT go, etc. Playing aggressive does not correlate into playing stupid, if you feel good about a shot in your bag then you should definitely go for it. But if it's a 280 yard 3 wood over water to a tight pin, then be smart and lay up to a perfect wedge distance and knock it close.

Playing smart is better than playing either aggressively or passively.

Depends if golfing with friends or in league. Also how well i'm hitting it that day. Lots of other factors also.

1. is the green flat or sloped. if sloped I look to see how hard of a pitch shot it is.

2. same with deep bunkers.

3 water usually don't scare me but I would rather lay up in front

of it then go in the drink and have to hit in front of it anyways with a penelty stroke.

This question has been asked before, and I can't respond to your poll.  My answer, if it was included, would be the correct one.  It depends.  I used to be a very aggressive player, but I long ago gave up being stupid in these situations.  If the odds are reasonable, then yes I'll have a go at it, but if I don't like the odds because of trouble, or because the state of the match doesn't dictate taking a risk, then I won't.  It's no longer just an  automatic decision that if I can reach, then I go for it.  I consider myself a good course manager, and part of that is determining when to blast away and when not to.

YOLO

omg you went there

I haven't been practicing my 3 wood for no reason. Put it on the green. Laying up is for professionals. End of story.

It's a tricky situation though.. sure I can probably get there with my fairway wood.. but it's going to probably be a laser type shot, so it's going to be tough getting it to actually stop on the green.

200-225 I am going for it with my 3 iron as long as there is no water. I can deal with sand traps. If no trouble and the right side is pretty open I may go for it up to 260 yards. I am yet to get an eagle so I am going for it until I do. Then maybe I will back off.

I normally like to go for it, but there are times when I won't. Depends on my gut reaction and a few other variables.