What are your strategies for Par 5s?

[americanfighter]

I hit a driver off the tee and try to make it in 2 if it is reasonable but mostly just play it safe. I can hit my 5 Iron around 200 yards so that is the highest lofted club I will use. Other wise I hit my hybrid 5 and That will get it close.

[Lemay427]

Its always been driver and then the longest club I can use. I probably need to rethink my strategy because par 5's are normally my "blow up" holes.

[tonyy]

Par 5's used to be my Achilles heel until my dad taught me some real good course management. My average drive is about 280 yards and since I'm not the best at long irons, I use a 5 or 6 to lay it up to about 100 yards or less. I'm pretty deadly from that point and can get it close enough for an easy birdie. That's how I play the Par 5's.

[goblue107501]

For the most part it is driver off the tee for me. If there are some abnormal hazards or trouble all around the fairway I might use something different. If I am inside about 225 for the second I will usually go for the green unless there is too much trouble. If I am further than that I will try to lay up to about 80-90 yards in the fairway and take my chances from there.

I have always thought of par-5's as short par-4's. Regardless of what you do off the tee, the second shot is key. If you can get to your comfort zone for the third shot, there are many scoring opportunities.

[PEZGolf]

How do you approach a par 5?

First, let me tell you that I am a short hitter---my drives carry between 221 and 232 yards. I am very accurate and a good iron player---from the 3 iron to the wedges. Therefore, I am always playing position. The key for me is to end up about 75 to 80 yards for my third shot on a par 5. Seldom can I can for the green in two.

My handicap is a 4.2, and the reason that it is so low is my overall strategy. I try to play the par 5's in even par to 2 under. The par 3's in even par. And the long par 4's in 2 over. I usually get two to four birdies in a round--on the par 5's and the short par 4's usually. When I step on the first tee, I have this strategy in mind, and if I make a couple of bogies early on, I do not panic. There are still some birdies out there, and I try to be patient. My low round in a tournament is a 65, with 7 birdies, but that was truly a "career round".

[thumper07]

It depends on the hole. Anything under 530yds i will go for in two depending if the fairway allows me to take driver off the tee. Longer holes or holes that have sharp dog legs or hazards off the tee i will always try to lay up to 110-115 perfect 52*. Depending on course i have played driver-7 iron and other i have had to play 5i-5i-8i.

[yeis20]

on in 2 is always the goal. It does not always work out as planned but I have had a knack this year for driver and wood or hybrid onto 500+ yd par 5's with very makeable eagle putts.

There is a local par 5 just over 600 yds that I have been on the fringe, but still not on in 2.

A fun hole indeed.

[titaniummd]

How do you approach a par 5?

I am answering my own post.

I use the driver, only if I am free of trouble to the right and there is a wide fairway. I typically hit a fade. I break the fairway into 1/3s and I usually aim to the left 1/3 so I can end up in the middle or right 1/3 on the drive. Since I am a short hitter, I have to lay up or play safe instead of go for the green in two. I make it in 3 only 1/2 of the time. I end up with a bogey on par 5s for the most part. How can a short hitter from the tee box make more pars?

[Shindig]

How can a short hitter from the tee box make more pars?

How long are the par-5s you play, and what type of trouble do you encounter?

[Dub]

Fortunately, most of the par 5's I routinely play are straight away affairs that allow me to hit driver off the tee.

75% of the time I'm not realistically looking at getting home in two.

If there is no trouble in front/adjacent to the green, then I'll hit 4 wood and run it up as close as possible...leaving me in sw/lw or bump-n-run distance for my third shot.

If there is trouble, then I'll hit the club that lays me up a full sw or pw to the stick.

[Brakkus]

For me I have no problem taking a 6 iron off the tee,then a 7 perhaps and wedging in for three,then I have 2 putts for 5 or if I miss the green I can chip on and still take bogey at worst.

The whole key to golf for me are the par 4's.They vary from 250 to 450 and it's that risk reward with club choice that I love.

[oreodawg1]

Never Lay Up!!!

Samples:
600 yard par 5 dog leg left-Driver, 3 wood, wedge to get up
550 yard par 5 straight-Driver, 4 hybrid, putter(haha if I'm lucky)

[extremeld]

a 6 iron of the tee on a par 5?


i layed up once and i didnt like it.

[Shindig]

Part of what I said last time:

If it is safe to hit driver off the tee, I do so. Even when I'm hitting driver poorly, I still hit mine rather well in expectation.

I played Rancho Park again yesterday. I hit every par-5 in regulation, missed only one par-5 fairway. My only par-5 bogey came on the 4th, where I missed the fairway, hit the GIR, and missed a 3-foot par putt. Sadness!

But... I'm conscious of my strategy, and it is working well for me.

[mposter]

I hit a lot of three woods off the tee (both par 5 and par 4). I can hit my driver well occasionally (275-280) but more often then not I hit the driver 230 and dead right

My main play is three wood, rescue, wedge. I actually surprised myself this weekend as I hit a good three wood and then a rescue wood to a green side bunker. Granted the hole was only 535 and I ripped my 3-wood but it was the closest I have been in two for awhile. There is one hole at my local club that is only 550 and has room right for miles. I will hit a driver and I have had 180 into the green once or twice. Usually I hit it well right and I am scrambling to come back to my own fairway.

My par 5 ave for 2008 is 5.89. I obviously need a new plan.

[kc8kir]

I usually play this strategy on par 5s (barring any hazards to the contrary). I don't want anything beyond bogey on par 5s. Very conservative strategy below.

1st shot: Enough to get within short - mid iron range of the 150 stick.

2nd shot: Enough to get to the 150 stick or just past it.

3rd shot: Aim for the fattest part of the green. Usually at this point I am between 100 and 150 yards, a very comfortable zone for 8 iron through PW.

Two putt and move on.

It's great to have a strategy on par 5s. Makes the journey make sense. My driving is far too erratic right now to risk booming the driver, then hoping to make the green in two, or have to make multiple recoveries.

Btw, I had a playing partner use this strategy last weekend. Dude has played less than 3 months. Parred the hole. Good lesson for him in smart course management and playing within your capabilities.

[brandon_mcg]

my strategy on a par 5 is to give myself a managable 3rd shot to the green. i failed to accomplish that on my last round and suffered for it.

every now and then ill go for the green in two, somtimes it works sometimes it doesnt but usually the worst that happens is i leave it short so that still leaves me with a short 3rd shot

[retozimmermann]

I hit a driver off the tee and try to make it in 2 if it is reasonable but mostly just play it safe. I can hit my 5 Iron around 200 yards so that is the highest lofted club I will use. Other wise I hit my hybrid 5 and That will get it close.

Holy moly, do you manage to get any accuracy in those 200yd 5-iron shots? I'm just wondering because of your HC. I'm quite young and sporty but I'm probably about 20 yds shorter than that with my 5-iron and the reason for my still high HC is definitely more in horrible putting and stupid mistakes in the short game.

So how do you do that, with your 200yd 5-irons? Are there many around you with that kind of length?