Par 5 Strategy

[ks8829]

Do you go for it on par 5s or do you leave yourself a comfortable distance for a full shot?

I recently played a par 5 and try to hit it with my second shot as close to the pin as possible and ended up with double boogie, but the next time I layed up with an iron so that I was about 100 yards out and hit it within 3 feet and made my birdie.

Other situation, if I miss a drive before I would try to hit my 3 wood and get it around the green, but the other day I layed up with a 7 iron and was about 100 yards away and hit the green and two putted for a boogie that I accepted because of the bad drive, however I gave myself a chance to save par and more importantly I took double boogie out of the pictures by laying up.

[denver_nuggs_15]

I always tee off with driver on par 5's...duh. Then, depending on how far the hole is, I either hit a 5 wood, 3 hybrid, or iron to lay up. I'm not long enough to go for most par 5's in two, so I want a full wedge into the green. Wedges are my bread-and-butter shot.

I'm sure that you have a bread-and-butter shot, too. Lay up to that distance if possible.

I don't like the idea of advancing the ball as far as possible. Some pros say to do it, while others say not to. It just doesn't work for me.
You could track your stats on par 5's when you go for it/lay up to a confortable distance. Who knows what you'll find?

[RC]

I'm sort of a day to day guy. If during warm-up, I am hitting the little chips and pitches well, then I want to be as close as possible to the green on every opportunity. On days the short game seems a little iffy, then I want to be a firm wedge (not sand wedge) out if possible.

On forced carries to par fives... it is somewhat the same. If I am hitting the ball well, feel strong, etc., then going for a par five in two over water or a canyon is fun, even if risky. If there is ANY doubt... then I lay up.

Day before yesterday was just such a day... 574 yard par five with a deep canyon creek (a place you cannot go into) right in front of the green -- maybe 8 to 10 yards of up slope landing area short of the green. It was warm, I felt great, had killed the drive... so I went for it, swinging as hard as I can. Made it but went over the green and a had really tough pitch to a short side, downslope pin -- flop pitch ran long, 2 putts, made par. OK, so you pulled the hero shot off but so what... I would have had a better shot at birdie if I had hit an iron down to about 115 yards.

I assume this is what you are discussing and my answer is the same -- it all depends ha ha. Sometimes the smallest of things determine the choice. It could be a little swirl of wind, or a beautiful cardinal flying by, a feeling of confidence, or a thought of a beautiful day. Somehow all these things come into play and you decide your best chance to score well. Afterwards, after the result is known, you are either a genius or a dunce. That's the way I feel about my decisions anyway.

[keb]

I am not a long hitter and therefore use my driver off the tee box on par 5's, followed by 3 wood, assuming I am in fairway. Too often I am not. I likely would have a lower handicap if I hit the 3 wood off the tee and stayed out of the trees. Just can't bring myself to do that. Funny what a good drive now and then does to the rest of your game.

[Stacey_E]

I can't hit any reasonable par 5 in 2. My driver plus 5 wood goes about 450 and any par 5s that short usually have some forced carry I'm not comfortable with. Usually I layup to 90 yards or more (SW or higher) for a par 5. There is one double dogleg par 5 on my home course where the best angle into the green and to avoid trees (on a 3rd shot) is being about 60-65 yards out.

Occasionally I'll just hit as far as I can if I think the result will give me a 20 or 30 yard chip as opposed to laying back to a full wedge.

[David in FL]

Way too many variables come into play. Even if I know I can't "reach" the green, if the flag's in a good spot and there's room in front, I may knock it up closer than a full wedge layup knowing that I can hit a little one-hop spinner in pretty tight. Same shot with a pin up front and not much room, I might lay back and hit a full sand or gap wedge.

[RocketSauce]

it just depends on the par 5 hole im playing. i will usually go for it though.

[FortAsel]

It really depends on the hole. For example, in Belas (me home course), the 15th is a pretty long par 5, but is downhill and usually play's down wind. I can never play driver there because I have almos zero room for error. And my second shot is usually a smooth 5 iron or even a 6 iron. I think the worst score I ever had there was a 7 when I hit one OB. Plus I've had 5 eagles there, and a ton of pars and birdies.

There's another hole where I play. Same conditons as the above described, but it's not as steep going down. Before the green it has a small stream, just like the 13th at augusta national. Green's smaller though. If my driver shot carries enough down the slope, I usually have an easy 6/7 iron in, but if it doesn't I allaways lay up to about 60 meters away from the green. Thats a 3/4 60º for me.

[Parker0065]

I try to keep it simple. If I have a realitic chance at getting home in two I will go for it. If I have no chance then I will lay up to my Gap Wedge distance.

I read a interesting article where Stewart Sink claims he does not ever lay up to a particular yardage, he just hits it as close to the green as he can. He stated for him he feels like it's easier to make birdie the closer to the green you are. I use to play that way years ago but my success rate of making birdie was a little less due to tricky half and three-quater wedge shots.

[PiKapp23]

I seldom go for Par 5's anymore. My rule on par 5 holes is to look at the second shot and determine what the worst scenario is. If I can reach with 4H or less, then I will usually go for it unless there is some sort of trouble around the green. If the distance required to reach is longer than my 4H (which is longest club I can hit accurately the majority of the time) I'll lay up to around 100 yards unless there is absolutely no trouble around green at which point I might go for it with 2H or 3W. On my layup I want to be in a flat spot in fairway, but I do not want to be more than 125 yards. If layup spot will leave longer shot in or uneven lie then a lot of times I'll just try to get as close as I safely can and deal with repercussions (but still almost never longer than 4H).

[extremeld]

depending on how tight the hole is 1 iron or driver then go for it with whatever is left

[Bluenoser67]

The only time I dont is if I'm in a tournament and its a low odds shot. If I'm Just playing a friendly round then I always go for it.

[Laxplayer201092]

Wait..you mean you dont have to go for them in 2?

I cant remember the last time i didnt attempt to get to one in two. I am long enough (220 3 iron 240 Hyb, 250+ 3 wood and driver) that assuming its a safe hole, no water etc etc, and its not 540+ I will try to just boom it. Then it will leave me a decent club in, as in under a hybrid, most likely a 3 or 4 iron.

if its longer than 540, i focus on a fairway drive, and a solid 3 wood should get me there.

[ZmaXimus]

I always try to lay up about 100 yards out. However, if I'm 220..230 out I'll hit my 5 wood.

[Kcas77]

I have never got to a par 5 in two well because I just dont hit the ball far enough. But I try to hit the ball as far down as I can unless I think by ball will be any where from 60-40 because for me that is no mans land just too easy to chunk the ball or skull it. Here in MA the greens are pretty small so I would have to play a resonably high shot which i dont like to play.

[baumer64]

It depends on the hole. If I'm inside 220 then yes, I'll go for it most of the time. 220-250 it depends on what problems could come into play. I'f I'm laying up, ideally I'd like it about 80 yds out.

[Dub]

The par5s on my home course almost always find me playing my normal strategy....which is to lay up at or around 75-110 yards. This will give me a full SW to a full PW.

We have red 100 poles at the 100yd spot in great landing positions on all. I try to tee off to a safe spot and then take dead aim at the red pole on my second.


Makes warming up with those wedges really crucial prior to playing.

[Garthmo]

get it on the green in 2 or close enough that I can chip it close enough for a tap in birdie, just have to give myself a chance to putt for birdie