Hitting to the middle of the Green

[saevel25]

I pick the club that matches the distance I need (to the flag) and hit at the green.  I don't think it's particularly helpful at hit at the middle of the green regardless of where the flag is.

Where would you rather be, in the rough off the green or in the middle of the green putting?

[dbuck]

OP's strategy is one reason why he is a 10 and I am a 15.

[Mugs050]

OP's strategy is one reason why he is a 10 and I am a 15.

Actually kind of funny but reading the responses I see it more or less like this as far as the people that responded:

-Middle of the green or a slight variation of middle of the green

9.5

6.3

+0.1

14.8

+2.7

At the flag or not the middle

5

17.6

20

14.9

Then there were some that didn't give a definitive answer. If you take everyone's handicap at face value on here then that shows that generally speaking the lower handicap players play to the middle of the green or some sort of variation that takes the middle into account, like middle on shots outside x distance. hmm

[GHIN0011458]

I pick the club that matches the distance I need (to the flag) and hit at the green.  I don't think it's particularly helpful at hit at the middle of the green regardless of where the flag is.

I disagree. I think the most important stat is GIR even if your lets say 30-50 feet away, sure your not going to be getting birdie very often by you should be able to get up and down 4/5 or 80% of the time. The odd pin might be in the middle, and the odd time you might pull or push your shot towards the pin. At the end of your round having more GIR's no matter where the ball ends up on the green is going to lead to lower scores.

It all depends on how good you are with distance control. I agree that if you don't regularly hit the center of the face the middle of the green is the best spot to hit. The lower handicap you get, the more you can control the distance and for me, error on the side with the most green of the flag vs just the center of the green.

[rdsandy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strandly

I pick the club that matches the distance I need (to the flag) and hit at the green.  I don't think it's particularly helpful at hit at the middle of the green regardless of where the flag is.

Where would you rather be, in the rough off the green or in the middle of the green putting?

It depends, I'd rather have a 20 foot chip from the rough than a 60 foot putt.

[Golfingdad]

Actually kind of funny but reading the responses I see it more or less like this as far as the people that responded:

-Middle of the green or a slight variation of middle of the green

9.5

6.3

+0.1

14.8

+2.7

At the flag or not the middle

5

17.6

20

14.9

Then there were some that didn't give a definitive answer. If you take everyone's handicap at face value on here then that shows that generally speaking the lower handicap players play to the middle of the green or some sort of variation that takes the middle into account, like middle on shots outside x distance. hmm

Add me to the first group. :)

It depends, I'd rather have a 20 foot chip from the rough than a 60 foot putt.

That's nuts.

[PatrickBateman]

Last year I was hitting a lot of GIRs...this year not so much (and my tee shots are better, go figure). I wish I knew what I was doing, I think I was hitting more of a knockdown shot and letting it run, I've been going for pins and ending up off of the back of the green.

[Jakester23]

It depends, I'd rather have a 20 foot chip from the rough than a 60 foot putt.

Would you rather have a 60 ft putt or a 20 ft bunker shots? Or how about a 35 ft putt or a 20 ft chip? Come on its not scenario specific it's a rule of thumb. Your typically going to score better when your on the green.

[rdsandy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdsandy

It depends, I'd rather have a 20 foot chip from the rough than a 60 foot putt.

Would you rather have a 60 ft putt or a 20 ft bunker shots? Or how about a 35 ft putt or a 20 ft chip? Come on its not scenario specific it's a rule of thumb. Your typically going to score better when your on the green.

I'd rather have the bunker shot and the chip. I'd rather be closer to the hole, yes there will be exceptions (plugged bunker, knarly rough) but overall I'll take closer.

[rdsandy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdsandy

It depends, I'd rather have a 20 foot chip from the rough than a 60 foot putt.

That's nuts.

For you, maybe, not for me.

[RFKFREAK]

I love when people unwittingly give us insight to their golf game.

[Mugs050]

I'd rather have the bunker shot and the chip. I'd rather be closer to the hole, yes there will be exceptions (plugged bunker, knarly rough) but overall I'll take closer.

That's a small majority of people but at the end of the day what makes golf so unique is the fact that the game can be played in so many different ways. If your scrambling ability, and sand save % is much higher then your 3 putt avoidance numbers then good for you. I would challenge you to track that but at the end of the day its about going with what's comfortable.

[mvmac]

3.Aimed for the fattest part of the green. Flag be damned

What say you trappers?

Yep

[Strandly]

I disagree. I think the most important stat is GIR even if your lets say 30-50 feet away, sure your not going to be getting birdie very often by you should be able to get up and down 4/5 or 80% of the time. The odd pin might be in the middle, and the odd time you might pull or push your shot towards the pin. At the end of your round having more GIR's no matter where the ball ends up on the green is going to lead to lower scores.

Where would you rather be, in the rough off the green or in the middle of the green putting?

Hmm, I had a feeling my post was going to come across not quite the way I intended.  What I meant is say for example the pin is in the front position, I don't take out a longer club so I can potentially land in the middle of the green.  My iron distances are fairly reliable so the way I see it is if I'm not gonna miss the green then at least I should be near the hole.  If aiming is my #1 problem, which it is, then why add a potentially huge putt to the few times I get lucky?

I definitely don't try to snipe pins though.  I simply choose the club appropriate for the distance and fire away.  Either my aim is on or it's not and in my experience I'm usually closer to the hole even if I do miss the green.

[ChrisWev]

I always aim middle of green unless I'm <135 yards (9I for me), but personally I would prefer a 20ft chip (with a mid to good lie) to a 60ft putt any day of the week.

A 60 ft putt for me is probably 79% three putt, 20% two putt, 1% 1 putt

A 20 ft Chip is probably 70% up and down, 25% chip and 2 putts, 5% chip in

All depends how good your chipping is and how crap your putting is/ how difficult the greens are, difficult for anyone to say one is right or wrong though as nobody knows anybody else game. For me my chipping is by far the best part of my game (practice a lot) hence my preference. Saying that 90% of people I've seen can't chip as well as me (even people with far, far better handicaps) but pretty much they all judge distance with the putter better than I do. Same with sand, I'm good in bunkers, seems easy to me, but I can't hit fairways with driver (probably costs me 8 shots per round).

I've no interest in putting as the greens at my track are so variable paced and not the best condition so to me practicing putting at my own course is pointless. I'll practice that when I switch membership to a better course next week.

[Aguirre]

Depends on your skill level but even at scratch you almost never aim directly at flag. Still about your Shot Zone even then.

I'm not talking about aiming at the pin, rather just taking more aggressive lines on any shot.

[Golfingdad]

I always aim middle of green unless I'm

A 60 ft putt for me is probably 79% three putt, 20% two putt, 1% 1 putt

A 20 ft Chip is probably 70% up and down, 25% chip and 2 putts, 5% chip in

All depends how good your chipping is and how crap your putting is/ how difficult the greens are, difficult for anyone to say one is right or wrong though as nobody knows anybody else game. For me my chipping is by far the best part of my game (practice a lot) hence my preference. Saying that 90% of people I've seen can't chip as well as me (even people with far, far better handicaps) but pretty much they all judge distance with the putter better than I do. Same with sand, I'm good in bunkers, seems easy to me, but I can't hit fairways with driver (probably costs me 8 shots per round).

I've no interest in putting as the greens at my track are so variable paced and not the best condition so to me practicing putting at my own course is pointless. I'll practice that when I switch membership to a better course next week.

A couple of points here:

1)  If you really 3-putt 4 out of every 5 times that you face a 60' putt, then you need to work on your putting!

2)  If you get up and down (or better) from 20' 3 out of every 4 times, then you are better than Brian Harman, Jarrod Lyle, Camilo Villegas, Joost Luiten, and a handful of other PGA TOUR professionals at short chips.

[ChrisWev]

A couple of points here:

1)  If you really 3-putt 4 out of every 5 times that you face a 60' putt, then you need to work on your putting!

2)  If you get up and down (or better) from 20' 3 out of every 4 times, then you are better than Brian Harman, Jarrod Lyle, Camilo Villegas, Joost Luiten, and a handful of other PGA TOUR professionals at short chips.

1) Like I said, the greens at my course are horrendous so it's not somethign I'm going to waste my time on at the minute(other priorities), getting the ball to 60ft +/-6ft is very difficult, even for a pro on my course, the greens are so varying in pace. What I gain with short game and chipping out does a small difference in putts (for me personally, on my course....this is highly unlikely to apply to many people who play often on decent greens).

2) Who says I don't? I've played with scratch golfers who I chip considerably better than, but I drive the ball like a 40 capper so don't let my handicap fool you (which is probably closer to 15 now). I've played with people on decent courses that said if I could hit fairways I'd be sub 10 HCP no problem, they've said it's a miracle I go round in 88-91 considering being very poor off the tee.

Micklesons Chipping technique and Dave Pelz short game bible has helped me considerably.

Looking forward to getting on a decent course (better greens and putting practise) and should have my driving sorted out (to be useable at least) in a couple of weeks. I've been injured for 5 month (crushed nerve in knee) but back in december my coach pretty much switched me from driver with 180 carry with -10 degrees (out to in), +15 degrees face to path and 4 degrees down (short, in the trees on the right) to 220 carry +2 path, 0 face to path and 3 up (slight push). Just diddn't get chance to bed it in before injury, now I'm just pushing it big time as can't close the face, it's in there though. I'll be dissapointed if I'm not sub 10 HCP by end of summer (probably 60 or so more rounds).