If there’s one thing golfers of all levels are looking for, from tour players to more casual recreational golfers, it’s hitting more greens in regulation. No stat correlates more closely with a golfer’s overall score, and it’s all a means to that end.
But how do you actually do it? A good golf swing is important, of course, but as No. 1 golf teacher Butch Harmon explains in his recent Golf Digest Schools series (which you can see for yourself here), that’s far from the only thing that matters. Implementing the correct strategy on your approach shots will help you hit more greens and walk away with fewer big numbers, even when you haven’t.
Let’s dive into Butch’s advice.
1. Let the lie dictate your shot
When you approach your ball after your tee shot, the first thing you should do is evaluate your lie. If you are on the street, you can proceed as normal. But if your ball is raw, take a good look at your lie. A fly ball, a ball that is on the grass, can help you hit the green. But if you find your ball sitting up, Butch says to remember that the loft is your friend.
PLUS: Visit Golf Digest Schools for great instructional videos
“Take a very high stick. … The stick loft will help me get the ball off the turf. … The strategy is to put the ball back into play and give yourself a chance for the next one.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
2. Bring your number to the middle
Many amateur golfers shoot the number at the pin, choose the corresponding club and don’t think about much else. It’s strange, says Butch, because professional golfers almost do the opposite.
“The flags they shoot at when they have the right number, meaning the number they’re comfortable with for the club they want to hit. If they don’t have that number, they’ll throw it in the middle of the green.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
Butch goes on to say that your default should be just that: put your number in the middle and play with it.
3. Find the ‘no go’ zone first
No golfer takes a shot thinking of hitting a bad one. However, the smartest golfers plan for that eventuality anyway. Approaching the green, Butch tells him to identify where he least wants to go and work back from there. He uses an example of a pin pocketed on the left side of the green.
“Missing left, that’s the no-go zone, don’t even look at it. Pick a smartly conservative target behind the green that will give you room for error.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
4. Study the slope
This is something many golfers already do, but it bears reiterating. Sometimes golfers get so focused on the pin that they forget about their surroundings, even when they can help. Using the example of a green sloping from right to left, with the pin poked to the left, Butch explains that the best chance of getting the ball close is not to aim directly at the pin, but to use the slope.
“Aiming for the middle of the green and letting the ball take the slope will actually give you a better chance of making a birdie putt than going straight for the flag.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
5. Pick a target behind the green
You’ve probably heard the phrase “aim small, miss small.” It’s a helpful tip, but it can also be difficult when you’re looking for larger, more open spaces like the center of the green. That’s why Butch says:
“I’m pointing at that leafy tree in the distance. I know if I start my ball right there, when it lands, it’s going to go loose into the hole.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Rated Instructor
6. Take an extra club
Amateur golfers don’t play golf all the time, says Butch. He just doesn’t make sense in lying to himself about how far he hit the golf ball, unless he likes to miss the ball for a short time. It doesn’t matter how far you hit it, it matters that you know how far you hit it. If he’s not sure, then when in doubt, go for it.
“Very rarely do I see players take enough club, they take the club they need to hit absolutely perfect. One of the best strategies I can give you is, if you think it’s a 7-iron, take a 6. If it’s a 6, take a 5.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
7. Sometimes it is better to lie down
Sometimes, you’ll come across a shot that you just won’t like. Maybe there’s water or a bunker, or both, before the green and your swing doesn’t feel great that day. Instead of forcing yourself to take a shot that feels uncomfortable, Butch says to listen to what your emotions are telling you and choose a different path.
“Take a wedge, pull up, that way you can launch it and still give yourself a chance to make a pair. If you use the right strategy, you will be able to avoid those high numbers.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
8. Bogeys won’t kill you, doubles and triples will.
A common theme in all of Butch’s tips so far is thinking about the shot after the one you’re about to take. Your goal is to leave yourself a low-stress next shot. That’s true when you’re in the middle of the fairway, Butch says, and even more important when you’ve missed short grass.
“What you’re trying to do is eliminate double bogey and triple bogey,” says Butch. “That’s your main goal, to get out of trouble and play again.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
9. Don’t be a hero
In that sense, Butch’s best advice can be summed up simply:
“Don’t be a hero! You will end up being a zero. Play the right shot.”
It’s tempting to ignore it, especially after you’ve taken a good hit and smelled blood in the water. But good golf is boring golf, and it’s not spectacularly good shots that lead to good scores. It is knowing how to avoid the spectacularly bad ones.
10. Remember the goal
And finally, it’s worth remembering the advice Butch began with and returns to frequently throughout the book: control your ego. It doesn’t matter how he gets there, all that matters is that he gets to his destination safely. Your dashboard will thank you.
“There is only one box that requires a number, not a ‘how did you do it’.” — Butch Harmon, Golf Digest #1 Instructor
Good advice from the best coach that the rest of us would do well to follow.
Source: news.google.com