Which is better?

Hi,

Been slowly getting better as now im thinking my way around rather than hit and hope.

Read in one of my books that sometimes its better to be short off the tee and leave yourself a yardage to the pin that your can hit comfortable.

So which is best say leaving 140yrd that i can hit my 7 iron or getting closer and using a wedge? 

Matt 

A wedge, without doubt.

John

Give me a wedge shot any time but not many of my tee shots would leave me with a wedge shot as my second hit.

On that basis I usually look at what's in front of me off the tee and plan accordingly.

Same for me, these days, Robbie, but having weighed up the pros and cons, I much prefer to leave myself the wedge shot as opposed to getting as near to the green as possible with the chance of finding a bunker or being on the wrong side of the green to get close with a pitch or a chip. I know that I will be close with a wedge most of the time.

John

Yeah, laying up the second shot for my 52* wedge has helped my game. I am much more likely to par/bogey that way than shooting for the green from longer distances.

By, this game sounds so easy

Not forgetting the increased confidence. Quite often the attempt at the green puts one in trouble and then the rot starts.

We have one hole on my course where the green is guarded by a deep ditch immediately in front of the putting surface. The hole is not particularly long but a normal drive would leave me about a fivce iron for distance, however if I clear the ditch the ball just leaps off the back of this very narrow green into terrible rough leaving a delicate chip shot that is always very difficult and most of the time a five is the result.

I much prefer to just chip my second shot to the wedge range and still have the chance of a par/bogey as the green will hold the wedge.

John

Always a problem, Paul. You can easily reach for distance, that's for sure, but a loose one into the trees costs one dearly.

John

Yes I would normally go for it in two if i could get there but in matchplay it all changes to a lay up and try to knock it close.

IMO matchplay strategy is determined by what your opponent has done, is doing etc.

No sense in attempting to make a long carry over water if your opponent has already taken three off the tee.

John

We played a links type course last weekend in our society,I started playing the front nine in windy conditions with driver off the tee for distance but,after a few holes (too many) ended up hitting a 3 iron off the tee and a 5 or 4 iron and maybe a chip,seemed to be the right strategy for the course on that day.

The secret to playing good links golf is to be able to keep the ball low in flight, especially into it. A long iron will go further into the wind than a three wood.

John

Our regular course is protected by a ditch that winds itself around the fairways. This leads to a thoughtful game from the tee to green. I regularly switch from driver to 5 wood off the tee laying up before the ditch then an iron to my wedge distance (50 yards 52* wedge half swing).

If I can do that then 1 or 2 putt the card looks well for me as an 18 handicapper (society based).

I have played Matts's course and his option would definately be to lay up - those who have played crook will know why...

Me and Tony normally play Sunday over at Knotty Hill and then once a month anywhere in the North East that our society captain decides to send us...

We played Crook last month and the greens are mustard - you just got to lay up or trouble looms eh...

Depends on the weather really. But you do need to book a tee slot..

This Sunday Tony, John (Tony's dad) and me are booked in at Knotty tee off 10.30am on course A and B.

Your welcome to make up the 4 ball Matt if your free...

Ok Matt enjoy your meal...

You could now be tucking in thinking of us getting a good drenching....