Target Scores

 As i 26 handicap, i am hitting around 4/5 GIR and currently when i play i am tring to make birdies and pars as there are only 3 holes on my home corse i can't reach in regulation .

My question is, should i just try to shoot my h/c on each hole or go for birdies/pars?

Your scores will be much better if you try to first shoot your handicap because that is YOUR par.

Playing the heroic shot will work only so ofter while the others will end up in the woods or the water.

The best round I've played this year I finally took my own advice and laid up to a good third shot location and then parred the hole as a result. Every other time I play this hole (16 at Trent Park), I tried to hit the second shot over the trees after a good drive and each time failed.

Most of the 8's I get on my card are the result of hitting a shot trying to get to the green and ending up short and in the bunkers, or worse I chunk it by trying to hit to hard, etc.

One of these days, maybe I'll try to shoot my handicap as well and see if my advice makes any sense.   

The majority of higher handicappers, when they find themselves in trouble, always attempt the impossible by striving for maximum distance.

On my own course there are very few holes I can reach in regulation figures, because I don't hit the ball very far these days, but has one par five which has three ditches running across the fairway adding to the difficulty. I cannot carry the second ditch after a 200 yd drive and I would need to carry it to give myself a chance of carrying the third ditch.

The way I play it, is a drive, an 8 iron, a nine iron and a wedge, this puts me on for four and with the stroke I receive always gives me 2 points in the stableford.

I agree with Christopher bogey golf is the way forward for now

lol, its always easy to say that i dont try and take my frustration out on the next shot but i often do, but when ive finished the hole in question, ive calmed right down, ready for my next drive to slice 100yards to the right lol.