What shot do you need to quit trying?

[sirchunksalot]

I was thinking about this the other morning and thought I would see if anyone else had the same problem. Is there a shot you just need to tell yourself "Don't do it!" and go for the safer, more sensible route?

For me, it's hitting 3 wood when the ball is above my feet. It never turns out good, I usually hit a low hooky shot that might go 120. I know better, but if I'm on a par 5 I'm usually grabbing the 3 and trying to advance it as far as I can, no matter the lie. I can't help myself, even though I could pull a shorter iron and probably be in better position for my third shot. 

 

[Shankster]

Using the driver... ever. 3 wood is so much better for me.

Also need to stop trying to hit the slinging draw. They get a little shanky every once and a while...

[Jbmullin]

Knowing when to hold them and know when to fold them. Or knowing when to leave the big stick in the bag and work my way around the course from the short grass more often.


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[Kenny B]

Nope... I try them all, and probably always will.  Sometimes I get lucky and pull off a difficult shot, and that builds my confidence up to keep doing it.  

Probably the most difficult shot for me is ball below my feet, but there is no way out of not hitting hit.  Ball goes right... or left, maybe straight sometimes, and I have better luck with a hybrid than anything with a hosel.

[tchat07]

When I purposely try to hit a draw. I always end up way to inside and steep.

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[dlow206]

Trying to hit a fade with a driver equals double crosser

[GB13]

Lately? Anything off a downhill lie. It’s just chunks, chunks, and more chunks.

Otherwise, it comes down to poor decision making than lack of execution. 

[Kanoito]

Lately? Trying to hit cuts... end up pulling them big time.

Or hitting 3W on the second shot of a Par 5. Could perfectly go driver iron iron, but nooo let's try to hit it as far as possible and end up with a weird yardage. Or top the ball and advance it 20 meters.

[GolfSpy_APH]

I think there are a few, but I think especially for when I do get back to golf it's to not try and overpower anything for a while and simply ease my way back... So in short be smart and play safe. Haven't been on a course in a while so at the moment I don't have just one.

[ZenGolfer]

Flop shot.  I recently stopped trying it because it seldom works out.  I used to love when I was in the greenside rough pulling out the lob wedge, laying the face wide open and chopping under the ball to pop it straight up into the air and straight down onto the green.

The only problem was its so difficult to tell just how hard you need to hit the ball, just how much to open the face, just where to aim and its difficult to judge where you want the ball to land.  Why do all that when I can just pull out a short iron or a gap wedge, bump the ball with a putting stroke and roll the ball up next to the flag?

[russtopherb]

The delicate pitch from 20-30 yards out that lands soft. I need to just bump and run in those situations but I always end up trying for the softie and it always turns into a bladey-past-the-greenie.

[juspoole]

For me like many from the sounds of it - it would be my driver.  If i don't feel comfortable or I know I don't have room for a miss, i tend to steer the ball too much and can end up hitting misses both ways.  This in turn starts to creep into other clubs and I just have a terrible round of golf.  Continue to just play my game only and I may have to hit 4 iron off more tees but at least I won't put it in a hazard or OB where the big number creeps in.

[cnosil]

For me, it's hitting 3 wood when the ball is above my feet.

Ball above my feet is a tough shot for me; especially 3 wood. Like you,
It ends up being a pull hook.

[palvord]

The punch shot through the narrow window that I see in the trees, that totally exists and is a legitimate way to get the ball closer to the hole.

I did better near the end of last year of just taking my medicine and playing out sideways, but my ego will still say that it sees a path for me to get through all the trees and shrubbery onto the green.

[sirchunksalot]

There are definitely a lot of risk/reward shots out there, the flop, trying to hit a gap in trees, the driver, and anything delicate around the green. I actually tried a bump and run the last round I played with the 7 iron and ended up on the other side of the green. It's just something I've really never practiced and got bit by a lack of distance control. The only tricky shot I can play with consistency is a low runner with the 4 or 5 iron, I've practiced to WAY too much. 

[Kenny B]

2 hours ago, cnosil said:

Ball above my feet is a tough shot for me; especially 3 wood. Like you,
It ends up being a pull hook.

I have always been told to aim more to the right (for rightys) because the ball is supposed to go left.  For me... sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't, so I just aim straight.

[sixcat]

A 4-iron draw off the 18th tee at my home club!!!!!  The past year of my life has been spent pitching out of the left trees. 

[Kenny B]

26 minutes ago, sirchunksalot said:

There are definitely a lot of risk/reward shots out there, the flop, trying to hit a gap in trees, the driver, and anything delicate around the green. I actually tried a bump and run the last round I played with the 7 iron and ended up on the other side of the green. It's just something I've really never practiced and got bit by a lack of distance control. The only tricky shot I can play with consistency is a low runner with the 4 or 5 iron, I've practiced to WAY too much. 

Sometimes those risk/reward shots are the only option.  That's why I practice all kinds of shots, typically during practice rounds.  When faced with that shot when it counts, I feel more confident that I can pull it off.  I was always worried about flop shots over a bunker to a tight pin, because I wasn't that good of a bunker player.  As my bunker play improve, I didn't worry so much about that anymore.  Sure, I can still screw it up but I make a better swing with my 60º so my chances are better.

As for your bump and run shot, I don't judge the rollout distance that well on our greens which is why I prefer a wedge closer to the hole with a little rollout.  I will use the bump and run for certain lie conditions, but it's not my goto shot.

[DiscipleofPenick]

Advice for everyone- don't stop trying any of your shots.

However, practice them before you take it to the course. If you never practice a draw, why try to hit it on the course? Practice downhill or side hill lies to gain the confidence. Would Drew Brees call a play they never practice? Practice leads to confidence and then the confidence conquers the fear.

Take Dead Aim

[MattF]

All of them...