What is the hardest shot in golf?

[ronald bay]

I think the hardest shot for me is a 30-40 yard bunker shot. Trying to clip the ball without totaling hitting it flush. And even when I do that it seems I may get on the green but the ball checks immediately which leaves me well short of the pin.

[Jeremy26]

65 yard low spinning pitch

[Jeremy26]

On 8/4/2023 at 9:09 AM, Hacker60521 said:

Par 3 holes

I think par 3s can be challenging because their distance doesn’t leave you with a lot of room for error or options to make up a bad stroke. For example, if you miss the green from the tee, now you’re scrambling to save par. On a 4 or 5 you can try and save a bad stroke along the way.

My home course has a couple of 3s that are entirely over water, so you need to carry the water onto a green that’s about 15-20 yards deep. Miss long and you’re standing downhill on a steep decline towards a green that rolls towards the water. 

This is the first year that I've kept all my shot stats with GHIN. I was shocked at my average score on par 3's. It's my worst score in relation to par, by a lot. I play par 4's at 4.28 par 5's at 5.06 and par 3's at 3.72. Insanity!!!

[Billy-Bo-Jim-Bob]

....any shot with a significant uneven lie. 

[funkyjudge]

On 8/4/2023 at 9:00 AM, Jnoble89 said:

This popped into my head last night while I couldn't sleep, so thought I'd create a thread about it on the forum. 

What is the hardest shot in golf?

This can be objective or subjective, which I think is what makes it a fun question and discussion topic. I am going to choose the latter.

Using a Par 4 as my example, the hardest shot in golf is the shot after hitting a great tee shot. I know that with the tee shot, I have set myself up for a very good opportunity to get a GIR, but also try to get within range of a good birdie chance. More often than not, I'll duff/top/shank the second shot, leading to frustration and now having to try and get up and down to save par, and very rarely walk away with anything better than a bogey. The mental aspect of golf is what the biggest challenge is for me with this shot. If I hit a poor tee shot, the second shot is typically going to be a punch out or a lay up, and then the third shot doesn't have as much "pressure," so to speak, as I am now looking at a two putt to card a bogey instead of feeling like I just blew an opportunity to score.

So, MGS Forum members, what is the hardest shot in golf?

I was going to say a 50-65 yard partial wedge shot, but after reading your post I must agree that for me the second shot on a par 4 (or par 5) hole following a great tee shot in the fairway may just be the most difficult to execute. It's a mental thing for sure, and I am probably thinking too much about putting that second shot in a position where I can make a birdie (or even an eagle) has a lot to do with the degree of difficulty.

[BigFos 23]

Fairway bunker for me!

[ArkansasGolfGuy]

I’ve got to go with the hardest shot being a mid range chip shot out of the rough over a sand trap with not much green to work with. Almost impossible to get it close. I get cold sweats just thinking about it! 

[Iowa Hacker]

This one is easy. The tee shot after the slow poke fivesome in front of you finally let's you play through!

[KevinEik]

The down hill bunker has always been the most challenging for me. Down hill short sided rough sucks also. 

[darrellthompson]

Short sided pitch over a bunker to a dowhill runaway green, with water long.  

[Lou Caracappa]

For me there are 2.  A downhill lie approach shot and any long shot from the rough. 

[Slight shank]

60 yard bunker shot with water right behind the green

[Frankast23]

I have two candidates. 

1. Being forced to work the ball either direction off the tee on a dog leg. For some reason it goes dead straight most of the time.
2.  Hitting last in a scramble. There’s added pressure to being the last after everyone else. Especially, if no one else played a safe shot. 

[Dennisnewman]

Short sided chip within 10-20 yards

[MC3157]

For me it's any shot on a downhill lie. I very rarely can make solid contact on those lies. I usually end up hitting the ground well before the ball which just frustrates me. Maybe one of these days I'll figure it out as it doesn't seem to matter what the distance is I have for the shot, I always mess it up on the downhill lie!!

[MichaelJW]

The Tee shot when someone is letting you play through!  

[Javs]

The hardest shot is the next shot after a shank. Was it one bad swing or have the swing demons arrived…..  

Edited August 18, 2023 by Javs

[RwsGolf1]

The worst and hardest shot in golf is a long par three into the wind to a green virtually surrounded by water.  No matter what long-iron you choose, you must flight it and hit hard and solid to an elevated green. If mis-hit, it falls short into the water, if hit too hot, it bounces over green and down the hill into water behind.  At our club, we have one just like this.  The only thing worse is when they have it tucked on back right behind bunker.https://golftraxx.com/hole-layout?coursename=Wellington+National+Golf+Club&zipcode=33414&hole=7&static=true

[ACalling]

43 minutes ago, Lou Caracappa said:

For me there are 2.  A downhill lie approach shot

Absolutely this. Had this in one of my rounds last week, Downhill 20yd chip to an elevated green. Stuff nightmares are made of

[edkera]

Without a doubt...playing through!

Sent from my SM-T970 using Tapatalk

[cojobro77]

IMO I'd have to say the hardest shot I can think of would be the tee-shot on the back 9 after shooting a really good score on the front 9. Seems to get me everytime lol. If not that shot, then I would go with any long bunker shot. 

[Mike B]

On 8/10/2023 at 10:19 AM, TG8 said:

Short chip Over bunker or water with the pin tucked. No green to work with. Impossible

Amen! Or any shot out of the sand

[Heater]

I'd have to say the chips from an uphill lie with not much green to work with. There is one par 3 on my local course where, if your short, its a 45 degree slope up with to a fairly small green. I'm always caught between a flop shot or touchy soft flip...rarely works with either, but I remember ever flopper that does, because it feels SO good, especially with a group! 

[Mr Three Wiggle]

Some others have mentioned it, but it is definitely the one that is buried in a bunker -- a fried egg without toast, potatoes and bacon sucks!

[JustJeffy]

For me, it's any first tee shot with someone I haven't played with before.  Driving is one of the best parts of my game, but prior to getting to know the person I'm playing with it always adds a level of stress.  I actually like the gallery aspect when playing, which seems at odds with playing partner stress.  I guess the difference is that I don't have to spend the day with the same gallery member coming up with conversation as I hit my third shot out of the bunker?

[JohnnyFlatStick]

The hardest shot personally is a par three where the green is on an island or peninsula. You want to play it so safe that it’s challenging to put yourself in a good position. I think this goes back to how mental golf is. If you can block the water out mentally and focus on your target then it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you have any doubt you end up playing the super safe shot. 

[Jeremy26]

1 hour ago, Javs said:

The hardest shot is the next shot after a shank. Was it one bad swing or have the swing demons arrived…..  

I felt this quake through my bones

[cycleguy55]

Fried egg lie from a downhill lie in a greenside bunker - with water on the other side of the green.

[Kevin Kelley]

A short sided 60 degree wedge out of the kikuyu grass over a deep bunker to a green sloping away from you on #18  when you need to get up and down to halve your Nassau and you have no money in your pocket.

 

[Lsuarez@bigv]

60 yard bunker to a short sided green.