How do you play this situation?

[Asics10]

How do you handle this situation?

Par 5. 

Second shot to unreachable green. 

Do you? 

A) Hit it as far as possible often leaving a ¾ or ½ wedge which may be an uncomfortable distance? 

B) Lay up to a certain number that leaves you a full comfortable wedge? 

[Superbrit]

Smash it and go and find it

[bladestriker]

Hazards and pin placement would dictate laying to a number, otherwise I would get as close as I could.

[DShepley]

12 minutes ago, bladestriker said:

Hazards and pin placement would dictate laying to a number, otherwise I would get as close as I could.

This.  If there is trouble close, or if the pin is protected by a mound or something I would lay up to about 80 yards where I could hit a shot with some spin.  If there isn't a lot of trouble around the green and the pin is going to be easy to get at, I hit it as close to the green as I can.  I read a stat somewhere that the pros do best when they hit it as close as possible, however, we aren't pros with pro short games, so err on the side of what leaves you in a comfortable position.  

[SNIPERBBB]

Hulk smash unless watery grave awaits.

[RobotDoctor]

Layup to a yardage that would leave me with a full shot in and I can hit a club I have complete trust in.

[2bGood]

It really depends on pin placement - what kind of trouble there is and how I feel about my game that day. 

 

If there is water/OB or other peril in play, I am going to lay-up to around a 100 to hit a nice SW in. If it is a front pin with not much trouble I will hit 3 wood. 

 

However most the course I play actually do have trouble around the near reachable par 5's and I lay up if I can't reach the green about 80% of the time. For me this means I am highly likely making par as I am on the green with two okay shots and have a birdie putt. 

 

 

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by 2bGood

[Nard_S]

Pretty much how i feel that day. If my hands feel clunky with touch shots, lay back for a near full. Usually though I get as close as possible.

 

[gripandrip]

Have a hole like this on one of the course I regularly play. If the wind is right, you can barely reach the green with a couple of great shots. Area in front of the green is marsh, which would require a layup of at least 75 yards to have a fairway lie. I agree with others as to lay up. Pin placement is an issue. If pin is in the front... I lay up for a good club length I can spin and stick on the green.... if the pin is deep it's not so critical as you can roll out a bit. I'd never smash it as close as possible if it puts me in the rough grass before in front of the marsh. That grass can get pretty thick.

[jamgam]

Hit is as far as I'm comfortable with.  The numbers say that amateurs are better the closer they are.  If there's no danger and I'm comfortable with 3 wood I hit 3 wood and get as close as I can

[Chief Penguin]

If I can get inside of 50 and no trouble, I’d smash.  If not, I’d rather hit from 120-115 or 100-105 than from 70-80 .  This also depends on how I’m feeling about my 3 wood at the moment.

Edited May 4, 2021 by Chief Penguin

[Santiago Golf]

If there is nothing in front of me ... I'm hitting close as possible (strokes gained)

 

If there is something ... hit as close to the something 

 

 

[Soloman1]

Proximity to the hole is proportional to distance from the hole for every shot. There is no other answer.

[trilerian]

If there is no danger of a miss, hulk smash my 4w, because why not?  Seriously though, whatever you think gets you into the best position for your next shot.  If you are not comfortable with partial wedges, then lay up to a full club.  If you don't have an issue with partial wedges, smash away.  

[TLUBulldogGolf]

This probably goes against the modern teaching but I would look at the pin and my likelihood of stopping it based on the pin placement and lay up based on that. I like 70-80 yards, I can get plenty of spin, I would look at getting it closer if the pin sets up well for it. I'm also not a huge fan of laying up with fairway woods but that's just me. 

Edited May 4, 2021 by TLUBulldogGolf

[MelloYello]

I see a lot of discussion that's immediately looking a shot ahead but I think that's potentially a mistake. The shot at hand is the lay-up.

 

I certainly understand that we want to get into scoring position for that 3rd shot. If you're good, that probably means getting as close as possible. But...

 

...if you start thinking about how well you're going to spin the 3rd shot, that's a great way to lose focus and hit a sloppy lay-up that ends up in the rough. Moreover, there's a lot to consider beyond just the wedge yardage anyhow. 

 

First thing I'm thinking about in this situation is what limitations there might be where I'm landing my lay-up. Is there a sloped area I should avoid? Is there a section of fairway to avoid? Things like that should be as present in your mind as the yardage that you're leaving yourself for the next shot.

 

The lie you leave yourself is probably more important that the precise yardage anyway. 

[naval2006]

1 hour ago, jamgam said:

Hit is as far as I'm comfortable with.  The numbers say that amateurs are better the closer they are.  If there's no danger and I'm comfortable with 3 wood I hit 3 wood and get as close as I can

Yes, sir.  I have way more chances of hitting green from 50 yards than 100 these days.  

[buckrogers71]

Hit something that is going to leave me a full: gap, 54, or 58 in. That being said, I'll have either a dicey wedge or 6 iron in 🤣

[mgoblue83]

Firm/fast greens and front pin = lay back to full sand wedge yardage (100-110). Back pin = hit it as close to the green as possible.

 

Soft/slow greens = hit it as close as possible.

 

 

 

It's simply impossible to consistently get the ball close to a front pin with firm and fast greens without the landing angle and spin you get from a "full" wedge shot. Yeah - you can try to nip it perfectly and land it short of the green but it just brings other variables into play and it's all about consistency. 

[betarhoalphadelta]

1 hour ago, RobotDoctor said:

Layup to a yardage that would leave me with a full shot in and I can hit a club I have complete trust in.

 

I don't have complete trust in any club on the golf course... So I'd rather be as close as possible. 😉 

[RobotDoctor]

Just now, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

I don't have complete trust in any club on the golf course... So I'd rather be as close as possible. 😉 

 

Sounds like an issue I often come up with myself.  I can also agree with this strategy!  👍

[getitdaily]

If there is a hazard that can be reached then always lay back. 

 

If the pin is front then I tend to lay back to have more spin on the 3rd. 

 

If pin is middle or back (a lot of green to land and spin a shot) then I'm almost always getting as close as I can. 

[bladehunter]

All depends on pin 📍 placement.  I feel the same on driveable par 4s. If it’s front pin I’m laying back to a full  lob wedge.  If it’s back pin you have more options on approach.  Try keeping a 40 yard shot close to a front pin.   Near impossible unless you carry a 64 degree wedge. 

[makana]

chances you hit your favorite yardage closer than a 40/50 yard pitch are low...unless you don't have a game...either way...chances of you hitting the green with a shorter shot and having a putt for birdie has greatly increased by smashing it as far as you can...

 

problem is safety of you hitting a longer club in a good lay up spot...avoiding a hazard or a bad spot would be more beneficial 

[MrJones]

Is there somewhere up there that I absolutely do not want to end up? Then I hit as much club as I can while safely staying away from that spot.

 

On my last round I hit a couple of 3 woods into some Par 5's. Good shots (for me) overall and was within 20 feet of the flag on both. But I also ended up each time with a bad/tight lie, short sided, with a bunker in between myself and the green. I did not do well from those spots.

[Exactice808]

Speed of green and pin placement vs dangers might dictate approach shot.

 

If there is no Danger to the pin and not short sided, Grip it and rip it.... Get as close as I can, use the wedge game to cozy the ball up to the hole.

 

If its front side short sided to a bunker, I might lay back to distance where I can get control/spin to stop just past the pin, Wouldnt want to get too cute in front of a trap or risk flying it over a green due to lack of speed and spin.

[J13]

12 hours ago, Asics10 said:

How do you handle this situation?

Par 5. 

Second shot to unreachable green. 

Do you? 

A) Hit it as far as possible often leaving a ¾ or ½ wedge which may be an uncomfortable distance? 

B) Lay up to a certain number that leaves you a full comfortable wedge? 

 

 

Lay up and get a birdie unless it's wide open around the green then go for it.

[stephenmatt]

Leave myself the shortest 3rd shot in that I can.

[aenemated]

I'd play to having a comfy 9 iron in. 

[llewol007]

depends on pin placement. If its tucked to the front, I would want some sort of full swing wedge yardage. Probably about a 110 yards or 90 yards. If it is in the middle or back, I usually smash a 3 wood as close as I can and use my sand wedge or lob wedge