Course Management · Lesson
Aim Your Whole Pattern, Not Your Best Shot
Part of our course management programs for picking targets. Build a program with it
Your shots don't all go where you aim. They spread out. Picture all your shots from one distance forming a cone. Now aim so the whole cone lands in the safest place. That might mean aiming toward trees on the side away from water. Into greens, aim at the middle when the pin is tucked. Long putts rarely lead to disaster. Some good shots will end farther from the hole. That's fine.
Step by step
- Picture your shot spread.
- Find where it could finish worst.
- Shift your aim away from that.
- Aim center-green on tucked pins.
- Accept some longer putts.
Why it works
Every golfer's shots land in a spread, not on a single point. If you aim your best shot at the target, the misses on one side of the spread can end in trouble. Moving your aim so the whole spread lands in safe ground lowers the cost of your misses, and you lose little on the good shots.
Common mistakes
- You picture only your best shot and aim for that.Think of the last ten shots with this club and aim so the worst of them still finish in play.
- You shift your aim but then swing at the old target.Pick a specific new target, line up to it, and commit to a full swing at that spot.
- You aim at a tucked pin because the shot feels good.Choose the middle of the green and treat a longer putt as a fair result.
How you'll know it's working
- Your misses finish on grass, in the short rough, or on the wide side of the green instead of in water, sand, or trees.
- You face fewer recovery shots in a round, even if a few good shots finish farther from the hole.
- You can name your target and the trouble you are avoiding before every swing.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start on a wide hole with trouble on only one side, and just move your aim a few paces away from it.
Harder: Play a round where you state your shot pattern and the worst miss before each full shot, and aim only by that plan.
Common questions
Should I always aim at the middle of the green?
No. Aim at the middle when the pin is tucked near trouble. When the pin is in an open spot and the miss is safe, you can aim closer to it.
How do I know my shot pattern?
Hit several shots with the same club to the same target and note where they finish. Over a few rounds, note which side your misses go and how far they spread.
