Course Management · Lesson
Five Ways to Plan Your Own Course Strategy
Part of our course management programs for picking targets. Build a program with it
Good strategy saves more strokes than a new swing. Know how far each club carries. Learn the course before you play it, hole by hole, even a new one. Check the pin sheet if there is one. Few golfers do. Around the green, pick the safest shot, not the same lofted wedge every time. And on long putts, aim to finish inside a two-foot circle around the hole. Not just the hole itself.
Step by step
- Know your carry distances.
- Preview the course.
- Check the pin sheet.
- Pick the safest short-game shot.
- Lag into a two-foot circle.
Why it works
Strokes are lost mostly by big misses and poor decisions, not by slightly imperfect swings. Knowing your carry distances lets you pick a club that clears trouble, and knowing the hole layout and pin position lets you aim at the safe side of the green. On long putts, distance control matters more than line, so a two-foot circle is a larger and more realistic target than the hole and it leaves a short second putt.
Common mistakes
- You use your best-ever distance for each club instead of your normal carry.Hit several shots with each club, ignore the best and worst, and use the typical carry as your number.
- You aim straight at every pin without reading where the trouble is.Check the pin sheet and hole layout, then aim at the middle or the safe side when the pin is close to a hazard.
- You aim to hole every long putt and leave yourself a awkward comeback.Picture a two-foot circle around the hole and judge your speed to finish anywhere inside it.
How you'll know it's working
- Your approach shots finish on the green or in a safe spot more often, even when they miss the pin.
- Your first putt from long range stops inside about two feet of the hole, so most second putts are short.
- Around the green, you can name the shot you chose and why before you swing, and the ball ends up closer than with your default wedge.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice on a short course or a few holes you already know, and write your carry distances on a card before you start.
Harder: Play a course you have never seen, make a written plan for each hole beforehand, and count how many long putts finish inside the two-foot circle.
Common questions
How do I find out how far I carry each club?
Hit a set of shots with each club on a range or with a launch monitor, and note where the ball lands, not where it stops. Use the typical carry, not your longest shot.
Why aim for a circle around the hole instead of the hole on long putts?
On long putts your speed will vary more than your line, so the hole is too small a target. A two-foot circle accepts that variation and makes a three-putt much less likely.
