Golf Strategy: choose the shot you can play

Use realistic carry distances, safe targets and repeatable decisions to manage a round.

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Choose tees that fit your carry

Choose tees that leave realistic shots and manageable forced carries.

Safe targets: aim for your whole pattern

A target should allow for the spread of shots you normally hit.

Avoid penalty strokes with earlier decisions

Many penalty strokes begin with a club or target choice made before the swing.

Layups: compare the next shot and the risk

A layup should place the ball in a useful position while controlling the chance of trouble.

Club selection: carry, lie and stopping room

Select a club for the carry required, the lie and the available landing area.

Playing from rough: assess what the lie allows

Rough can interfere with contact and change speed, launch or spin.

Uphill and downhill lies: adapt the task

Sloping ground changes balance and delivery.

Avoid short-sided misses

A short-sided miss leaves little green between the ball and the hole, often demanding a difficult recovery.

Track performance you can act on

Useful statistics describe repeated situations and decisions.

Course management: make a playable plan

Course management combines your shot pattern with the hole's design and the situation after each stroke.