Layups: compare the next shot and the risk

Work through it

1. Assess the current lie and carry needed to clear trouble.
2. Compare a safe advance with a forced carry.
3. Identify the widest landing zone.
4. Choose a remaining distance you can handle without manufacturing an exact number.

A practical example

A broad fairway landing 80 yards short may be more useful than a narrow landing at a preferred 100-yard distance.

Practice task

Sketch one par 5 and list two second-shot options. Compare likely landing areas and remaining approaches using your actual carry distances.

Common mistakes

Do not lay up to a precise number if that number sits in a narrow or hazardous area. Distance and dispersion must be considered together.

Keep learning

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