Short Par 4 Strategy, Lay Up or Let It Rip? Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles
Short Par 4 Strategy, Lay Up or Let It Rip? Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles

I think there is no hole that’s more exciting to a golfer even if it’s a play or actually to watch then a drivable par 4. One of those par 4 is actually within your maximum driving distance so maybe on the European Tour or the PGA Tour that might be a hole that’s inside 300 yards, 280 to 300 yards. Now from a club golfer’s perspective it might be 250, if you can hit a ball 250 and you step upon the Tee and the hole is 250 immediately you reach for the driver, this is my big chance, this is the chance I could get it to knock it on the green and go on and tell everyone about it in the bar afterwards. And go and enjoy that shot as long as you have weighted the options and you think that’s the safest and best play for you.

I think it’s quite important to look at not just the yardage of the hole but where the danger is, where can I miss it and where can I not afford to miss it. If it’s tight down the left hand side and your normal big shot when you are go for a fast drive and a big drive is a pull hook, you are going to be struggling there if the left hand side is tight and your bad shot is going left. Likewise if when you go for the big drive, you normally miss it right and right hand side is tight, probably not the best time to play that shot. In which case just put the driver down, settle down for a second, leave the driver, think about the best way of making a three a different way, can I hit my 3 wood off the Tee that might go 200, 210 yards and that might just leaving with the little flick on to the green with the wedge anyway and if I have got a good shot game and I am good for inside 50 yards I might be able to make a three that way.

If you are better from a bit further back, maybe you really are confident from a 100 yards out, then all you need to do is just knock it 150 of the Tee to leave you the next 100 in, that might be a 6 or 7 iron put myself in play in the middle of the fairway, I don’t need to be too aggressive, I don’t need to take on the danger or the hazards, I can be a little bit more conservative, putter into position I then go with the green with my next shot.

So just because it’s a drivable par 4 where you can think you can reach the green or you can get it close, look where the hazards are, look where it’s dangerous, look where it’s safe, put the ball into the nice safe positions, use your head, use your strategy and improve your skills like that.

 2012-07-12

I think there is no hole that’s more exciting to a golfer even if it’s a play or actually to watch then a drivable par 4. One of those par 4 is actually within your maximum driving distance so maybe on the European Tour or the PGA Tour that might be a hole that’s inside 300 yards, 280 to 300 yards. Now from a club golfer’s perspective it might be 250, if you can hit a ball 250 and you step upon the Tee and the hole is 250 immediately you reach for the driver, this is my big chance, this is the chance I could get it to knock it on the green and go on and tell everyone about it in the bar afterwards. And go and enjoy that shot as long as you have weighted the options and you think that’s the safest and best play for you.

I think it’s quite important to look at not just the yardage of the hole but where the danger is, where can I miss it and where can I not afford to miss it. If it’s tight down the left hand side and your normal big shot when you are go for a fast drive and a big drive is a pull hook, you are going to be struggling there if the left hand side is tight and your bad shot is going left. Likewise if when you go for the big drive, you normally miss it right and right hand side is tight, probably not the best time to play that shot. In which case just put the driver down, settle down for a second, leave the driver, think about the best way of making a three a different way, can I hit my 3 wood off the Tee that might go 200, 210 yards and that might just leaving with the little flick on to the green with the wedge anyway and if I have got a good shot game and I am good for inside 50 yards I might be able to make a three that way.

If you are better from a bit further back, maybe you really are confident from a 100 yards out, then all you need to do is just knock it 150 of the Tee to leave you the next 100 in, that might be a 6 or 7 iron put myself in play in the middle of the fairway, I don’t need to be too aggressive, I don’t need to take on the danger or the hazards, I can be a little bit more conservative, putter into position I then go with the green with my next shot.

So just because it’s a drivable par 4 where you can think you can reach the green or you can get it close, look where the hazards are, look where it’s dangerous, look where it’s safe, put the ball into the nice safe positions, use your head, use your strategy and improve your skills like that.