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Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you play smarter and better golf.
At one time or another, every amateur golfer wants to hit the “champion putt” as some of our favorite professional golfers do. The problem is that most amateurs don’t have anywhere near the skill required to pull off such a tricky shot, and they’d be better off dropping the ball than trying to play the ball from an obstructed area.
If you haven’t seen the video below, it’s a prime example of a decision many amateurs often face while on tour: go for it vs. take a break.
Now, look, I want to get the lowest possible score every time I play golf, but is it worth risking your teeth to do so? It shouldn’t be.
In today’s Play Smart lesson, GOLF Top 100 educator Jim Murphy is here to help make these tough decisions a little easier for you. Rather than always falling short in doing so, he explains the thought process that must be followed in order to analyze how hard a shot is—and then make the right golf decision. Check out what he has to say below.
Risk assessment on the golf course
During this year’s US Open, we saw the eventual champion, Windham Clark, breathe a shot.
As he hit his approach to the 14th hole, Clark was just off the edge of the green in very deep grass and valley. Despite burying the ball, he got in there with a wedge of sand and tried to hit it on the green.
His first swing never hit the ball.
Then Clark swung again, popping the ball and watching it roll to the other side of the green; where he was able to 2-putt for bogey.
In my opinion, he was lucky that the ball worked on the second attempt – otherwise it could cost him the championship. This got me thinking about when a player should evaluate risk, and when it is better to go low than to go for it. Here are three things I look for when evaluating the right time to decide which option is best for you.
Is the club course clear of obstacles?
If you have a veiny path for the ball with your putter, and your ball is in it Clear Way to land in a better place than a drop can produce, then go for it! However, if your club is going to come into contact with twigs or heavy grass that could wrap around the post, in my opinion, that’s too risky – so taking a drop is the way to go.
If you can get the club to the ball, but the road to recovery has a lot of obstacles to overcome—like leaves, limbs, water, or deep grass—the stakes are too high, and you’ll have to fall.
In the water, how much of the ball can you see?
If your ball is in the water and it’s shallow (not buried), with more than half of the ball above the waterline, go for it! If more than half of the sphere is covered in water, or completely under water, take the drop!
If the ball is less than half covered, but plugged with mud, take a drop.
Rely on your history
If you played the shot before and succeeded in getting it out exactly How you planned, then go. This includes previous rounds, or times in the range where you’re working on those tough shots. However, if you’ve tried a similar shot before and failed, take a break! And if you’ve never tried the shot in training or on the course – and the risk is greater than one shot adding to your scorecard – I suggest you take the shot.
Hitting and hoping is no way to play golf successfully. So the next time you’re faced with a decision to either go for it or take a break, make sure you do your homework and assess the risks of the situation.
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