How do you make decisions connected to the approach shot? What shot does the course designer want you to hit to the green? What hazards does a designer incorporate into the landing area from the tee shot, what is the length of the approach shot? As the length decreases to the green you can typically expect to encounter more hazards of increasing severity.
On par 3s where there is no landing area you can expect deep bunkers, swales and hummocks around the green and often rough which is difficult to escape from. This is less likely on par 4s and par 5s because you will have challenges in the lie, stance and angle from your approach shot. If that approach shot is relatively short there may be hazards in the landing area to punish a poor shot. The fairway may be narrowed by rough or bunkers to force players to lay up short to a safe area or to hit longer to carry beyond the hazard. Sand dunes and fairway bunkers can narrow the landing area towards the green.
Bunkers positioned at 40 yards or further from the green present a difficult problem. It’s too far to explode the ball from the sand and land it onto the green.
As you walk towards your approach shot you will see features that may not be apparent from further away, The rough may be taller, bunkers may be deeper or steeper and slopes may have more inclination. You may notice grassy hollows, pot bunkers or subtle mounds. Looking at these characteristics in closer detail you’ll be able to form a clearer picture of their potential effects on your approach shot.
It’s unlikely that two par 4s of similar length will be defended in the same way. Some can be defended by bunkers at the green – another may have much stronger contouring of the putting surface making it more challenging so the defences around the green will be less.
Before you address your approach shot see what you can work out about the green’s size and shape. Next, determine whether the green is flat, convex or concave.
Concave or ‘bowled’ greens make the ball roll towards the centre of the green, Concave or “crowned’ greens are more difficult because approach shots tend to roll off them. Course designer Donald Ross used convex greens as his signature. Check the scorecard for a diagram of the green and walk round the landing area to get a better view.
Once you’ve determined the size and shape of the green, carefully see where the pin is located. Then decide where you want to land your approach shot given the location of the pin and the green’s shape and size.
On uphill holes the green is often pitched from back to front for improved visibility, Shots that carry too far may require you to negotiate a tricky downhill pitch or chip back onto the green.
Course designers often incorporate slopes or mounds into the green. These can be defensive or penal so determine whether it can help you get close to the flagstick and factor this into your shot selection. Be aware that some mounds will be completely out of play for a certain shot but may be important with a different flagstick position or angle of approach. Slopes in the green may deflect a ball away from the putting surface they may be used to work a shot into a particular pin position. Always consider the severity or degree of tilt to determine how the ball will react when it lands. The greater the tilt, the larger the effect and the more the ball will move when it deflects off the mound or slope.
Designers generally use swales and grassy hollows to help surface drainage of the green. They test your ability to execute different recovery shots. Drainage is one of the most important issues that golf course designers deal with and swales and hollows can contain a drain for capturing water run off.
Swales are shallower than grassy hollows – where the grass is maintained at fairway height you are presented with a variety of choices of shot. Chip, pitch, bump and run or putt. Shot selection can be just as important as execution. If the grass is maintained as rough you will need to pitch the ball out. Hollows are usually deep and can obstruct your view of the putting surface or bottom of the flagstick. They are usually maintained at rough height, limiting recovery options to high lob shots with lofted clubs, The slopes on grassy hollows can be steep. The course designer wants to encourage you to take a safe escape route rather than a daring recovery.
The fringe surrounding the putting surface is an important feature. This small section of two to three feet wide grass can have a major effect on shorter approach shots. When playing from bunkers or rough near the green you are often forced to land the ball in this area to get it close to the hole. The height, texture and condition of the grass become extremely important. For example at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles very tangly kikuyu grass presents a strong challenge. The best way to tell what confronts you is to closely survey the area itself and walk on the fringe to feel how firm it is.
The lower or tighter the grass is manicured, the greater the opportunity to keep the ball low to the ground by running, chipping or putting. The longer the grass the more you will need to elevate the ball by pitching or lobbing it. Take this factor into account before you select your shot.
At the US Open the USGA sets up courses to have deep heavy rough. As a result this makes using the short game very challenging chipping pitching and bump and run are rendered treacherous.
Look at the entrance to the green. It will also play a part in determining the shots that will get you on the green. An open entrance will allow you to bounce the ball on to the green, Another type of entrance is where the fairway connects directly into the putting surface where there is no elevation. This is used where a long approach shot is required. It opens up options to bounce roll pitch bump and run, chip or putt onto the green. With a short approach you may find a narrow entrance only half the width of a green,
Another type of entrance is a narrow runway that sweeps between bunkers or other features to an elevated green. This requires an accurate shot to get through the runway onto the wider green. The elevation will slow or stop an approach shot. With this type of runway entrance the course designer intends you to attack the green through the air rather than use the runway to bump and run a shot on the ground.
Another type of entrance is a side angle one. The front portion of the green is closed with bunkers or other obstacles but an alternate route is created to the side of the green by looping a a portion of the fairway around the obstacles giving players another entry option.
Sometimes there is no entrance because the designer has cut off the front of the green with bunkers, rough or other hazards, forcing you to carry the ball to the putting surface. These situations force you to play a safe shot to the green.
The closer you get to the green full shots are no longe possible and delicate, finesse shots must be mastered. Pitching, chipping, punch shots – low trajectory shots to combat the wind but played close enough to the ground to avoid any major obstacles that need to be carried.
The bump and run shot lands short of the green and then utilises the slopes and contours to help the ball work its way toward the hole. Through the incorporation of entrance areas, swales and other manicured features, designers frequently create opportunities to play the bump and run around greens as a means of testing a player’s feel and touch. The trick is in working out how hard to hit the shot, where to land the ball and how far the ball will roll.
Another shot is the lob shot which can be played from anywhere around the green – from deep rough, grassy hollows or a manicured fairway The lob, also known as a flop shot is the best way to deal with green side defences that require a short carry such as a deep bunker or a water hazard, It is also useful in negotiating major slopes and undulations on the putting surface.
Another useful shot from just off the green is the Texas wedge. This is played with a putter and can even be played from a bunker with no lip or face or the light rough around the putting surface. It can provide better distance control in many situations just off the putting surface. There is less risk of mis hitting it than a short pitch or chip. For players that don’t play often or beginner players the Texas wedge is easier to execute than other recovery shots, especially if your lie is bare, tight or less than perfect.
The importance of the approach shot to the green cannot be underestimated. The more proficient you become in manoeuvring the ball to the hole, the easier time you will have on the greens.
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