For a long hitter, the long game shots on par 4’s can be the tee shots only as their second shots will be the approach shots (shots you make with the goal of landing on the green). Clubs used on the long game are drivers, fairway woods which can be drivers depending on the lofts, 3 woods; 1, 2, 3 and 4 irons. For you to be able to strike the ball well, a good lie is desirable, particularly if you are one of those players who sometimes uses a driver after the tee shot.
For most amateurs, on par 5’s you can use a driver on the tee shot and also a driver or 3 wood on the second shots easily before you get to the green. On courses where there are “preferred lies” local rules, some people use it to their outmost advantage. They place their balls on raised turf. I however do not recommend it because the day you play on a course where there is no such local rule your game will suffer seriously.
Importance of long game: The game of golf consists of playing a ball from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the rules. Holing a ball with one stroke (hitting the ball from the teeing ground straight into the hole on the first stroke “hit”) happens on par 3’s as they are within the approach shot distances. The less the number of strokes to the hole you make the better as the game is won by the player who finishes with the lowest score after adding all your scores for each of the 18 holes.
You will hear from many people that the short game is the most important element of the game of golf. Within what is covered when we talk of short game is putting, which is also the most important part of the short game. One to two putts will reward you well. However, for a ball to be within the short game territory distances, you should have hit your tee shots or second shots far enough. Therefore, learn to play your long game shots far with accuracy. A good short game after that will put you in the single digits handicaps category.
For any feedback/comments contact the writer, Tavenganiswa Mabikacheche at The Centre for Training and Research Services on email: [email protected] or mobile no. +263712200922 /+263772319612
