Golf Tips: Eliminating your misses by changing your aim

In today’s edition of golf tips, we look at a simple way to cut down your misses on approach shots.

So many times when we are out on the golf course, we get focused on where the pin is at. You have to be really good, low single-digit handicap good, to consistently hit it where you are aiming on approach shots. This is why, in today’s golf tips, we look at how aiming at the pin might actually be hurting your golf score.

There are a couple of factors to take into account when you are approaching the green. If you are just off the green and hitting a 20-yard pitch shot, then, by all means, aim for the pin. Those aren’t the shots that I am talking about today. I am talking about once you get out to full wedge range, let’s say 65 yards and out.

Next up is thinking about where your ball normally goes. If you are constantly missing to a certain side, take that into account when aiming. For example, if you let a lot of your shots leak out to the right, which is a common problem for right-handed golfers, then you should be aiming for the left half of the green, regardless of where the pin is at.

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A good way to think of this is to think about the average diameter of where your shots land. If you hit most of your shots into a 15-yard area, you can really increase the number of greens that you are hitting by aiming at the center of the green. Even if the pin isn’t located there. If the pin is tucked away in a corner, there is no reason to aim for it. At least half of your shots are going to miss to the two nearest areas of rough, increasing your score more than you realize.

Check out some of these pictures from the folks over at plugged in golf. They show a nice extreme scenario that accentuates the point by placing the pin in the corner, where it sits fairly close to a water hazard. I can think of plenty of courses that have setups like this, so it isn’t too far-fetched. Everyone wants to knock it close for a look at birdie (or a one-putt at least), but you are just as likely, if not more likely to put it in the hazard. Instead, aiming for the center of the green greatly increases your chances of lowering your score and increasing the rate of your GIR.

As you get ready to hit your shot, regardless of where you are located, where the pin is at, and what is around it, take a second to think of your personal landing zone. Imagine that landing area in your mind, and place it over the green. Start in the center of the green. If it extends to the rough in any spot while located in the center of the green, then you know you should be aiming at the center.

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As your circle in your mind gets smaller, you can move it around. Likely, as you get closer to the green. Remember, as long as that circle touches the rough, leave it in the center. Before you know it, you’ll be hitting a lot more greens, and lowering your score. That’ll do it for today’s edition of golf tips.

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