[PHOTO: J.D. Cuban]
From 115 metres, a 15-handicapper hits the green less than half of the time – in fact, 39.5 percent from 115 to 135 metres, according to game-tracking system Arccos Golf. Most of those misses are short because golfers tend to over-estimate how far they hit the ball, so even a decent shot is not just short of the hole, it’s short of the green! Here’s a formula that will help you hit more greens with your irons.
Before selecting a club, determine the distance to the centre of the green, then add seven metres. Why seven metres? Because 28 metres is a good estimate of average green depth, and we want to get you aiming for the back third of the green to allow for a mis-hit. If you’re playing a course with particularly small or large greens, adjust accordingly, but seven metres is a good rule. On this shot [above], I’ve established that it’s 115 metres to the centre, so seven more makes it 122 metres. For most amateurs, that means clubbing up one from a pitching wedge or 9-iron.
This strategy gives you a much bigger margin for error – and a significantly better chance for a birdie putt. Let me explain. If I were to play this shot at 122 metres and slightly mis-hit it, I’d be in the middle of the green. The very back edge is 128 metres, so if I hit it just past my 122 number, I’d still have some green to play with. If I really goose one, I’m just off the back, which is usually much better than short. The distance to the front here is about 100 metres, so for me to come up short in the bunker or the water, I’d have to hit it more than 20 metres short of my number. That’s unlikely.
Try my advice next time you play. I bet you’ll hit the green on shorter approaches more often.
