The Hole I Should’ve Made Par On

Par 4, nothing scary about it.

Decent drive, middle of the fairway. About 145 yards in. I remember thinking, this is one of those easy pars… maybe even a birdie look.

I pulled an 8-iron, aimed straight at the flag tucked on the right side, and hit it exactly where I aimed.

Right into the bunker.

Blasted out long, chipped back, two-putt double bogey.

Walked off that hole more annoyed than I should’ve been. Not because I hit bad shots — but because I didn’t need to be in trouble in the first place.

That’s when it started clicking for me: most bad scores aren’t from bad swings. They’re from bad decisions.

You’re Aiming at Flags Like You’re Better Than You Are

I’m just going to say it.

Most weekend golfers aim at flags way too often.

I did it for years. Felt like that’s what you’re supposed to do. You see the pin, you aim at it. Simple.

It’s not.

Pins are often placed near trouble — bunkers, water, edges of greens. That’s literally the point. If you aim at them without thinking, you’re bringing that trouble into play for no reason.

A better approach? Aim for the safest part of the green.

Middle of the green is boring. It’s also where your scores improve.

You might end up 20 feet away. That’s fine. Two putts and you’re walking off with a stress-free par.

Distance Control Is More Important Than Direction

This one surprised me.

I used to think hitting it straight was everything. And yeah, it matters — but not as much as you think.

Being pin-high but slightly left or right is usually okay. Being short or long, especially around hazards, is where things fall apart.

If there’s water short, take more club. If there’s trouble long, club down.

You’re managing risk.

And no, this doesn’t mean swinging softer or harder to adjust distance. That’s where people mess up. Pick the right club so you can make a normal swing.

Your swing is already inconsistent enough. Don’t add more variables.

Stop Trying to Recover Like a Hero

This is the opinion I’ll argue all day.

The fastest way to ruin a round is trying to hit hero shots.

Ball in the trees? Most people immediately start looking for that tiny window to thread it through. The one shot that, if pulled off, makes you feel like a genius.

But here’s the reality: you’re far more likely to hit another tree, drop it deeper into trouble, or advance it five yards.

Now you’re hitting your third or fourth shot from a worse position.

Take your medicine.

Punch it out sideways. Get back to the fairway. Reset.

It feels boring. It also saves you multiple strokes over a round.

Play to Your Miss, Not Your Best Shot

This one took me a long time to accept.

We all have a “stock miss.” Maybe it’s a fade, a pull, a thin strike, whatever.

But when you’re standing over the ball, you’re thinking about your best shot. The pure one. The perfect one.

That’s not the shot that shows up most often.

Course management is about planning for your typical outcome, not your ideal one.

If you tend to miss right, don’t aim at a flag with trouble on the right. Give yourself space. Aim left of the target so your miss still ends up in a playable area.

It’s not about being negative. It’s about being realistic.

The Tee Shot Isn’t About Distance

There’s this obsession with hitting driver on every par 4 and par 5.

I get it. Feels good to smash one.

But not every hole requires it.

Sometimes the fairway narrows at driver distance. Sometimes there’s trouble exactly where your longest shots land. Sometimes the angle into the green is terrible from that position.

Try this: pick the club that gives you the best next shot, not the longest first shot.

If that’s a hybrid or long iron, so be it.

You’re not playing for style points.

Angles Matter More Than You Think

This is one of those things that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Where you are in the fairway can change everything about your next shot.

Say the pin is on the right side of the green. If you’re on the right side of the fairway, you’ve got less green to work with and more risk. From the left side, the angle opens up and the shot becomes easier.

So sometimes it’s not just about hitting the fairway — it’s about which part of the fairway.

I’m not saying you need to overthink every shot. But being aware of angles can make the game feel a lot simpler.

Par Isn’t Always the Goal

This one might sound strange.

On some holes, bogey is a good score.

Tight par 4 with water and bunkers everywhere? Maybe your plan is just to get the ball in play, hit the green in three, and take your two putts.

Trying to force a par on a difficult hole often leads to doubles or worse.

Playing for bogey can feel like giving up, but it’s actually smart golf.

You’re minimizing damage instead of chasing something that’s not there.

The One Thing I Still Get Wrong

Even now, I catch myself making decisions based on emotion instead of logic.

Bad hole before? I want to “get it back” on the next one.

That’s when I start forcing shots, taking risks I wouldn’t normally take.

I’m not fully sure there’s a perfect fix for this. It’s more about awareness. Catching yourself in the moment and asking, “Would I take this shot if I wasn’t annoyed right now?”

Sometimes the answer is uncomfortable.

Think One Shot Ahead

Most golfers only think about the shot they’re about to hit.

Better players think about the next one too.

If you’re 200 yards out, maybe the goal isn’t to get as close as possible. Maybe it’s to leave yourself a comfortable wedge distance instead of an awkward half-shot.

Same around the greens. Sometimes the best play isn’t the one that finishes closest — it’s the one that leaves the easiest next putt.

You’re not just playing one shot. You’re playing sequences.

And once you start thinking like that, the game slows down in a good way.

You stop reacting and start planning.