The Golf Shot That Won the U.S. Open

There are several factors to consider when an amateur decides whether or not to play an aggressive or safe golf shot, from the lie of the ball to where your next shot will land. Do you usually go for those shots that may have repercussions or do you lay up?

I must admit that most of the time I go for the safe approach, figuring I would rather have a second shot that I could make rather than picking myself out of troubles that lie ahead. There are times, however, where the safe shot is not always the best option.

Case in point... Gary Woodland, during the final round of the 2019 U.S. Open, decided on an aggressive play knowing that the trouble that lay ahead, namely, Brooks Koepka, was a birdie putt away from a tie for the lead.

What did Woodland do?

Well, in this case, his caddie made the ultimate call which was for Woodland to take a 3-wood and hit the ball 255 yards to a raised green, knowing that par wouldn't win the U.S. Open.

The golf ball landed on the fringe and Woodland wound up with a birdie, putting him ahead of Koepka and in a position to win.

Not many amateurs can hit a 255-yard 3 wood (especially under pressure) but when should we take the long shot in golf or play it safe?

There are several bullet points to remember before taking a long shot.

- Never go for low percentage shots. If there is trouble near your target and you think the golf club you selected will get you there, steer clear!

- Get out of trouble safely. If your golf ball is buried in the woods or behind a tree, don't try a miracle shot - instead, get the ball back into the fairway with a look at the green.

- Take the trouble out of play from your first shot. Position yourself properly so that, if you need that next shot to be a miracle, you have the option.

Photo: Wikimedia.org

Do You Play #Golf to Win?

Scenario: You're behind by two strokes, nearing the end a very important golf tournament, and your ball is not sitting in the best position to go for the green. Your nearest competitor has not bogeyed all day long and appears to be in good shape. What is your next move?

Do you:

a) play it safe
b) play to win

This was the dilemma for Ian Poulter as he debated his next move while 21-year-old Si Woo Kim stood ready on the fairway to increase his lead on a par-5 at the 2017 Players Championship.

Poulter decided to play it safe, protecting 2nd place money and his world ranking. After the tournament and his decision had been made, Poulter received criticism from a Golf Channel commentator, calling the move "the worst shot of the day."

Was it though? 

Chamblee, the commentator in question, clarified his statement to include that it was, indeed, a "fine shot" and, although it "didn't cost himself any money, didn't cost him any world ranking points", Poulter "clearly did not play to win".

According to PGA.com, the hardest shot to hit under pressure is...the layup. "It won't get any votes for Shot of the Year" but it could make the difference in the shots that follow. A study in favor of opposing side, that is, playing aggressively in a tight squeeze, was published by Edmund M. Balsdon in the Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports. He argues that "pros should start playing more aggressive under pressure because tournament purses are heavily skewed in favor of the winner."

Of course, we don't play at that level but most of us do like to compete and beat our friends.

So, do you play safe and wait for your competitor to make an error (which happens a lot at our level of play) or go for the low percentage shot and, possibly, the win if you make a great shot?

I guess it depends on how well you are hitting the ball that day. Two thoughts to consider before making that decision during play:

- If you've been making most of your shots and your confidence is high, then go for it!

- If you have been scrambling all day, on the other hand, then you should play it safe.

Good luck out there!

Have you played it safe when your mind said, "Go for it?" Let us know your story below in the comments section of this Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.