Secret In The Dirt - Golf's Greatest Social Network

So, a lot of folks step up to a hole and see bunkers, or trees, or water, or O.B., or deep rough, and they freak out! Their only thoughts before the shot are "don't go into the trouble!" Are you one of those? Well, the thing to realize is that trouble is not just there to punish bad shots. That's SUCH an important point to remember when you're playing. It's there to show you the CORRECT shot. So how do you go about finding said shot? First, think about what types of trouble are the worst. Obviously, out-of-bounds stakes are the worst. Anything with stroke-and-distance penalties (yellow-staked water hazard, for instance) are a close second. Next, I'd probably say trees. Deep rough follows close behind. Then bunkers, then light rough. So with that in mind, you can now look at a golf hole and decide what's the worst place to be, and hit the shot that guards against that. For instance: Let's say we've got a short par 5. There's water on the left, right around the landing area. Directly across from the water, on the right there's a couple bunkers. Now, with this being a short par 5, you want to take advantage of it, because there is the possibility of getting on in 2 shots. You've got to keep the ball in play. Now here's what happens, though. Most golfers think "all trouble is created equal." They see the water and the bunkers, and don't want to go in either one! That's understandable, sure. But what happens when you think like that? You try to hit straight down the middle to avoid both sides of the fairway. That's hard to do, and very dangerous...because if you try to hit it straight, YOU COULD MISS IN EITHER DIRECTION. Whereas if you hit the ball with curve, it will ALWAYS be curving one way or another. Golf is much more predictable that way! Back to the par 5. Use your head and evaluate the trouble! Okay, the water on the left is a definite no-no. And the bunkers, well...compared to being in the water, a bunker ain't that bad! So let's hit the shot that curves away from the water. For me, as a right handed player, that's a fade. I'll start it just to the right of the water, and let it fade farther right. THE BALL IS ALWAYS MOVING AWAY FROM THE WORST TROUBLE. If I happen to slice the ball and it goes all the way across the fairway and into the bunkers, then SO BE IT. I may not get on in two, but at least I didn't have to drop a ball. So that's the thought process that should go into your mind. Not all trouble is created equal! And trust me, most course designers (even Pete Dye!) put the trouble in such a way as to guide you through the golf hole, if you're paying attention.