The Best Way to Avoid Blow Out Holes | Tee Shot Strategy
The Best Way to Avoid Blow Out Holes | Tee Shot Strategy
I've played countless rounds of golf, and one of the most frustrating things is the "blow out hole" – that one hole that completely derails your score with a lost ball or a penalty. I recently played the fourth hole at Emerald Lakes, a par 5 with a significant water hazard running all along the right side, and it perfectly illustrates my strategy for avoiding these score-killers.
The Challenge: Water, Water Everywhere (on the Right)
This particular hole isn't super long for a par 5, but that water on the right is a magnet for trouble. For me, going right is the one place I absolutely cannot hit my ball.
A common mistake I see, and one I used to make, is aiming straight down the middle of the fairway. This significantly increases the risk of my shot drifting right into that hazard, especially if I have a tendency to slice the ball. [00:37]
My Strategy: Aim Left, Even with the Driver
Despite the trouble, I still recommend using a driver on this par 5. The extra distance is vital, and the goal is to maximize that distance while avoiding the major penalty.
My key strategy is to aim aggressively towards the left-hand trees. Why? Because even if my ball ends up in those trees on the left, it's usually findable and playable. I can typically punch out and still have a chance to reach the green in three shots. Hitting into trees is far less detrimental than a lost ball, a penalty shot, or going out of bounds. The biggest scores in golf almost always come from these major errors.
Avoiding Big Blowouts: It's About Risk Management
For me, the crucial aspect of golf isn't necessarily hitting every single fairway. It's about avoiding those big blowout scores caused by penalties and unplayable lies. [01:43]
There are two main ways I approach avoiding trouble:
Hit a club that will never reach the trouble: This is the safer option if the trouble is within my normal hitting distance.
Aim as far away from the trouble as possible: This is my preferred method when I still want to use a longer club like the driver.
I also understand that my shots, and everyone's shots, have a dispersion pattern. My goal is to aim in a way that minimizes the chances of my shots ending up in the major hazard.
My Pre-Shot Routine and Outcome
To further encourage my aim away from the hazard, I'll often tee up on the right side of the tee box – the side where the trouble is. Then, I focus on maintaining a consistent pre-shot routine. This helps me execute the shot without overthinking and allows my swing to flow naturally. [02:57]
In the video, my shot actually went a bit further right than I intended, but because of my initial left aim, it was still perfectly safe. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the strategy. Even professional golfers have a significant dispersion with their driver (around 60-70 meters wide), which just goes to show that perfect accuracy isn't always achievable. [03:57]
By applying this tee shot strategy – aiming away from the biggest trouble, even if it means flirting with other less penal hazards – you can significantly reduce those frustrating blow out holes and keep your scores in check.
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