The par 5s on your course are the holes where you can get your pars more easily than the rest. Think of them as really long par 4s that you are playing for bogey, and you have the idea.<\/p>\n
As with a par-4 hole, the key to the par 5 is the second shot, an advancement shot which sets you up for an easy shot onto the green. Of course, your drive has to put the ball in the right spot for that second shot.<\/p>\n
A long hole does not automatically mean a long drive is needed. I did a survey once of the par-5 holes on eight courses I normally play. The average length was 485 yards, from the white tees. The longest was 525, the shortest was 460.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go with the average, 485 yards. Say you can get 200 yards out of a hybrid iron. Tee off with it. You don\u2019t have to hit that short off the tee, we\u2019re just seeing what happens if you do.<\/p>\n
That third shot into the green needs to be a gimmee. The right second shot is how you get it. <\/p>\n
You have two shots left to cover 285 yards. Divide by two, and that\u2019s about two 7-irons. Or you could cover the same distance with a 5-iron and a pitching wedge.<\/p>\n
Not bad. So let\u2019s go back and tee off with a driver. That puts the ball in the fairway at 230 or so. Now you have two 8-irons to get the ball on the green. See how this works?<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no need to be a manly man when you\u2019re 240 yards away from the hole by going for it all at once unless you are VERY good from that distance. <\/p>\n
Of course you want to get as close to the green as you can for your third shot, but the number one priority is to hit the second shot, the advancement shot, with a club you handle well. <\/p>\n
On your third shot, resist temptation to go for the flag even if you\u2019re close to to the green. Just get the ball on the green inside 40 feet or so, and there\u2019s your par. That\u2019s a big target that I\u2019m sure you can hit. You\u2019re likely to get closer than 40 feet, too.<\/p>\n
The idea of a par 5 is not to be concerned about distance. They give you an extra shot to get the ball on the green, so use it. Wisely.<\/p>\n
Get the ball in the fairway off the tee, keep the ball on the fairway with your second, and just get it on the green with your third.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The par 5s on your course are the holes where you can get your pars more easily than the rest. Think of them as really long par 4s that you are playing for bogey, and you have the idea. As with a par-4 hole, the key to the par 5 is the second shot, an … Continue reading How to Play Par 5s<\/span>