['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

I've started using 3 & 4 irons off the tees. We're not playing 6400 yard blues anymore. My ideal distance would be 61 or 6200. I played Ironhorse two weeks back with a 20-handicapper who wanted to play from 5900. And it was actually quite fun because I had to use all sorts of different clubs off the tee and think more about landing spots than just teeing up driver every hole.

The USGA has a "tee it forward" campaign suggesting people do so to make the game more fun and get more scoring chances. I think most weekend warriors have trouble with 390 par 4s because you have to hit it 250 and straight to have a legit approach. If you're wide you have very little chance getting to the green in 2 esp if you're hitting just off the fairway from 180 in rough.

I would probably score better where I'd play if I would take the driver out of the back on most holes. I could hit a 5 wood and have a mid-short iron approach in on almost all the Par 4s, and still several wedge opportunities, but I play for birdies, thus bringing in double bogeys, and worse.

Here's something you could try, and it's both useful and fun: go to the range and learn how to hit a half driver. I did this last year because there is a Par 4 I play that plays about 240 and I would have to nut a 3 wood to get it there and if I hit it poorly at all I would be blocked out by trouble. I found that taking a half-3/4 swing with a driver would put me on or near the surface with far fewer issues if I didn't make a good swing. It would be a wise way to play those shortish par 4s.