Par 3 Tee Shot

Playing a par three in golf seems easy, but you could end up with a double bogey. You must have a plan to play a par three to avoid putting up a big number. Par 3’s should not give us that much trouble. It is like we already hit a great drive down the middle of the fairway and we get to tee up the approach shot! The problem is, one bad swing and it becomes very easy to make a bad score on a par 3. Here are a few tips for par 3 strategy to keep your round rolling along:

  • Find the danger zones. Determine the one place you do not want your shot to end up. This will depend on the location of bunkers and hazards the slope of the green and the pin placement. Even if the hole is clear of hazards and sand, if you miss the green on the same side the pin is, you will have a difficult shot.
  • Hit your shot to avoid the worst case scenario. Once you determine what the danger zone is, play your shot so that if you have a miss hit, the ball will go away from the one spot you want to avoid.
  • Take more club than you need. A key to playing a par three is hitting an accurate tee shot. If you take just enough club to get it there, you may over swing causing you to lose accuracy. If you take one club extra, you can make sure not to over swing and improve your chances of hitting the ball where you want to.
  • Play your second shot to get within five feet of the hole. If you have a put for birdie, be aggressive with it, but if you are off the green or have a long putt, then just get the ball close enough so that you have a good chance at par. The last thing you want to do when playing a par three is to try to make a miraculous shot for birdie.
  • Leave the risky shots in your bag. The quick way to posting a double or triple bogey is to take a shot that you are not proficient at. There are many different ways to hit a shot on the green from the rough, but stick with the basic shots like chips or pitches.