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Landing zones on approach shots

• pdiehm 292 Posts

  Tue, Nov 17 2020 10:29 AM

  Let's take Pebble #1.  If for no other reason than I just played it.  

  With the flag in the back of the green, we know that off to the sides and long is not good.  Landing it short is...but It's a red zone (grids) as I play on mobile.  Am I correct in understanding, you want to land at the transition area from blue to red, or full red?  If I land in a blue grid that is fading to red, that's going to be a downhill putt correct?

   

  Just trying to figure that aspect out.  I try to get close, but sometimes, being close is worse than being 12' away with a slight breaking uphill putt.

   

  Essentially, how do you know what color of the grid on the green to be aiming for or what color should I be aiming for?

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Tue, Nov 17 2020 11:12 AM

  pdiehm:

  If I land in a blue grid that is fading to red, that's going to be a downhill putt correct?

  Yes.

  pdiehm:

  how do you know what color of the grid on the green to be aiming for or what color should I be aiming for?

  You're better off looking at what it takes to land under the pin, especially at PB. Just about every hole is best played looking to wind up under the pin with an uphill look so don't get too hung up on what color the grids are. Worry about that when it's time to putt.  :-)

• pdiehm 292 Posts

  Wed, Nov 18 2020 10:46 AM

  i know...it's hard to not train yourself to go at the flag.  At a place like Merion, where even if you are 3' away it can be a treacherous putt, where if you miss, you're 25' away.  

  So if I am understanding, I need to be aiming at the red portion of the approach grid, which leaves me uphill putts.  

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Nov 18 2020 10:56 AM

  pdiehm:

  So if I am understanding, I need to be aiming at the red portion of the approach grid, which leaves me uphill putts.  

  A perfect example of why not to do this-#3, the par 3 with the back pin. If you aim at the red grid you're going to wind up past the hole and then you get that 3 footer that turns into a 25 footer.

  Focus on getting under the pin, regardless of what color the grid is. You're not going to see nightmare putts from under the pin.  :-)

• Pissedoff666 218 Posts

  Wed, Nov 18 2020 2:18 PM

  Can I ask someone a question please?? When in those rare moments you find yourself in a bunker that says 50-60% How much does one add on to the original yardage?? I used the same formula for the 30-40% and the ball went flying over the hole by quite a bit!!! If anyone could help me out I would really appreciate it!!! PEACE 

• Chris1973M 1,832 Posts

  Wed, Nov 18 2020 5:02 PM

  Focus on getting under the pin, regardless of what color the grid is. You're not going to see nightmare putts from under the pin.  :-)

   

  agreed here playing below the hole whether wgt or real golf,  play below leave your self a chance ( or better chance)  other than downhill greens sloping away from you..play them babys a tad long

• BPeterson8256 2,913 Posts

  Wed, Nov 18 2020 8:57 PM

  pdiehm:

  Let's take Pebble #1. 

  Landing zones can vary drastically depending on green speeds, wind speed, wind direction, type of shot you are playing, and various other factors. You need to know the greens and how different shots will play on those greens.

  Using your Pebble Beach #1 for example. One day playing in a windy clash, I was lucky enough to hole out  for eagle there two rounds in a row. The two shots could not have been more different. One was played well past the hole and spun back down to the hole. The other was a punch played short that rolled up to the hole.

  Another example of this was a day I was playing with two friends. All three of us stuck shots in tight to the hole at Congressional, but all the of us played completely different shots. One rolled the ball up to the hole after landing short. One stuck the pin with a shot that stopped dead in it's tracks. And the other used a slope in the back and spun the ball back down to the hole.

  Normally conditions will dictate that one shot will play much better than the other shots, but the "color" you are seeing will not be the only factor in where you want the ball to land.

  Brett

• pdiehm 292 Posts

  Fri, Nov 20 2020 5:24 AM

  can you clarify under the pin?  

  Reason I ask, I left an approach short on purpose last night thinking i have an uphill birdie putt and was left with a 12' down 3.6" slider, which I naturally missed.  

  What I'm trying to do is leave myself with putts that break either very little or uphill putts where the break can be figured out more easily.  

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Fri, Nov 20 2020 5:27 AM

  pdiehm:

  can you clarify under the pin?  

  A shot that doesn't quite get to the pin and comes up short.

• littleboots 229 Posts

  Fri, Nov 20 2020 12:53 PM

  pdiehm, it sounds like you were at Oakmont with its backwards (evil) greens :)