Thanks for great advice Matt. The 16th is a tough par 3. I was 1 of the 2 that hit the 8th green and thanks for lesson chipping from side of green. It has improved massively. Thanks for the great day
There was a Challenge Tour event at my club years ago, and there is a long par-3, around 200 meters long. Wind usually from back slightly left to right. Really nowhere to miss, except at the front short of the front bunkers both sides. On the right hand side there is a red penalty and the left more bunkers all the way along the greenside. The green slopes severily towards the pond. Adding all that together, missing left is safe, but truely shortsided. Miss to the right is inevident penalty, cause the green ends into a steep bank towards the water. Really many of the tour players opted out for laying up at the front of the green and looking for an up&dn par, bogey, and avoiding penalty shot off the water.
I actually do that on a couple of the par 3's on my course, they have trees all the way down on both sides, makes them very narrow which is not good for a high handicap
Thank you Matt. My par 3 hole performance is usually a very good barometer for my game that day. Improving my score average is definitely something I want to do. There are precious few videos which breakdown a par 3 this way so massive thanks for doing this. My other observation is how often on a Par 3 hole players (in fun rounds) ask others “what club?” failing to realise just how many variables exist. 🤣
My focus, hit it straight to the apron. With a good bounce I’ve got a longer putt. With a lousy bounce, Chip it on close to pin. Either way, putting for par, happy with bogey. When I have attempted to land on the green, I’ve often rolled off the back slightly. Still a chip back on, but frequently down hill putt. Our par 3’s are 2. 118 next to water over a bunker, 8. 209 flat with bunker left and easy to roll off back and a big dip on the left side of the green, 12. 173 with bunkers, but flat and green sloped towards you and 14. 101 uphill to a flag just visible above the big crescent bunker. 2. Pitching Wedge, 8. 5 or 7 wood, 12. 5-7 hybrid, 14. Pitching wedge. Goals, 2. Land left side of bunker on green or hill behind. 8. Just keep it straight, away from left bunker. Land on apron, bounce/roll up onto green or short chip on. 12. Land between bunkers on apron and bounce on or Chip up. Miss right short of midway bunker. 14 Land anywhere on the green with misses slightly left as hillside often pops ball close to or on green. Basically same strategies for away game par 3’s. Anything more than 210, layup.
For most players avoiding a 5 is good approach. Play to miss the bunkers and keep the ball in play. I have two par 3s on my home course where I club to overhit the green. It leaves me with a simpler bump-and-run to get closer to the hole and putt for par, tap-in for bogey. Surprisingly, having a plan in mind at all will put you ahead of most handicap golfers.
I can't remember where I learned this but Par 3 are harder then Par 4/5. But also what helps me is to always club up 1 or 2 helps with distance. your tips are something I will use on my next outing.
I'm 16hcp I always take the yardage at the back of the green and try and hit that. If I misstrike it but it's straight, then I'm getting front edge. If I strike it well but offline then it's a relatively straightforward chip most of the time. And it's only when both strike and direction are off that I find a trap and things get a bit tricky
1. where is trouble and the worst place to miss. 2. where is the wind, in to? helping? across? 3. where is the flag in relation to the safest landing point. 4. calculate the distance and start line you want. 5. choose your club accordingly. 6. set up and commit to the shot you've chosen. 7. forget everything else and hit your shot
Par 3's are both the easiest to birdie or par (simply hit a decent tee shot.) They are also the easiest to double bogey. Double could be a foot or two short into lip of trap that given extra foot would have run right to the pin. Or barely miss green leaving an exceptionally tough chip second leading to and easy three putt.
I often got comments on how many green I hit and how I managed it compared to other players of a similar standard. Club selection is key. As you alluded to, playing to the middle to back portion of the green is what did it for me. Im also a student of the mental side of the game. We can all push or pull an approach shot and curse ourselves, that’s a given, but I see a big difference in the way players react to shots that are short compared to those that are slightly long. From my own experience, It’s like the long shot is tricking my mind and therefore would add confidence. Almost making me forget that I may not have hit it a sweet as I would have liked to because I’m on the green. And don’t get started on ‘bravado’ shots, it’s about how many, not how😉
Draw vs straight vs fade shots also affect distance. If you hit straight all the time. Your distance is better known and consistent vs a fade or a draw. Know the distance of your clubs. Swing consistency.
We have 4 par 3’s, i always think if i make 14 or less for the 4 holes, I am ahead of the field, adopting this Philosophy you make more 3’s than going flag hunting
Totally, as someone who has dropped from 27 to 18 this season, the big difference when I get a good score in is playing the par 3’s to handicap or better. We have one which is a card wrecker for many, pond hole 175 off yellows with 135 yard carry, 199 off whites. Many off us aim left where there is a landing area /bunkers and it’s not over the water. If it’s dry it’s in play
Ugh, tell me about it .... Was playing the round of my life last week at a local course I play a lot. Layout is a bit unusual in that the par 3s are grouped together in one area of the course (4 of them in 6 hole stretch). Anyway, I was even par through 11 holes and then had 3 straight bogies on par 3s. I was then so flustered that I bogied a par 4 and a par 5 (with my only 3 putts of the day) that I normally play very well. Still finished 5 over par (previous best on the course was 9 over) so I should have been very happy with the round, but here I am a week later still thinking about what could have been lol.
@@bobj8877 if, but’s and maybes, the longer name for the game of golf. It’s a game of contrasts how many of us in our round take aim optimistically needing to hit the club our best to pull the shot off, finish our round with a good score but grumble on where we lost shots, not the good chips and putts etc?
Matt you tuition videos are so good but I don’t think you take your own medicine. I have seen you try and hit 8 irons mikes when a 7 iron would you give you more control. 🤷🏿♂️
Over thinking and talking. Simple way to play is this Pin on the right fade the ball, Pin on the left draw the ball, but never actually fade or draw the ball. Fade aim to hit it straight to the left of pin, ball forward in stance, opposite for draw, but never actually try to draw or fade the ball by opening or closing the club face, let the path do it. If the ball lands to left or right of pin based on alignment? so be it. Here are a couple hints. Pin back right, more club hit it high and left of pin. Pin front left you can shoot it to the right and back in stance with less club as long as there is room to go long. If there is no room to go long the fade it with less club go straight at it and accept the results. Pin in the middle bad luck, that is the sucker pin, but most think it is the easy pin, but there is no good strategy to get it closer on miss hit shots. Pin in middle require the most accurate shot in golf. If it is a short hole fine, but if it is long not good. I would still hit a fade as most poor shots go right, for right-handed golfers on the longer holes.
With all that ShotScope data, you're playing some of your worst golf ever. Simplify it. Go back to "just put a good swing on it, go find it and hit it again". Everyone is over-analyzing, over-thinking, over-swinging all because RUclips has too many wannabe's and has-been's trying to carve out a living off YT... jusy go back to basics.
I could not have put it better. I have shotscope and have hardly used it and my game is semi decent most of the time. A former colleague is a better golfer than me but he analyses everything and I mean everything with graphs, charts and spreadsheets. Sod that!! Just get out and play
Love the work you are doing on your new channel improvement. Keep up the good work.
We really learned a lot from you showing the Shot Scope averages. We are Shot Scope users and thank you for all you do.
Thanks for great advice Matt. The 16th is a tough par 3.
I was 1 of the 2 that hit the 8th green and thanks for lesson chipping from side of green. It has improved massively. Thanks for the great day
One thing I suggest for long par threes is to use your handicap. Laying up short of trouble and chipping onto the green should get a par or bogey.
Yep that's good advice 👍👍
Good advice, always play into your strength not someone else's game.
There was a Challenge Tour event at my club years ago, and there is a long par-3, around 200 meters long. Wind usually from back slightly left to right. Really nowhere to miss, except at the front short of the front bunkers both sides. On the right hand side there is a red penalty and the left more bunkers all the way along the greenside. The green slopes severily towards the pond.
Adding all that together, missing left is safe, but truely shortsided. Miss to the right is inevident penalty, cause the green ends into a steep bank towards the water.
Really many of the tour players opted out for laying up at the front of the green and looking for an up&dn par, bogey, and avoiding penalty shot off the water.
I actually do that on a couple of the par 3's on my course, they have trees all the way down on both sides, makes them very narrow which is not good for a high handicap
Thank you Matt. My par 3 hole performance is usually a very good barometer for my game that day. Improving my score average is definitely something I want to do. There are precious few videos which breakdown a par 3 this way so massive thanks for doing this.
My other observation is how often on a Par 3 hole players (in fun rounds) ask others “what club?” failing to realise just how many variables exist. 🤣
My focus, hit it straight to the apron. With a good bounce I’ve got a longer putt. With a lousy bounce, Chip it on close to pin. Either way, putting for par, happy with bogey. When I have attempted to land on the green, I’ve often rolled off the back slightly. Still a chip back on, but frequently down hill putt. Our par 3’s are 2. 118 next to water over a bunker, 8. 209 flat with bunker left and easy to roll off back and a big dip on the left side of the green, 12. 173 with bunkers, but flat and green sloped towards you and 14. 101 uphill to a flag just visible above the big crescent bunker.
2. Pitching Wedge, 8. 5 or 7 wood, 12. 5-7 hybrid, 14. Pitching wedge. Goals, 2. Land left side of bunker on green or hill behind. 8. Just keep it straight, away from left bunker. Land on apron, bounce/roll up onto green or short chip on. 12. Land between bunkers on apron and bounce on or Chip up. Miss right short of midway bunker. 14 Land anywhere on the green with misses slightly left as hillside often pops ball close to or on green.
Basically same strategies for away game par 3’s. Anything more than 210, layup.
For most players avoiding a 5 is good approach. Play to miss the bunkers and keep the ball in play. I have two par 3s on my home course where I club to overhit the green. It leaves me with a simpler bump-and-run to get closer to the hole and putt for par, tap-in for bogey. Surprisingly, having a plan in mind at all will put you ahead of most handicap golfers.
I can't remember where I learned this but Par 3 are harder then Par 4/5. But also what helps me is to always club up 1 or 2 helps with distance. your tips are something I will use on my next outing.
coming back to golf after a long absence iam loving your advice and content .
Thank.you hope it's helping
I'm 16hcp
I always take the yardage at the back of the green and try and hit that. If I misstrike it but it's straight, then I'm getting front edge. If I strike it well but offline then it's a relatively straightforward chip most of the time. And it's only when both strike and direction are off that I find a trap and things get a bit tricky
1. where is trouble and the worst place to miss. 2. where is the wind, in to? helping? across? 3. where is the flag in relation to the safest landing point. 4. calculate the distance and start line you want. 5. choose your club accordingly. 6. set up and commit to the shot you've chosen. 7. forget everything else and hit your shot
Par 3's are both the easiest to birdie or par (simply hit a decent tee shot.) They are also the easiest to double bogey. Double could be a foot or two short into lip of trap that given extra foot would have run right to the pin. Or barely miss green leaving an exceptionally tough chip second leading to and easy three putt.
I often got comments on how many green I hit and how I managed it compared to other players of a similar standard. Club selection is key. As you alluded to, playing to the middle to back portion of the green is what did it for me.
Im also a student of the mental side of the game. We can all push or pull an approach shot and curse ourselves, that’s a given, but I see a big difference in the way players react to shots that are short compared to those that are slightly long. From my own experience, It’s like the long shot is tricking my mind and therefore would add confidence. Almost making me forget that I may not have hit it a sweet as I would have liked to because I’m on the green.
And don’t get started on ‘bravado’ shots, it’s about how many, not how😉
Draw vs straight vs fade shots also affect distance. If you hit straight all the time. Your distance is better known and consistent vs a fade or a draw.
Know the distance of your clubs. Swing consistency.
You missed a chance to use the tee box correctly. Standing to the right-hand side of the green creates a better angle to the green.
First love your channel Matt keep up the great work and thank you listening to you is you are a great instructor of teaching golf
I appreciate that!
@Mattfryergolf your very welcome brother
So Matt what colour castle tees with an iron ?
I'd say the smallest ones you can find. Blue or green I believe.
I'm not disputing, but I'd like to know where the statistics come from.
We have 4 par 3’s, i always think if i make 14 or less for the 4 holes, I am ahead of the field, adopting this Philosophy you make more 3’s than going flag hunting
Tiny green castle tee every time.
Back yardage more often than not is a winner.
Good plan 👊👊
Not where I play
189 nine iron. Goodness an 8 200yds a 7 215yds a 6 230 yds etc 🙈
How often has a par 3 ruined a good card?
Too many I would think!
Totally, as someone who has dropped from 27 to 18 this season, the big difference when I get a good score in is playing the par 3’s to handicap or better. We have one which is a card wrecker for many, pond hole 175 off yellows with 135 yard carry, 199 off whites.
Many off us aim left where there is a landing area /bunkers and it’s not over the water. If it’s dry it’s in play
It’s often said that if you play the par 3’s well then you usually have a decent round.
Ugh, tell me about it .... Was playing the round of my life last week at a local course I play a lot. Layout is a bit unusual in that the par 3s are grouped together in one area of the course (4 of them in 6 hole stretch). Anyway, I was even par through 11 holes and then had 3 straight bogies on par 3s. I was then so flustered that I bogied a par 4 and a par 5 (with my only 3 putts of the day) that I normally play very well. Still finished 5 over par (previous best on the course was 9 over) so I should have been very happy with the round, but here I am a week later still thinking about what could have been lol.
@@bobj8877 if, but’s and maybes, the longer name for the game of golf.
It’s a game of contrasts how many of us in our round take aim optimistically needing to hit the club our best to pull the shot off, finish our round with a good score but grumble on where we lost shots, not the good chips and putts etc?
Nicklaus said there are two kinds of people. The ones that use a tee and stupid
DOD !
Matt you tuition videos are so good but I don’t think you take your own medicine. I have seen you try and hit 8 irons mikes when a 7 iron would you give you more control. 🤷🏿♂️
Videos are waaaay to wordy
Over thinking and talking. Simple way to play is this Pin on the right fade the ball, Pin on the left draw the ball, but never actually fade or draw the ball. Fade aim to hit it straight to the left of pin, ball forward in stance, opposite for draw, but never actually try to draw or fade the ball by opening or closing the club face, let the path do it. If the ball lands to left or right of pin based on alignment? so be it. Here are a couple hints. Pin back right, more club hit it high and left of pin. Pin front left you can shoot it to the right and back in stance with less club as long as there is room to go long. If there is no room to go long the fade it with less club go straight at it and accept the results. Pin in the middle bad luck, that is the sucker pin, but most think it is the easy pin, but there is no good strategy to get it closer on miss hit shots. Pin in middle require the most accurate shot in golf. If it is a short hole fine, but if it is long not good. I would still hit a fade as most poor shots go right, for right-handed golfers on the longer holes.
Most poor shots go right ..... unless you pull /hook it left. Lol. 50% of the time, it works every time.
With all that ShotScope data, you're playing some of your worst golf ever. Simplify it. Go back to "just put a good swing on it, go find it and hit it again". Everyone is over-analyzing, over-thinking, over-swinging all because RUclips has too many wannabe's and has-been's trying to carve out a living off YT... jusy go back to basics.
I could not have put it better.
I have shotscope and have hardly used it and my game is semi decent most of the time.
A former colleague is a better golfer than me but he analyses everything and I mean everything with graphs, charts and spreadsheets. Sod that!! Just get out and play