Before You Hit Your Approach, Choose the Best Place to Miss
You are 145 yards from the green. The flag is near the left edge, with a bunker guarding that side. The right side looks safe, but it leaves a longer chip. Most golfers automatically aim at the flag.
That is often the wrong target.
A better approach is to decide where you want the ball to finish if you miss the green. This simple decision can turn a difficult hole into a manageable bogey—or even give you a realistic chance at par.
Why the Flag Is Not Always the Best Target
The flag tells you where the hole is, but it does not tell you where the easiest shot is. A tucked pin may be surrounded by bunkers, deep rough, slopes, or water. Even a good shot can finish in trouble if your target is too aggressive.
Recreational golfers also tend to judge success by whether they hit the green. But not all parts of the green are equally useful. A ball 25 feet from the hole with a simple uphill putt may be better than a ball 12 feet away with a delicate downhill chip from short grass.
Your goal should be to choose the target that gives you the best overall chance of finishing the hole well—not simply the target that is closest to the flag.
Start by Finding the “Bad” Miss
Before selecting a club, look at the trouble around the green. Ask yourself:
- Which side has a bunker, water, or out-of-bounds?
- Which miss leaves the most difficult recovery?
- Is one side sloped so sharply that the ball could roll farther away?
- Would a missed shot leave short grass or thick rough?
Once you identify the worst miss, take it out of play. If a left pin is protected by a bunker and a steep slope, aim farther right—even if that means your putt will be longer.
This does not mean you should always aim away from the flag. It means you should avoid bringing unnecessary trouble into the shot.
Use the Green’s Shape to Pick a Target
Look beyond the flag and study the green as a whole. Is there more room on one side? Does the green slope toward the hole? Is the front portion easier to approach than the back?
For example, suppose the flag is on the back-right portion of the green. A shot aimed directly at it may bring a deep bunker into play. Aiming toward the center-left may leave a longer putt, but it could keep the ball on the putting surface and give you an uphill birdie attempt or an easy two-putt par.
When possible, favor:
- The larger section of the green
- The side with the easiest recovery area
- An uphill putt instead of a downhill putt
- The middle of the green when you are uncertain about distance
Match the Strategy to Your Miss
Your natural shot pattern matters. If you usually hit a fade, do not aim at the right edge of the green with a pin on the right. Your ordinary curve may turn a reasonable target into a bunker shot.
Instead, choose a target that gives your typical miss enough room. You do not need to eliminate every mistake. You simply need to stop aiming as if your best shot is guaranteed.
A useful rule is to aim for the part of the green that allows your normal shot shape to finish safely. If your ball tends to miss right, aim more toward the left-center—unless the left side has worse trouble.
Try This on Your Next Round
For one full round, ignore the flag for the first few seconds on every approach. Pick the safest half of the green before you look at the exact pin location.
- Identify the most dangerous miss.
- Choose the safest section of the green.
- Select a club based on that target, not the flag.
- Commit to the shot and accept a longer putt if necessary.
Keep track of how many approaches finish in a safe recovery position. You may discover that conservative targets produce more pars and fewer disasters without changing your swing at all.
One Thing to Remember
Do not aim at the flag until you know where you can safely miss. The best approach target is often the part of the green that keeps your next shot simple.