How to pick a club for approaches - Brief Article

My pro-am partners often ask me how I decide what club to use on an approach shot. Let me take you through the process, starting from before my caddie puts the bag down at my ball.

Information is power

My caddie and I do our figuring before we even get to my ball--by the time I get there, I have an idea, within two or three yards, of the yardage and what club I'm going to need.

At that point, my caddie will give me a series of numbers. I want to know how far it is to the front of the green, and how far it is to the pin. If there's some kind of trouble in front, like water or a bunker, I want to know the number of yards that I have to carry to get over it, plus a max carry--how far I can hit it and still stay on the green. The tough part is when you're between clubs. Is it a hard 7-iron or a soft 6? Then it comes down to feel.

Learn how far your average shots carry and roll with each club, then create a good yardage book for your home course. Nothing's worse than hitting one flush and watching it land five yards short of the green.

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