Playing your best golf isn’t about hitting more great shorts, it is about hitting better bad shots!  By playing away from hazards, out of bounds, and choosing smatter targets you give yourself the best opportunity to shoot your lowest scores. 

To play well you don’t need to make more birdies, you need to make fewer doubles, triples and worst.  The goal should not be to avoid every mistake. The goal should be to avoid the expensive mistakes.  The most expensive mistake would be out of bounds followed by water hazards, bunkers, and leaving yourself short sided.

In the simplest terms if trouble is on one side, choose a target that allows most of your normal shot pattern to finish in play.   You need to know the following.

• Know your normal curve.
• Know your common miss.
• Shift your target away from the penalty.
• The safest target is not necessarily the center of the fairway or at the pin.

Keep in mind all players have patterns to their shots, not a single direction.  If you slice the golf ball, you shouldn’t aim down the middle if there is OB right.  If you pull irons be cautious with left pins.  Even at the most elite level, no one hits the golf ball straight. 

When approaching tee shots, approach shots, layups and shots around the green ask yourself three questions.

1. Where is the worst place to miss?
2. Where is the best place to miss?
3. What target gives your normal shot the most room?

Aggressive play doesn’t yield your best scores.  Play smart enough that your average swings give you the best opportunity play your best!