Approach
The approach is the shot intended to bring the ball onto the green — usually from the fairway or the rough.
The approach — in German "Annäherung" — is the link between the tee shot and the putt. On a par 4 it is typically the second shot, on a par 5 the second or third. It is played with an iron, a hybrid or a wedge, depending on the remaining distance. The quality of the approach decides birdie chances and stress on the green: the closer the ball finishes to the flag, the shorter the putt. Statistically it is the shot with the greatest influence on the result.
In practice it is less about perfection than about position. An example: par 4, after the drive 140 metres remain to the flag. The flag stands behind a bunker and the green slopes to the right. Instead of attacking the flag directly you aim for the middle of the green and accept two putts. The result is a safe par. Anyone who attacks every flag regularly ends up in the bunker or behind the green. The approach is planning, not a test of courage.
The typical mistake is choosing the wrong club out of ambition. Many players take the iron they can hit 140 metres at their very best instead of one number longer. The result: the ball arrives just short of the green, exactly where bunkers and uneven ground lurk. The rule of thumb: better one club more and swing more smoothly. Part of this is the short game as a rescue plan when the approach does miss the green after all.
FAQ
Should I always attack the flag directly on my approach?
No. If the flag stands behind a bunker or at the edge of the green, the middle of the green is almost always the smarter choice — that is where you get down in two putts for a safe par. Anyone who attacks every flag regularly ends up in the bunker or behind the green and gives away more than the rare birdies bring in.
Why do my approaches always come up short of the green?
The most common reason is ambition in club selection: you take the iron you hit that distance at your very best instead of one club longer. Under playing pressure you rarely strike the ball perfectly, and the difference lands short of the green — exactly where bunkers and uneven ground lurk. Rule of thumb: better one club more and swing more smoothly.
What do I do if the approach misses the green?
Then the short game begins: chip or pitch from just off the green, followed by a putt — that often still saves par or bogey. This is exactly why it pays to practise chipping regularly, because no player hits every green in regulation. A missed approach is no drama as long as the next shot is right.