Approach
The approach is the shot played toward the green.
The approach is the shot meant to bring your ball onto the green. It comes after the tee shot, usually with an iron, a hybrid or a wedge. The distance ranges from over 180 meters down to short shots from 50 meters. What matters is not only the length but the placement: the middle of the green is usually the smarter target than the flag. Anyone who aims systematically at the green plays steadier rounds than the flag hunter.
In practice, before an approach you read three things: the distance to the flag, the position of the hole and the hazards in front of it. An example: 140 meters to the flag, water in front of the green, flag back left. The bold player goes straight at the flag. The safe player aims for the middle of the green and accepts two putts. Over a season, the safe option saves strokes because it avoids the disaster result. This logic is called course management.
A typical mistake is choosing the club out of wishful thinking. Anyone who only makes the distance with a perfect flight statistically ends up short of the green or in the hazard. Take one more club and swing more smoothly. Where your approach lands decides whether you then need a chip or a pitch. The short game rescues the round when the approach goes wrong.
FAQ
Should I always play my approach straight at the flag?
No, in most cases the middle of the green is the smarter target. Anyone who attacks every flag statistically ends up in the hazard or in the difficult rough beside the green more often. Over a whole season, the safe option to the middle saves far more strokes than the occasional spectacular approach brings.
Which club do I take for the approach?
Depending on the distance, irons, a hybrid or a wedge come into question — from over 180 meters down to short shots from 50 meters. The most common mistake is choosing out of wishful thinking: if you only make the distance with a perfect flight, take one more club and swing more smoothly. A cleanly struck shot with reserve almost always beats the full-power effort.
What do I do if my approach misses the green?
Then your short game takes over: depending on the lie, a chip or pitch gets you onto the green and close to the hole. That is exactly why it pays to train the short game regularly, because even good players miss several greens per round. Anyone who has mastered the short game rarely loses more than one stroke after a botched approach.