“How do I know which golf shot to hit?”
I heard this question from one of my players as they were holding a driver in their hand while standing on the 1st tee. He was getting ready to play in a match at his home course against two other rival high schools.
Keep in mind, this player has played this golf course literally a hundred times in qualifying and casual rounds and was struggling with his golf course management by asking “How do I know which shot to hit?”
Well, his driver was broken two days prior to the event. He was “borrowing” someone else’s driver.
Maybe he didn’t think he was swinging the golf club as well as he should be? Maybe, it was the stress of playing in a tournament? What do you think?
In addition, to be fair, this player had only been playing golf for about 2 years and playing competitive golf for only about the past year. Over the past few months, he is shot scores of even par as well as in the low 80s. So… He does have game.
How It Turned Out
As the conversation continued, I asked him “What type of shot do you usually hit here?”
He answered, “The ball was turning both ways while I was on the driving range warming up.”
I probed further. “What is your go-to shot? Is it a draw or a fade.”
Yeah… I got the deer-in-the-headlights look from him. So I then asked him “If you had to hit one shot with a million dollars writing on it would you hit a draw or a fade?”
He quickly answered with “a fade.”
I said “There you go. Are you confident in hitting a fade here?”
He replied “Yes, but not with this driver.”
“What about with 3-wood or hybrid?” I then asked.
His voice changed and said “ I feel confident I can cut a 3-wood into the fairway.”
I responded with “Great!”
We had also been talking in practice about how hitting a golf shot is more like shooting a shotgun and not a rifle. So… I then asked him where he thought a good target would be. He picked a good one.
I then looked him in the eye and said “You can do this.”
He acknowledged me with a nod.
When he was called to the teeing ground, he placed his tee between the markers, stood behind the ball to visualize his shot and proceeded to put the ball in the fairway.
Now, I tell you the story because we have all been in the situation. Maybe it’s on the 1st tee or maybe it’s later in the round when you know you need a score, we have all asked ourselves “How do I know which shot to hit?”
Some of you may think that the answer would be different depending on your skill level. However, I’m not so sure that it is. The answer is to hit the shot that you are the most comfortable with in that situation.
A Popular Example
One of the more popular examples of this includes David Toms and Phil Mickelson in the PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club. On the final hole, David Toms found himself in the rough off the tee and decided to lay up on a par 4 and not go for the green.
Many said this was a very risky decision. However, he felt this was the best way for him to make par on the hole. He laid his ball up from the rough and proceeded to hit his next shot to 15 feet. Of course, he then made the putt for par to win his first major championship.
You may not be playing for major championship but, you can lower your scores by selecting the shot that you are most comfortable with and are able to execute.
Proving A Point
Here’s a golf drill or exercise that I have my team do regularly in practice. Once they complete the hole, I have them drop a ball in the center of the green and putt to the hole location.
I then have them keep track of how many putts it takes them to hole their golf ball from the middle of the green. I have yet to have a player “shoot over par” doing this.
The point of this exercise is to prove that you don’t have to go flag hunting all the time. I’m not sure about you but… I know I’m a lot more comfortable heading to the fat part of the green as I am aiming at a tucked hole location.
Many times when we are trying to decide “How do I know which shot to hit?”, I often see the player hit the shot that they feel like they “should” hit. There is no rule that says that you have to hit driver off of a teeing ground. Especially, if you’re not confident where your driver is going to go.
If you find yourself asking the question “How do I know which shot to hit?” often, look into the benefits The Ball Flight Academy online membership. Click here.
What Other Golfers Are Saying About Brad Myers, PGA…
EXCELLENT Based on 105 reviews Gregg Kinney2023-09-20Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently had the privilege of receiving golf instruction from Brad after years of inconsistent golf play. His ability to break down complex concepts into simple, digestible instructions is a testament to his skills as a golf instructor. Brad creates a relaxed and positive learning environment, making it easy to ask questions and seek clarification. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced golfer, Brad has the ability to identify and correct the subtle flaws in your technique, leading to improvements in your overall game. He is professional, courteous and a true asset to anyone seeking to enhance their golfing skills. Thanks to Brad, my golf game is much more enjoyable! Kevin Tokarczyk2023-08-01Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am a new golfer and just started playing 2 years ago with my roommates in college. Now that I have graduated, I’ve wanted to play the game more seriously and started taking lessons 3 months ago. I have had multiple instructors with little improvement. Brad was the first instructor that was able to break down my swing in the simplest way and gave me a better understanding of how my body is supposed to move through my swing. Brad is articulate and concise which is great for me as a beginner golfer because he is able to efficiently communicate without confusion or over-explanation. I have seen more improvement from my one session with him than I have with any other instructor. 1 week on from my lesson with him I am making much better contact with the ball and my swing is smoother and straighter. Thank you Brad, I look forward to taking another lesson from you! Jeff Haag2023-07-29Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brad is one of the best golf instructors I’ve had. He’s very patient, and worked with my swing. It was horrible in the beginning. He broke it down and explained, in small steps, how to improve it. I was never overwhelmed. He gave me drills to do, and I followed his instructions. After 8 lessons, my game has improved immensely. Brad met me at a club fitter, which was helpful. I plan to take more lessons as soon as my rotator cuff is healed! (Not from golf) john jones2023-07-08Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. WOW, what a great training experience. Brad is patient, knowledgeable and a great instructor. He is able to feed information in small increments and it makes it so much easier to learn. I am looking forward to more lessons on the future. Benjamin Grais2023-06-20Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am new to the area so I was looking for a golf coach who could help me improve my game. I have played golf for 35 years but as I have aged, I needed to adjust my swing with golf lessons and expert instruction. I found Brad's website with a plethora of options including private and group lessons. In the last 3 weeks with Brad's coaching, I have enrolled in both private and group instruction with substantial Improvement. Besides being an amazing coach, Brad has exceptional interpersonal skills. He is authentic and truly wants to learn about you and your golf game. He has the latest technology and is able to explain the results which translates to a better golf game. Thank you Brad! I appreciate all of your help, patience, and guidance. Bob Hansbrough2023-05-31Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I started taking lessons in July 2022 and my goal was to regain my swing that I had lost due to lack of play for 10 years. I was shooting 100-105. My goal was to regain my tempo and break 90 by 1/1/23. That goal was shattered in just 90 days. I’m now scoring in the mid 80’s consistently and I’ve shot 79 once. Brad has been there every step of the way. He breaks the swing down in bite size pieces. I improve after each lesson and he’s there for his students daily. He even helped me get fit with a custom driver just a few weeks ago at Club Champion. He’s the real deal if you want to improve your game. Thanks Brad James Suren2023-05-22Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brad is a great Golf Instructor. He is good at asking questions to help you learn rather than just giving you the answer right away. Helped me fix my swing and find consistency. Responds to texts when I have questions during practice to keep me moving in the right direction. Highly recommend. Jr Yang2023-05-20Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. After so much frustration hacking away at balls on the range - it was a relief to finally have fun. I improved more in my one hour with Brad than I have in the past two months getting back into the game. His style is personable and relaxed, and he is a very effective communicator explaining concepts and correct feels. I finally feel confident standing over a golf ball again, and look forward to my next lesson with Brad. Roll Tide! Sam Stebbins2023-05-13Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Really personable, easy to get a long with, and great applicable knowledge. I was a little anxious because I have a non traditional swing, but I was at ease with Brad immediately. He didn’t try and change my swing, rather he showed me where I could improve using my normal swing. I highly recommend Brad to anyone looking to improve their game. Michael S2023-05-11Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brad is an extremely knowledgeable and patient instructor. He explains things in an easy to follow manner. I highly recommend.
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GRAA Top !00 Golf Instructor in the US at The Ball Flight Academy
Brad Myers, PGA started The Ball Flight Academy to further assist his players to reach their golfing goals no matter if they are taking private golf lessons or online golf lessons.
After graduating from New Mexico State University with a degree in Professional Golf Management, Brad has taught at top golf facilities in the United States including the TPC at Sawgrass, Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, The Woodlands Country Club, and Resort as well as the TPC at The Woodlands.
Brad Myers is currently a golf coach in Sarasota - Bradenton, Florida, and holds multiple certifications from…
- PGA of America in Teaching and Coaching.
- Trackman – Level 2
- Swing Catalyst – Level 2
- Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) – Level 1
- US Kids – Certified Golf Coach
In addition, Brad Myers, PGA is an Amazon Best Selling Author with his first book Golf Shots and Unicorns – Set Up Basics.
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