Once upon a time, I was the master of the approach shot. I used to be able to put the ball within yards of the flag with my wedge almost every time. Unfortunately, as I devoted more time and energy to improving other parts of my game my approach shot began to fall apart. My goal this summer is to get it back on track again.
One of the secrets to a good approach shot is to understand the condition of the green and aim accordingly.
A dried out green is your worst nightmare. If there hasn’t been much rain lately there’s a good chance your ball is going to bounce right off the green after making contact. Try to hit a “soft” shot that will trickle onto the putting surface if you think your ball has no chance of sticking.
On the other hand, a wet green is more likely to produce no bounce. If the grass is really wet your ball might crater and get stuck on impact. In conditions like this it’s important to be as accurate as possible and not rely on any roll or bounce to get you closer to the pin.
A good approach shot sets you up for an easy putt which will go far in keeping your scores low at the end of the day.