Par 3's

OK so this is where my scoring is letting me down. I am regularly 3, 4, sometimes 5 over on em.
We have 2 shortish par 3's (9 iron and 6 iron in no wind) and 2 longish; 1's at least 180 to clear the bunker from whites and the other is 196 (but no front bunker). The 2 shorter ones aren't so bad can usually make par or just drop 1, but the longer ones are killing me. My big miss is left and you just can't go left on those holes - pin high leaves a flop shot off a bare lie over bunkers with severe jungle/OB if you thin it a fraction.
I have found that when i tee the ball up I get quite a lot of hook spin, missing left, but the same swing off the fairway is a gentle (ha!) draw. Don't tee it up? But I prefer the consistency of distance and strike off a tee peg.

Any suggestions? (Just down to 8.1 so don't want to start laying up!)

Take one more club that you think you need to reach the front of the green , don't aim for the flag but instead the middle of the green.
Swing smooth and don't lift your head too early concerned where the ball is going.

MOst importantly, don't ever say standing over your ball
" WHAT EVER YOU DO DON'T GO LEFT" as it will guarantee you will.

I never use a tee for my irons. For me, MUCH more consistency in distance control and dispersion as I used to find I got loads more 'flyers' and movement left or right before. Also, it's particularly helpful on the long irons, as when faced with a long iron from the fairway it feels no different to when used off the tee - in fact it's a doddle.  

I never tee up my shorter irons. Sometimes just a tad depending on the tee box grass quality. Not playing off 8.1 though, add a1.

Exactly barra. I also prefer the same motion off the tee box as off the fairway (rough).

Could it be that your long irons are weak compared to the rest of your game?

How do you score on the holes where you hit the same iron into the green as you do on the par 3 that is giving you trouble?

Why on Earth would anyone swing a club different if the ball's teed on a par 3 cf. with the same iron off the fairway??
It's hard enough as a game anyway....use a tee!

Monty, sounds to me like you need to change the script a bit here as they have become bogie (not the score) holes so when you walk to them you are already thinking of all the negative parts of the hole and as S_R says, think it and that's where it goes.

Obviously laying up isn't an option but maybe try using a hybrid instead of a long iron, or the otherway round. Or try thinking that a 180-190 yard par 3 is tough and will not yield many pars so imagine it as a par 4 and concentrate on trying to get a 4 rather than a 3? Then you may accept the miss and just get onto the green and down in 2 putts? At least you take some pressure off.

Personally I find that certain holes get into my head and this is the best way to break the cycle.

navyblueshorts wrote:Why on Earth would anyone swing a club different if the ball's teed on a par 3 cf. with the same iron off the fairway??
It's hard enough as a game anyway....use a tee!

I think the advice was given due to more hook spin being evident when hitting off of a tee. I know the same thing can sometimes happen with my swing.

I have started carrying my 4 iron hybrid just for those 2 holes to be honest. Just try and knock it middle of the green - it's only a little poke with it. Only tried it the last couple of rounds tho, so want to try it a bit more.

289 - I really think I'm going to hole everything (years of playing tw on the ps2), even tee shots on par 3's! My missus is into all the head shrink stuff, but I have to say I never ever think negatively. I'm always the most surprised when i try something and it doesn't come off (much to my pals amusement).

I'm not sure whether playing the ball off the fairway means that the club face is 'forced' to stay a bit more open due to contact with the turf, and I'm not getting that off a tee?

I would say my long irons are a weak part of my game cos I don't use em much, but I am quite long off the tee so mostly its less than a 5 iron or more than a 4 hybrid (bout 210). My dreaded distance is about 190 to 210 especially chasing a back pin.

A professional (not sure who) said that after seeing the same for many years in the Pro/Ams he plays that most would be wise to play to the front right of the green given our tendency to be long with a pull draw.

At our place we have a medal masters with 4 best nett rounds to count. Currently lying 3rd 4 shots back. The greenkeeper (a good mate) is winning, and the last 3 medals I have played in the pins have been short right - he knows that that is the worst spot for me, the bar steward (he plays a high fade...)

It was definitely Gary Player who said it makes no sense to turn down a perfect lie, even if the tee is pretty much drilled into the ground.

Laying up on Par 3's may be pretty marginal practice but seldom any prizes for going over the green.

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Why on Earth would anyone swing a club different if the ball's teed on a par 3 cf. with the same iron off the fairway??
It's hard enough as a game anyway....use a tee!

I think the advice was given due to more hook spin being evident when hitting off of a tee.  I know the same thing can sometimes happen with my swing.

More hook spin off a tee? I know golfers will believe anything but that's stretching it a bit don't you think???

MontysMerkin wrote: My dreaded distance is about 190 to 210 especially chasing a back pin.

Ok...if you're chasing pins and messing up....dont chase pins!!

Know the yardage to the middle of the green, select the club that will give you that yardage that day and (probably the most important part)...trust your swing and COMMIT to the shot.

Right from the moment you select the club it should be all positive thoughts. When you do hit a good shot to that green, memory bank it and replay it each time you get to that tee.

We have a par 3 at my 2nd club it can be as much as 218 as short as 188. What I know is that from the front of the tee its 180 carry over water and 235 will put you in the bundai behind. I take my 210 club every time (depending on wind will be anything from 5 iron to 3 wood). The one word I tell myself over and over when I pull the club from the bag is Commit!!

I have been known on a very very blustery medal day to lay up and accept a 4 (nothing wrong with a bogey on S.I. 3)

navyblueshorts wrote:

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:Why on Earth would anyone swing a club different if the ball's teed on a par 3 cf. with the same iron off the fairway??
It's hard enough as a game anyway....use a tee!

I think the advice was given due to more hook spin being evident when hitting off of a tee.  I know the same thing can sometimes happen with my swing.

More hook spin off a tee? I know golfers will believe anything but that's stretching it a bit don't you think???

I've seen it. I've also had a pro mention it during a playing lesson. However, maybe the ball position is slightly different using a tee versus turf so it just appears excessive.

Nah. I don't buy it. Why hook spin, for example? Why not cut spin?

Fair enough, I'm saying hook spin only because it was in the original post and from personal experience. Maybe it could happen with cut spin but I don't hit that type of shot. As I said in my last post it's probably down to a fractional ball position change which makes it appear that it's caused by a tee.