Definition of a Strategic Shot

By: Jeffrey D. Brauer


So what is the working definition of a modern strategic shot? A deeper definition would be:

• There is/are some hazards/ground/wind conditions to negotiate (the hole is more than a dart board);
• Hazards create at least two basic options that are likely to yield a score differential, such as par or birdie;
• Score differential is typically only one stroke and no lost golf balls;
• Reasonable hazard penalties; i.e., where failure to execute costs only one stroke and no golf balls;
• Shot location makes a difference (easier or harder) on the next shot;
• Shot pattern makes a difference in potential success (i.e., hook vs. fade, high vs. low);
• Shot difficulty is reasonable with a normally well-executed stroke (i.e. if you intend to carry a bunker, make sure it is short enough off the tee to be carried by most, even if it's too easy for longer players (or place multiple or extended bunkers);
• Probable due to physics - it's easy enough to execute under your normal game/playing conditions;
• Targets that accept well-struck shots -varies with approach angle, distance and shot type (this is the essence of strategy: you can't be equally receptive from everywhere!);
• A bail-out area that is truly safe if you can't hit the shot;
• Enjoyable to attempt a risk - likely due to some combination of the above.

It is still difficult to label holes or shots as purely strategic or penal due to other factors.

But a quick differentiation between a penal shot is that if you only have one choice of play, it's penal. If you have two clear choices, it's strategic. [Side note: Some golfers classify three or more choices as "confusing."]

That choice might come from the arrangement of hazards to avoid, or a large green with different areas guarded differently by hazard or contour. It might come from two separate fairways to choose from off the tee. (Note that these consume land and, as a result, many double-fairways were eliminated during the Depression and WWII due to low use and labor costs. The current emphasis on irrigation and turf reduction may also render alternate fairways as excessive.)

Strategic shots usually feature fewer hazards. Strategic theory says a completely missed shot raises the score by a stroke and needs no further penalty. A shot to the "wrong side" of the fairway shouldn't stop you from reaching the green, but yield a harder shot to some pin locations or the famous "partial-stroke" penalty.

If you feel fear, it is likely a penal shot. If you feel temptation, it's probably strategic. The essence of a strategic shot is a "dilemma" caused by a nearly perfect balance between anticipation of success and fear of failure.

If you are thinking about what kind of shot to hit, such as "feathering a 6-iron butter-cut to a tucked pin" or mentally estimating your precision, it is a strategic shot. If you are worried mostly about missing, it is penal. It can be a blend, as the risk-reward equation changes with hazard difficulty - are they at a depth of 6 inches, 6 feet, or 16 feet, or does a pond have "deep-six potential?"

Strategic shots usually (but not always) have softer hazards, as they seek to tempt golfers to play more aggressively. You only need to lose a hole or match by one shot, not 10, for such strategy to be effective.

If you are thinking one shot ahead, it is a strategic shot. Many holes have hazards only at the green - or harder hazards at the green than in the fairway - because a greenside hazard can influence the tee shot.

Jeffrey D. Brauer began his career as an apprentice in the Chicago area in 1977. His first project was Kemper Lakes, which shortly after hosted the 1989 PGA Championship. He formed GolfScapes in Arlington, Texas, in 1984. In the last 29 years he has designed and consulted on a wide spectrum of projects, ranging from partial renovations to international resorts. His recent work includes teaming with the design team of Pascuzzo and Pate on a remodel of the world-famous La Costa Resort & Spa in California, and renovations at Superior National Golf Course in Lutsen, Minn., and Mesquite Municipal Golf Course in Mesquite, Texas.

He has been a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects since 1981, serving as President during its 50th Anniversary year in 1995-96. Jeff still studies the classic works - both old and new, and has played more than 75 of the best courses in the world.

Jeff gives many presentations and is a regular architecture columnist for many publications and websites, including Golf Course Industry and Cybergolf.com. He has also been a strong advocate for the "Tee it Forward" campaign and strives to make his courses fit the description of "fun to play every day."

Jeff's work has been spotlighted in most of the world's major golf magazines. Golf World ranked him as one of the top-20 golf course architects and Golf Inc. ranked him as the world's fourth-best value in golf architecture in 2010. Jeff's portfolio and reputation keep him at the forefront of desired designers for new courses, reconstruction and renovation projects. For more about Jeff, visit http://www.jeffreydbrauer.com/sites/courses/layout.asp?id=859&page=48451.