Course strategy is such an integral part of determining outcomes on the golf course, but still seems to be under-appreciated. The concept of risk/reward is not a novel concept but what does it mean and how do we apply it to our own games?
When going through your process to select a golf shot on the course, whether you realize it or not you are weighing the risks and rewards of a golf shot. Aiming at a pin tucked next to the water may offer a significant disparity in risk and reward based on the execution, but the risk/reward of most shots is not always that obvious.
Let’ s think of a common scenario in which you are deciding on how to play a hole and choosing your tee shot. You can try to get the ball to 50 yards by hitting driver but you will have to hit to a narrower part of the fairway and risk going into bunkers on one side or hazard on the other. The other option is to lay back to 100 yards with a utility club. Let’s say the tee shot with the utility is not only a shorter club but offers a much wider portion of the fairway. To hit driver in this scenario you are clearly taking on more risk so you must be certain that the reward is also there. This means that you are sure that you routinely hit the ball closer from 50 yards than you do from 100 yards. Keeping stats can provide the data that will tell you if you are indeed better from 50 yards and by how much. Then and only then can you truly know the risk/reward in this scenario.
To summarize, risk/reward is an important factor in the game of golf and does require some thought to better understand how you can use it to your advantage. Taking the time to create a game plan for each hole you play, spending time in the ‘Think Box’ prior to a shot, and tracking stats can help you refine the risk/reward for yourself and lead to better outcomes.
