Par 5 Strategy Drill: Mastering Course Management Like a Pro
Commit to your plan
The par 5 strategy drill helps you choose a sensible route and commit to each shot. Plan where you want to leave the ball, rehearse the movement you need and play with that feeling. Judge your decisions as well as the result.
A par 5 gives you several chances to make a useful decision. Think about the next shot, the trouble you want to avoid and the side that leaves a manageable miss. Build the hole around the shots you can play today.
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Watch the course strategy demonstration
Step 1. Plan the hole
What to do
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Choose your route | Before the tee shot, decide where you want to leave the ball and what that would leave for your next shot. Consider your usual distances and the trouble on the hole. |
| Plan the best miss | Look at the recovery from each side of your target. Choose a line that gives your usual miss room and leaves a manageable next shot. |
| Use your current shot shape | If you are fading the ball today, allow for it. Avoid building the plan around a draw you are struggling to produce. |
| Know your wedge options | Know your favourite wedge yardage inside 110 yards. Use it as one option when choosing a lay-up, alongside the lie, hazards and room available. |
Step 2. Rehearse and play
What to do
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Rehearse behind the ball | Choose the target and make a practice swing that matches the shot you want to play. |
| Duplicate the feeling | Step into address and reproduce that comfortable movement. Keep a clear shot intention rather than a running list of swing instructions. |
| Use one cue if helpful | If you have a familiar shot nickname, recall it once, then play. |
| Accept the outcome | Commit to the decision while accepting that the result may vary. After the shot, work with the position you have. |
Quick strategy checks
| Watch for | Try this |
|---|---|
| Aiming without considering the miss | Check the trouble on each side and choose a target with room for your normal pattern. |
| Forcing a different shape mid-round | Plan around the shot you can produce today. |
| Thinking through technique over the ball | Return to the feeling of the rehearsal and the intended shot. |
| Trying to recover everything at once | Pick a manageable next shot from the lie you have. |
Your focus: Commit to your plan
Step 3. Review and score
What to do
| Score | When to award it |
|---|---|
| 1 point | You followed your chosen strategy, making sensible adjustments when the situation changed. |
| 0 points | You abandoned the plan without a clear reason or played without choosing a strategy. |
FAQs
What equipment do I need?
Clubs + a par 5.
How do I set up this drill?
What should I focus on during practice?
Choose the target and make a practice swing that matches the shot you want to play. Step into address and reproduce that comfortable movement. Keep a clear shot intention rather than a running list of swing instructions. If you have a familiar shot nickname, recall it once, then play.
How should I record my practice?
What should I keep in mind when practising?
What drill do you recommend I do next?
Try The Perfect Golf Pre-Shot Routine next to build a clear pre-shot routine with three linked drills.
You could also use Breathing Technique Drill to practise a comfortable breathing cue during golf practice. For another focused practice task, try Jack Nicklaus Visualisation Drill to picture the finish, flight and landing before swinging.
Give your next practice a purpose.
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