A shot that isn't greedy opens up the next path

Choosing not to be greedy opens up the path

Instead of forcing a shot to reach, choose a spot that makes the next shot easier.
That one shot can sometimes make golf a little easier.

That moment of hesitation while standing on the fairway

On the afternoon course, the angle of the light changes.

The diagonal sunlight streaming through the trees casts long shadows on the grass. There is almost no wind, the distant green glitters, and the pin flag sways slightly.

180 yards left to the pin.

But a large tree stands in the way. Should I try to hit a low ball through it, or hit it high to clear it? If I push it, I might just barely make it.

"Can I make it?"

That thought crosses my mind for just a moment.

The fear of "I can make it if I push myself"

In golf, there is a trap called "it looks doable."

A distance that is right on the edge of whether you can reach it or not. If you put in a little extra effort, you might just manage it. That "might" can cloud your judgment.

Especially when you've just started, it's easy to give in to this temptation.

"It would look cool if I attacked here."
"Let's take a gamble and go for it."

Instead of a calm choice, your emotions run ahead.

And usually, you hit the tree. You end up in the pond. You end up with a much higher score than you expected.

It's frustrating, and you regret it, thinking, "Why was I so greedy back there?"
I know that feeling well.

I also want to attack

To be honest, I am also quite the aggressive player.

I realized this most when I was watching a professional golf tournament on a course I know well.

I had assumed that tour pros would naturally clear a pond 250 yards away.

However, in reality, fewer players than I expected actually tried to clear it.

Many players would carefully lay up to the flat fairway at the 220-yard mark. From there, they would calmly aim for the pin with a second shot of 180 to 200 yards.

When I saw that, I was a bit taken aback.

In a situation where I would think, 'Maybe I can make it,' and push my luck, the pros were properly choosing a safe spot.

Of course, that choice is only possible because they have the skill to aim for the pin from that distance.

But at the same time, I felt that the better the player, the less they push their luck.

The day D-san chose to 'lay up'

I remember D-san, who I once joined for a round lesson.

On the 6th hole, with 160 yards left over a bunker, D-san was choosing a club with a slightly hesitant look on his face.

When I asked, 'Do you think you can reach it?'

He replied, 'It's touch-and-go whether I can reach it or not.'

That was his answer.

So I said,

'In that case, let's go down one club and lay up in front of the bunker.'

I told him.

For a moment, D-san looked like he wanted to say, 'Wait, but...' I understand that feeling well.

It is a bit frustrating to intentionally choose not to reach a distance that you might be able to reach.

Even so, D-san honestly followed my advice and laid up.

Then, his next approach shot was the softest ball of the day, landing right near the pin.

The moment he made par, Mr. D

laughed out loud, saying,

I'm glad I played it safe!

That smile still remains in my memory.

Choosing not to be greedy opens up the path

Golf scores are mysterious; sometimes, the accumulation of careful, safe shots leads to a better final result than the results of aggressive play.

Choosing not to be greedy is not a sign of weakness.

It is the ability to calmly see what you can and cannot do right now. Choosing a reliable shot over an impossible one is a judgment call.

I believe that is also an important skill in golf.

A feeling of frustration, yet also relief.

That sensation might just be proof that you made the right choice.

When you let go of a little greed, the excess tension leaves your body, and the next shot becomes easier.

Perhaps the path is not something you force open, but something that naturally opens up after careful choices.

Please try just one thing starting today.

When you stand at a distance on the course where you are unsure if you can reach it, first think like this.

Instead of thinking about what happens if you succeed, think about where you will end up if you fail.

Then, instead of choosing a club to force it to reach, choose a place where your next shot will be easier to hit.

If you are unsure about clearing a bunker, lay up in front of it. If you are unsure about clearing a tree, hit it to the side. If you are unsure about clearing a pond, carry it to a safe spot first.

In return, set up for the shot after you have laid up with the intention of hitting it as carefully as you can today.

Just by doing that, both your score and your mood should change a little.

The twilight green, what remains beyond the score

At the end of the round, reflecting on the day while heading back to the clubhouse.

“I’m glad I laid up there.”

Just having one shot that makes you feel that way makes you somehow like today's golf a little more.

Whether the score was good or bad, only the sensation of that choice—which felt frustrating yet relieving—lingers gently in your hands.

You want to praise yourself just a little for not being greedy.

And then, when you stand in a similar situation in the next round, you feel like you can make a slightly calmer choice.

Long shadows stretch across the twilight green, and the pin flag sways slightly.

Beyond the shot where you didn't push your luck, the joy of golf still remains.

In your recent rounds, was there a shot where you thought, “I’m glad I didn't push it and laid up instead”?
Or perhaps an episode where you just couldn't help but go for it—please do share it in the comments.