Carry it to an easier spot rather than closer to the pin

Reading the flow rather than what's right in front of you
Golf becomes more interesting when you think about the next step rather than chasing the result every time.
Once you can plan your course strategy from the green, you might find yourself even more absorbed than you think you are now.

100 yards left, the pin jumps into view

Standing at the second shot location, the flag on the green was clearly visible.

The morning air is still cool, and the grass underfoot is slightly damp with morning dew.
100 yards left. I take a wedge in my hand and check the distance.

“At this distance, I can aim for the pin.”

The moment you think that, your feelings can sometimes get a little ahead of themselves.

A distance shorter than a full shot.
My body has loosened up.
The weather is nice.

“I want to get it on the green today.”
“If possible, I want to land it near the pin.”

Such desires naturally arise.

But the ball I hit goes to the back of the green.

Although it landed on the other side of the pin, what remained was a fast downhill putt.
Even though I barely touched it, it went past the cup and kept rolling further away.

“I thought 100 yards was a chance...”

Haven't you ever experienced that kind of frustration?

Aiming for the pin is not always the right answer

When you start playing golf, getting it closer to the green is your primary goal.

Closer rather than further.
On the green rather than off the green.
A short putt rather than a long putt.

That is not wrong.

But as you gain experience little by little, you realize that it's not just about getting it on, but
“where you land it” that is important.

Greens have slopes.

If you land it behind the pin, a fast downhill putt remains.
If you land it in front, an easy uphill line remains.

Even if you both land on the green, the difficulty of the next shot can be completely different.

If you only look at the pin, you lose sight of the landscape beyond it.
The more obsessed you become with the shot right in front of you, the more likely you are to lose the flow of the game.

I myself have been greedy and learned the hard way.

To be honest, I also find myself wanting to get closer to the pin on the course.

Especially when it comes to short iron distances,
I think,
"I want to get it as close as possible,"
or "Since I'm here, I want to aim for the pin."

During one round, I had a short iron distance remaining.

The ball I hit aiming for the pin looked like it landed in a decent spot.
It was about 1.5 meters from the cup.

At first glance, it was a pretty good shot.

But that spot had a steep slope.

If it didn't go in, the ball would roll further and further away from the cup.
Even though I tried to hit it carefully, I was left with a difficult return putt.
In the end, I three-putted for a bogey from there.

"Even though I got it that close..."

While I thought that, the answer was clear if I had just stayed calm.

Instead of forcing it closer to the pin, I should have landed it on the front right.
Or at worst, stopped it near the green edge.
That would have made the next shot much easier.

The cart monitor even displayed the green's slope.
It was information I could have seen if I had wanted to.

But at that moment, I was only looking at the pin.

It was the moment my immediate greed ruined the flow.

During a round I walked with T-san

Last year, I played a round with T-san, who was making their course debut.

At the second shot location, there were 110 yards remaining.
There is a bunker in front of the pin and to the right of the green.

T-san said,
"Coach, I don't think I can reach it with a PW, so is it okay if I hit with a 7-iron?"

In my regular practice, I mainly used my PW and 7-iron.
That is why I still had few options for other clubs.

I looked at the situation and told him this:
"The place we want to avoid most right now is the bunker on the right."

For Mr. T, who has little experience with bunkers, getting in there would make the next shot quite difficult.

Of course, there is a way of thinking that suggests practicing bunkers for the experience.
But this time, it was a good opportunity to learn how to "avoid the worst spots" on the course.

"With a 7-iron, there is a risk of reaching the bunker on the right. The area in front of the green is wide open, so why don't we carry it to the front with a PW this time?"

Mr. T thought for a moment and then nodded.
"You're right. I hear bunkers are difficult, so I'll do that."

And the ball he hit with the PW landed in front of the green to the left.

It didn't reach the green.
But it wasn't a bad spot.

From there, he was able to chip it close with his putter and finish with a bogey.

Mr. T smiled and said,
"So there are times when you don't have to land it on the green."

Hearing those words, I thought it was a very important realization.

Golf is not always a game of aiming for the pin.
It is also a game of carrying the ball to a spot that makes the next shot easier.

"Read the flow rather than what's right in front of you"—what this phrase teaches us

Golf is a game played over 18 holes.

The choices made on each shot determine the difficulty of the next one.

If you aim for the pin and miss long, you are left with a difficult approach or a fast putt.
If you carry it to the front, you are left with an easy chip or an uphill putt.

Do you look only at the immediate chance?
Or do you choose while thinking about the next shot?

That difference greatly affects both your score and your mindset.

This is the same at the driving range.

Instead of panicking and increasing your ball count by saying, "I'm not hitting well today, so I have to hit more,"
think about "what to adjust today to connect to the next time."

Practice with your future self a month from now in mind, not just the ball in front of you.

As you develop an eye for reading the flow, golf becomes deeper and more interesting.

One thing you can try starting today

The next time you go to the course, try checking a few things before you hit.

Where is the pin?
How is the green sloped?
Which is easier, the back or the front?
If you are going to miss, where is it safe?

It is okay if you do not understand at first.

Golf is a game where things rarely go as planned.
However, by developing the habit of looking and thinking, the way you see the course will change little by little.

Do not just hit; make a strategy.
When that strategy works out, golf becomes incredibly fun.

Monday morning, a day to set the flow for the week

Monday is the day a new week begins.

What kind of preparations will you make for this weekend's round or practice?
Today's choices might just lead to that one shot this weekend.

Look a little further ahead rather than just at the immediate future.
That composure will make both your golf and your daily life smoother.

The courage not to aim for the pin creates flow.

Let's gradually cultivate a perspective for reading the flow.⛳

Have you ever had the experience of aiming too much for the pin on the course,
only to be left with a difficult next shot?
Let me hear about your experience!