The Smart Target Challenge
Learn to choose better targets on the green, rather than automatically aiming at the flag.
Every pin position creates a different challenge. A flag tucked near a bunker, close to the edge of the green or behind a difficult section may tempt you to aim at a very small target. But the smartest target isn't always the pin. This guide explores how to assess the green, recognise risky pin positions and choose a landing area that gives your approach shot more room for error.
Aim for the right
part of the green.
Before choosing a target, look beyond the flag. Your job is to find an area that gives you a realistic chance of hitting the green while avoiding the most damaging misses.
Find the pin position
Is the flag near the front, middle or back? Is it tucked close to the left or right edge? The pin position tells you how much room you have around your target.
Identify the danger
Look for bunkers, water, steep slopes, run-offs and difficult areas around the green. Pay particular attention to the side of the green where a missed shot would leave you with the hardest recovery.
Choose a landing area
Find a section of the green with enough space to accommodate your normal shot. This might be the middle of the green, the wider side or an area short of a difficult pin.
Allow for your usual miss
Think about where your approach shots commonly finish. If you tend to miss right, be careful about aiming at a right-side pin with trouble immediately beyond it. Choose a target that gives your normal shot pattern room to finish safely.
Don't just choose where you want the ball to finish. Choose an area where your ordinary miss can still leave you with a playable result.
The pin is only
part of the picture.
How much green is available?
A flag near the middle usually gives you more room to miss on either side. A flag close to an edge reduces the available landing area. The closer the pin is to the edge, the more carefully you should consider whether it is worth attacking.
What happens if you miss short?
A bunker, water hazard or steep slope in front of the green can make a short miss particularly costly. If the front of the green is protected, consider whether the safer target is deeper or towards the more open side.
Which side gives you the easiest recovery?
Missing on one side might leave a straightforward chip, while missing on the other could leave you short-sided with very little green to work with. Try to favour the side that gives you the best chance of getting the ball close with your next shot.
Can you comfortably reach your target?
A sensible target still needs to match the shot you can actually play. Consider the distance, wind, lie and your usual carry distances. Don't aim at a difficult section simply because it looks like the safest place on the diagram.
Is the reward worth the risk?
A close pin might offer a shorter putt if you hit a perfect shot, but the extra risk may not be worthwhile. Aiming at a larger section of green can give you a much better chance of making a solid approach.
Choose a target that gives you a good chance of finding the green and leaves a manageable next shot, even when your approach isn't perfect.
Four greens.
Four different decisions.
The following examples show how the position of the flag and the hazards around the green can change your best target. The diagrams are illustrative, viewed from above, with the approach coming from the bottom of each green.
The flag is close to a front bunker
The pin is positioned towards the front of the green, with a bunker protecting the approach. A shot aimed directly at the flag has very little room to finish short.
Offers the shortest putt if successful, but leaves very little margin for a short shot.
Gives you more room to land the ball safely and avoids making the front bunker the main concern.
Removes the immediate bunker risk but could leave a difficult downhill putt or a longer recovery.
The middle of the green offers a larger landing area. You may leave a longer putt, but you reduce the chance of finding the bunker with a slightly short approach.
The flag is close to the left edge
The pin is tucked towards the left side of the green. There is little room between the flag and the edge, while the right half of the green offers a much wider landing area.
Requires a very accurate shot and leaves little room for a miss towards the left.
Uses the wider section of the green and gives your normal shot pattern more room.
Moves away from the left-side trouble but creates another narrow target near the opposite edge.
You don't need to chase a pin tucked against the edge. The middle-right section gives you a larger target and reduces the consequences of a slight directional error.
The flag is close to the back edge
The flag is positioned towards the back of the green. Beyond the putting surface is a steep drop-off. A shot that carries too far could leave a difficult recovery, particularly if you have little green to work with.
Offers a chance of a short putt but brings the drop-off into play if you hit the shot too long.
Leaves more room behind the target and reduces the chance of a long miss becoming a difficult recovery.
Avoids the back trouble but unnecessarily gives up the opportunity to reach the putting surface.
The middle provides a sensible compromise. You can still hit the green without needing to land the ball close to the back edge. When the long miss is particularly costly, give yourself more room in front of the danger.
The flag is in the middle of the green
The pin is positioned in the centre of a relatively open green. There are no obvious hazards immediately around the flag, and you have a reasonable opportunity to attack the target.
Gives you a straightforward target with room around the flag and a reasonable chance of a makeable putt.
May leave a longer putt and offers little advantage when there is no particular reason to favour the front.
Introduces unnecessary risk by moving away from the larger central target.
When the pin is accessible and the green is open, there is no need to be overly conservative. A central target gives you a sensible chance to get close without turning a straightforward approach into a precision exercise.
A smart target isn't always the middle of the green. It's the area that offers the best balance between reaching the green, avoiding trouble and leaving a manageable next shot.
Don't let the flag
become a trap.
Good target selection isn't about being afraid of difficult pins. It's about recognising when the reward justifies the risk and avoiding decisions that make an ordinary approach unnecessarily difficult.
Always aiming directly at the flag
The flag is an obvious visual target, but it isn't always the smartest one. When the pin is tucked close to an edge or hazard, aiming directly at it can leave very little room for error.
A better approach: Look at the available green around the flag and choose a larger landing area when the pin is difficult.
Ignoring the short-sided miss
Hitting the green but finishing on the wrong side of a tucked pin can leave you with very little green between your ball and the hole. That often makes the next chip or pitch much harder.
A better approach: Consider which side of the green gives you the easiest recovery if you miss your intended target.
Choosing a target that's too small
Aiming at a tiny section beside a bunker or near the edge of the green demands more precision than many everyday golfers can consistently produce.
A better approach: Give your normal shot pattern enough room. A larger target can be more valuable than a perfect result that requires exceptional accuracy.
Forgetting your usual shot shape
If your shots tend to fade, draw or miss in a particular direction, your target needs to account for that. Aiming at a flag with trouble immediately beyond your usual miss can be a poor decision.
A better approach: Choose a target that works with your normal shot pattern instead of assuming every approach will fly perfectly straight.
Being too conservative when the opportunity is good
Sensible targeting doesn't mean automatically aiming for the middle of every green. An accessible pin with plenty of space around it may be a perfectly reasonable target.
A better approach: Match your target to the actual difficulty of the shot. Take advantage of a good opportunity when the risk is manageable.
The aim isn't to avoid every difficult shot. It's to stop choosing difficult targets when an easier option gives you a better chance of a good result.
A simple routine
before every approach.
You don't need to spend a long time analysing every green. A quick assessment before choosing your club and target can help you make a more deliberate decision.
Locate the flag
Identify whether the pin is front, middle or back, and whether it is tucked towards either side.
Look for trouble
Notice bunkers, water, slopes and difficult recovery areas. Think about where you definitely don't want your ball to finish.
Choose your target area
Select a section of the green that gives you enough room for your normal shot. It might be the middle, the wider side or a section away from the pin.
Allow for your miss
Think about your usual shot shape and where an imperfect strike is likely to finish. Give yourself room for that result.
Commit to the decision
Once you've chosen a sensible target, commit to playing the shot. Don't keep changing your mind because the flag looks tempting.
Find the safe area. Allow for your miss. Choose a target you can play towards with confidence.
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