These simple adjustments helped me almost nail a tricky par-3

For the past year or so, par-3 they absolutely crushed me – and I just can’t figure out what’s going on.

Even if I hit a good shot, I kind of find yourself three-put and making bogeys. And when I don’t hit the green? It’s usually because I picked the wrong club to begin with, leaving me with no putting surface and forcing me to scramble to get up and down. Spoiler alert: which I don’t do often.

The funny thing is, I’m not alone, as par-3s can often spoil the round of a handicap due to lack of strategy or poor decision making. Sure, these holes may be shorter and appear to be “easier,” but if you buy into that mindset, you’re probably like me and struggling with them.

So I decided to contact my friend for help, GOLF Top 100 Teachers Brian Mogg, who gave me some easy tweaks to eventually master the par-3 – which you can see in the video below to help improve your game too.

Try these variations for more par-3 success

In this fun two-ball challenge, Mogg made me hit my shot like I normally would without any advice. Then he gave me some pointers and ordered me to take another shot to see if I could produce a better result.

Since every golfer has probably done something like this themselves – where they hit a shot after going through a normal routine, screw it up, then quickly hit another without thinking and execute it to perfection – Mogg and I decided to just show video differences to help other amateur players.

The hole we chose was Iconic 15th at Chambers Baywhich was playing about 140 yards from an elevated tipped box with little wind.

Here are some simple tips worth noting if you struggle with par-3s.

You always get more club than you think

After choosing to hit my pitching wedge (which is my club 130 to 135 yards), Mogg says I made a common mistake.

“I see so many amateurs take out the perfect club for a par-3, hoping to hit the perfect shot,” he says. “The challenge on a downhill par-3 with your wedge is that, ultimately, your ball can go into the (front) bunker very easily — which we never want to see happen.”

So Mogg suggests stepping up with clubs from a pitching wedge to an 8-iron, hunkering down and committing to hitting my putt with about 80 percent effort. That gives me the confidence to be aggressive on this particular par-3.

“I was going to go with the 9-iron, but I’m actually ditching the 8-iron since we’ve got a little bit of wind — so just throttle it and work with the flow and the pace,” he says.

Step up to the side of the flag on the par-3

After landing on my ideal club choice, Mogg picks apart my pre-shot plan, saying he didn’t like the way I tired in the middle of the tee box and suggests I move to the flagpole side for the attempt. my second

“If the needle is on the left, stick to the left. If it’s on the right, jump to the right,” he says. “This forces your shot into the middle of the green as a total foul.”

Ignore the flag when aiming

I’m not sure about you, but when I play a par-3, I always close to the flagstaff – but this is a big mistake.

With a full green to land the ball, Mogg tells me to find another target instead.

“You’re lined up more toward the middle of the green, so you pick one of those hills near the back bunker,” he says. “Then just use a three-quarter swing with good tempo and rhythm.”

After making Mogg’s adjustments, even a slight error resulted in a hole in one, with my ball hitting the slope just left of the green, rolling into the putting surface and down past the flagstick, leaving me in four feet away. pin

“You didn’t try to force a lofted wedge or try to hit a solid 9-iron,” Mogg says. “So (using a different strategy) is important for par-3s.”

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