These simple changes helped me almost become a tricky par-3

In the last year or so, par-3s have completely crushed me – and I just can’t figure out what’s going on.

Even when I hit a good shot, I somehow find myself three-putting and making bogey. And if I don’t hit the green? Usually it’s because I picked the wrong club to start with, leaving me short and forcing me to scramble up and down. Spoiler alert: which I don’t often do.

The funny thing is, I’m not alone, as par-3s often ruin a round in the middle due to a lack of strategy or poor decision making. Sure, these holes may be short and seem “easy,” but if you buy into that mindset, you’re probably like me and struggle with them.

So I decided to hit up a friend of mine for some help, GOLF 100 Master Teacher Brian Mogg, who gave me some simple tweaks to keep par-3’s close — which you can see in the video below to help improve your game, too.

Try these variations for more success on the par-3s

In this fun two-ball challenge, Mogg forced me to hit my shot the way I normally would without the tips. He then gave me suggestions and asked me to hit another shot to see if I could produce a better result.

Since every golfer probably does something like this on their own – where they hit a shot after a routine, solve it, hit another without thinking and perfect it – Mogg and I decided we should just show the difference on video to help other novice golfers.

The hole we chose was the iconic 15th at Chambers Bay, which played about 140 yards from the high tee box with some wind.

Here are some simple things to be aware of if you’re having trouble with the par-3s.

Always take more clubs than you think

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

“I see a lot of beginners taking the right club out on the par-3, hoping to hit the right shot,” he said. “The challenge with going down par-3s with your wedge is that, eventually, your ball can connect. [the front] the bunker is really simple – which we don’t want to see happen. “

So Mogg suggests I step up from the pitching wedge all the way to the 8 iron, squeeze down, and commit to hitting my shot with about 80 percent effort instead. This gives me the confidence to be aggressive in this phase 3.

“I was going to go with a 9-iron, but I’m actually going with an 8-iron since we have a little wind — so just squeeze it in and work with the flow and the tempo,” he says.

Gather by the flag on the par-3s

After arriving at my choice of the right club, Mogg picks my pre-shot plan, saying he didn’t like how I connected in the middle of the tee box, and suggests I go to the side of the flagstick on my second attempt.

“If the pin is on the left, connect to the left. If it’s on the right, move to the right,” he said. “It forces your shot to hit the middle of the green like a normal mistake.”

Ignore the flag when aiming

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

With the absolute green of putting the ball, Mogg tells me to find a different target than that.

“You’re lined up pretty much in the middle of the green, so pick one of those hills near the back,” he says. “Then just use a third-quarter swing with good rhythm and tempo.”

After making Mogg’s adjustments, even a slow putt led to a close hole, where my ball hit the slope left of the green, rolled off the putt and landed near the fairway, leaving me about four feet short. pin.

“You didn’t try to force the pitching wedge or try to hit a solid 9-iron,” Mogg said. “So [using a different] strategy is important in par-3.”

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