Dominate short par-4s with this simple 2-step strategy

This edition of Play Smart was published in partnership with XXIO.

Short par-4s are some of the most exciting holes in golf. For high handicappers they can provide legitimate birdie looks — and, for more skilled players, eagle chances.

The opportunity for bogey (or worse) is always lurking, though. These short holes are often designed with dangerous spots. Bite off more than you can chew and making a big number is just as likely as walking away with birdie.

The key to taking advantage of short par-4s is going in with the right strategy. And in today’s edition of Play Smart, XXIO ambassador Nathalie Sheehan joins us on the 15th hole at Cabot Citrus Farms to explain how to best attack a risk-reward hole.

The 15th hole at Cabot Citrus Farms is a quintessential short par-4. From the middle tees, the hole stretches to just over 280 yards, and with the baked-out conditions, the hole plays even shorter. In other words, it’s got birdie opp written all over it.

But while the hole might play short, there’s no guarantee of making a low number. If you miss in the wrong spot, making bogey (or worse) is well within the realm of possibility. If you want to take advantage of the hole, you need to keep a couple things in mind.

1. Know your miss

Golf is often not a game of your best shots, but rather where you leave your worst ones. And when you’re attacking a short par-4, it’s imperative you keep that in mind.

When you stand on the tee box, the first thing you need to acknowledge is where your typical miss is. Once you know that, you can proceed to the next step.

2. Look for trouble

You never want to bring negative thoughts into your mind on the course, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the trouble all together. It’s important you know where the worst spots are on a hole and do your best to avoid them.

On risk-reward holes, the trouble is usually in the landing area for a driver. And when those penalty areas favor one side or the other, it’s important to take into account if they will come into play with your typical miss.

“Here we have quite a lot of bunkering happening,” Sheehan says. “So if you’re someone who is really uncomfortable being in a bunker, we’re probably just going to want to hit something down this left side [away from trouble].”

It’s as simple as that. If you can safely hit driver and have your miss still end up away from trouble, it’s a green light from the tee. But if your typical miss might put you in trouble, lay back and try to make birdie with a wedge in your hand.

If you can implement these steps into your process on short par-4s, you’ll start to make more birdies — and eliminate those back-breaking big numbers from the card.