Lay Up or Go for It on a Par 5? Use the 30 yard Rule + Your New Favorite (or Least Favorite) Drill

TIPS & DRILLS
Your New Favorite (or Least Favorite) Club Path Drill
This drill will immediately stop you from coming over the top, from PGA Pro Matthew Lockey

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To Recap…

For most golfers, your dominant hand is typically going to be your rear hand. In other words, most dominant right handers play golf right-handed (and vice versa). And this can cause some serious issues in the golf swing, mainly in the form of ‘coming over the top,’ resulting in big slices or even pull hooks. Today, we’ve got a quick fix, as described by instructor Matthew Lockey (warning, this drill will challenge you to your core):

-STEP 1: Take your grip with your lead hand and place your rear hand flat on the handle with an open palm.
-STEP 2: Swing to the top of your backswing and allow the club to drop down to your waist before you allow your hips to fire and your open palm hand to help push the club forward through the impact zone. Make the same half-swing motion 10-20 times until you feel comfortable with it.
-STEP 3: Work your way up to full swings at faster and faster speeds, keeping your palm hand open throughout the entirety of the swing.

PRO TIP: This drill is great even if you do NOT typically come of the top. The open palm hand will help ingrain the feeling of a square club face, keeping your shots on target with little to no fade or draw shape.

COURSES
From Abandoned to Acclaimed, the Resurrection of the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club
Publicly accessible and highly acclaimed

U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club
Annapolis, MD

It’s Army-Navy football week, so what better time to bring you a story about a fantastic military course you might not have even known existed- the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club. In 1938, the U.S. Navy purchased land near the academy to expand its radio communications facility. Little did they know, this acquisition included an abandoned 9-hole course, once the home to Greenbury Point Yacht Club. Not wanting to squander an opportunity, the Navy brought in the legendary William Flynn in 1942 to transform the course to a full 18. The mastermind behind revered layouts like Shinnecock Hills and Merion, Flynn ultimately crafted his swan song at the Naval Academy. The course opened in 1944 and was his final masterpiece before his untimely passing later that year.

Flynn brilliantly incorporated the natural rolling terrain, tidal inlets, and stunning Bay Bridge views, creating a layout that has stood the test of time. The course follows the classic 1940s formula: high tee, low valley for your drive, and an elevated green (lots of table-top greens, oh boy). Fast forward to 2018, and the course underwent a $6 million meticulous restoration led by architect Andrew Green that has received overwhelmingly positive remarks. The project breathed new life into Flynn's vision with expanded fairways, reshaped greens, and 21 additional fairway bunkers, all while remaining true to Flynn's original intent.

Whether you're a military member, a golf architecture enthusiast, or simply a lover of great courses, the Naval Academy Golf Course is a must-play. One golfer's review captures the essence of the course perfectly: "An exciting mix of downhill and uphill holes that move left and right and navigate around well-placed fairway and greenside bunkers. One has the sense that the course has been here for a while, and the design certainly has a 1940s-50s feel, which is fitting for the course associated with the U.S. Naval Academy. This... is the kind of course that a good golfer could play regularly without getting bored."

Just remember, if you want to play the course, you’ll need an invite from an active military member, service veteran or a civilian club member (if you’re not one yourself).

Rates: ~$95 for a civilian guest + $20 cart fee if riding

Check out these images from @loplgolf

STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: The Par 5 Conundrum: When to Lay Up vs. Go For It
presented by…

The Rule of Thumb: Many players will make the decision to lay up vs. go for the green in two on a par 5 purely based on feel. But the general rule of thumb based on data is “if you can hit it within 30 yards of the pin, you should go for it.”

There’s one caveat, however: This rule does NOT hold if there are large amounts of water (or out of bounds areas) surrounding the green.

The Takeaway: It almost always pays off to get as close to the green as possible on your 2nd shot on a par 5. You shouldn’t try to lay up to a full wedge distance, for example, simply because you’re more comfortable with a 100 yard wedge than a 30 yard shot.

The stats show that the closer you are, the better your chance of making a birdie or better. And even if you miss the green, your odds of getting up and down are far better than laying up to a longer yardage.

So don’t be scared of those bunkers or that tall rough protecting the green! This is your chance to play the hero shot!

TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win BOTH of our Wild Golf Holiday Gift Boxes
(1 winner chosen on 12/31/24 across all December trivia entries, 1,000 correct respondents minimum)

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