The temptation when playing a shot onto the green for beginner golfers is always to aim straight at the flag and why not?
The object of the game is to get around the course in as few shots as possible and the best way to achieve that is by getting approach shots close to the pin. However, there are a few things you must consider before aiming your approach shot at the flag and these will help you decide if attacking the pin is the best option.
Firstly, check for any water hazards or out of bounds close to the green. If there is no water or out of bounds close to the green you can play the shot towards the flag with confidence you will not end up dropping needless shots.
If there is a water hazard or out of bounds close to the green and the pin is near the edge, play it safe and go for the middle of the green to avoid any trouble.
Always consider what side of the green the flag is on and what that means for you personally. If you play with a consistent shot shape, that is you tend to fade the ball for example, you will need to aim your shot accordingly. So, if you are a right handed player who naturally fades the ball and the pin is on the right side of the green, you will need to aim for the middle of the green to get the ball close to the flag.
When playing an approach shot to the green, think about the distance you have between your ball and the green and the club you are using. If you feel you can make the green but it is a stretch and you are needing to use a fairway wood, the ball is going to be travelling at a lower trajectory and greater speed than a wedge shot.
Depending on where the ball will bounce, you could easily travel over the green or fall into a hazard ahead of the green if going directly at the flag. The better option may be to aim away from the flag and get the ball safely on the green.
Before aiming at the flag, you must also consider if it is near the front or the back of the green. If the flag is near the front of the green, you will need to use a lofted club which will get the ball to stop quickly. If the pin is at the back of the green you may need to choose one club less to allow the ball to bounce and run close to the flag.
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