I seem to struggle in my golf game with the par 3’s. I am a 15 handicap on a consistent basis and my golf swing seems pretty solid. But I can’t seem to get birdies or even pars on the par 3’s on any consistent basis. Golf Nut, do you have any suggestions?

Here is one thing that you might want to take a look at. Amateur golfers seem for some reason to try to go from average amateur golfer to hero when they hit a par 3 golf hole. This is definitely a mental thing with a lot of golfer and I’m not sure why we do this, but I see it pretty consistently.

Here is what I am talking about. A lot of times, the greenskeeper on a lot of golf courses seems to let his devilish streak come out when he sets up the pins on the par 3’s. So you will come to a par 3 and the pin is on the very front of the green which is protected by a deep greenside bunker all the way across the front. Or the pin is tucked into the back left corner and there is a pond or lake behind the green.

And I see so many amateurs, even golfers with higher than a 15 handicap, going for the pin. And what happens many times? In the sand or in the water and the hole is over as far as your golf score is concerned.

Why not just play to the fat part of the green in the very center and two putt for par? And every once in a while you’ll drop that birdie putt? But our ego gets in the way, especially if our golf buddies are egging us on!

I’m not familiar with your home golf course so I don’t know if this is what is costing you strokes, but my advice to all amateur golfers on the par 3’s is to play smart when there is trouble around. Go for the fat part of the green or lay up in front or to the side if you need to. In almost all cases you’ll see your scores drop on these holes.

Keep the golf questions coming, all you golf nuts! And here are more golf tips that can help you with your mental approach.