[Uzezqelj]

You went sailing past the green and end up a foot from the wall of the clubhouse. There is no way to set up your shot to aim for the green. How do you play the shot?

I don't.

I take the relief I'm entitled to and the penalty that goes with it and I comment to myself about being so f****** Polish and remind myself to pay more attention next time.

I say this as a graduate of the "What were you thinking?" school of trick shots where I've learned that even though there exists some "miracle" shot that might be playable about as often as certain comets pass close to the earth, the likelihood of having that shot actually work is quite slim and will often result in a higher score than that which I would have carded had I just taken the drop and the penalty in the first place.

If the shot is a last resort effort to win a match, then it's certainly worth a try. But if nothing is riding on that shot other than the difference between a bogey or a double, then nine out of ten times the smart play is to take the drop and the penalty.


-JP