Golf Glossary
Approach Shot
In short
An approach shot is the shot that is meant to bring the ball onto the green. You usually play it after the tee shot with an iron or a wedge, and on short holes straight from the tee. The aim is to leave the ball on the green and as close to the flag as possible.
What is an approach shot in golf?
A golf hole consists of the tee, the way to the green and the green. With the tee shot you bring the ball near the green. The approach shot is the shot that then takes it onto the green. On a par 4 that is usually the second shot, on a par 5 often the third, and on a par 3 the tee shot itself.
The term is not sharply defined. Some coaches mean only shots from medium range with irons, others also include short shots from 50 metres with a wedge. Shots right next to the green are more often called chips or pitches and belong to the short game.
The approach shot is an important part of the game. If you hit the green you have a chance of par or better. If you miss it you are left with a tricky shot from rough, a bunker or a slope. The statistic greens in regulation reflects this.
Choosing the right club for the approach
Which club fits depends on the distance to the flag, but also on other factors. These steps help with the choice:
- Work out the distance: to the middle of the green, not to the flag. Hazards in front of the green count.
- Know your own distances: how far does each club go with a normal swing? A distance table helps.
- Allow for wind, elevation and lie: headwind and uphill call for more club, tailwind and downhill for less.
- Choose a landing area: the ball should land where the green has room, not at the edge.
A simple guide for distance: if the ball flies less far than you think on average, take one more club. Many recreational golfers finish short. For wedge approaches from short range it pays to graduate your wedges by loft. More on the wedge topic page.
Measure the distance and make a plan
A good approach begins before the shot. On many courses distance markers, small posts or marks at the edge of the fairway show the distance to the middle of the green. Many players also use a laser rangefinder or a GPS watch.
Under the Rules of Golf (Rule 4.3) you may measure distance and direction with a device. Not allowed are measuring elevation changes, letting the device recommend a club or line of play, and measuring wind speed. The Committee can also ban rangefinders completely through a Local Rule. If in doubt, ask in the office before the round.
A commonly quoted rule of thumb for height differences: for each metre of height difference to the green, the distance you need changes by about one metre. If the green is 5 metres higher, plan for about 5 metres more. This is an approximation that depends on the club and the flight height. Check your own experience.
Example from practice: an approach on a par 4
A par 4 is 370 metres long. Your tee shot goes 200 metres and stays on the fairway. That leaves 170 metres to the middle of the green. A bunker sits in front of the green, the green starts at 160 metres and ends at 180 metres. The flag is at the back, at 176 metres.
From your distance table you know that the 5 iron flies about 165 metres with a normal swing and the 4 iron about 175 metres. There is no wind and the ground is soft. Your misses usually finish short, and the bunker sits right in front of the green. So you choose the 4 iron and aim at the middle of the green, even though the flag is farther back.
If the ball lands in the middle, it has room for a small miss to the left or right. Even a slightly short shot still carries the bunker, because you chose with a reserve. You have a green in regulation and, at best, a long putt, at worst a clean two-putt. Had you gone straight at the flag with the 5 iron, any small mistake would have ended in the bunker. The safe plan paid off.
Common mistakes on approach shots
Some patterns are spotted by any coach straight away:
- Too short: many approach shots by recreational golfers land short of the green. The reason is often the assumption that every shot is struck perfectly.
- Straight at the flag: always aiming at the flag produces more misses at the edge of the green. The middle of the green is the safer target, especially with flags near the edge.
- Unknown distances: if you do not know how far your own club goes, you are guessing. Measure your numbers on the range.
- Forgetting wind and elevation: one club too few often costs a stroke.
- Wrong ball position: a few centimetres change launch angle and strike point. More under ball position.
- Too much force: as a rule of thumb, an iron at about 80 per cent tempo often strikes better than an iron with full force.
The approach is not a power shot. Anyone who swings calmly and knows the target hits the green more often.
Training: how to improve your approach shots
Practise approach shots with fixed targets and small tasks.
- Distance ladder: hit five balls each with a wedge to 40, 60 and 80 metres. Note the spread and the length.
- Target zone: lay out a towel or a target area of about 10 metres by 10 metres. Count how many of ten balls finish inside it.
- One swing length per distance: hip high, chest high and full are three different distances with one club.
- One ball per target: change club and target after every shot. That is closer to a course situation than ten identical shots in a row.
Data helps. If you know how far your carry and your spread really are, you choose more confidently on the course. A coach can show you how to improve strike point and face angle.
Try it at Golf Lounge
TrackMan shows you how far your approach shots really fly. At Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg you work on the range with TrackMan III, a radar ball-flight measurement as used on the professional tour. The system provides launch angle, ball speed, carry distance, spin and dispersion. That lets you find out how far you carry with each club and how accurately you hit your target. Coaching also offers V1 Pro video analysis as a complement.
Frequently asked questions
What is an approach shot in golf?
The approach shot is the shot that is meant to bring the ball onto the green. It is usually played with an iron or a wedge, on a par 4 often as the second shot. The aim is to land on the green and finish as close to the flag as possible.
Which club suits an approach shot?
That depends on the distance to the middle of the green. Irons 7 to 9, pitching wedge and gap wedge serve as a guide. Your own distances are what matter. Wind, elevation and lie change the choice. When in doubt, take one more club rather than one less.
Where should I aim on an approach shot?
Usually at the middle of the green, not at the flag. That gives you room for small errors left and right, short and long. Aim at the flag only if it is well away from the edge and no hazard waits nearby.
What is the difference between approach, pitch and chip?
The terms overlap. The approach is the shot onto the green from medium range. A pitch is a short, high shot, usually from less than 50 metres. A chip is a low shot with a lot of roll, played from right next to the green. All three belong to getting the ball close to the hole.
How can I improve my approach shots?
Measure the distances of your clubs, train with target zones and practise fixed swing lengths. On the course, plan the distance to the middle of the green and note where your balls land. A coach and measurement data show whether strike point, face angle or distance feel causes the error.
As of: October 2026