The long par-3 in the eyes of the amateur golfer can seem like a daunting task. Not only is a birdie seemingly out of the picture but the opportunity to make par seems unlikely on any hole 200+ yards. In this Play Better Golf segment, Titleist Staff Professional, Mark Blackburn discusses the importance of choosing a conservative target and making an aggressive swing when facing a long Par-3.

Mark Blackburn: It’s Mark Blackburn with Blackburn Golf at Greystone Country Club. We’re going to talk about the long par three and how to maximize your scoring. The strategy on a 200 to 225-yard par three is all about choosing a conservative target, making a nice aggressive swing, and giving ourselves the best opportunity for success. A lot of times when we get to these longer clubs we tend to maybe be a bit aggressive a little bit quick.

Remember, the longer the club, the longer it’s going to take to get in line and we want a nice big wide arc to shallow our angle of attack and make it much easier to get the ball launching higher and landing softer, so the angle of descent is very very high which is going to make the ball hold on the green. So the key here is to make sure we get a good set up. Now, I’m trying for a big wide arc, straightaway 230 yards, 225. I’m gonna get set up here, I’m gonna choose a very, pretty neutral shot here nice wide high shot that lands softly.

So I’m gonna choose this sort of center of the tee box here, I’m gonna get set up, I want to make sure the ball positions up, I want to make sure that you’re in my swing my arc is nice and wide, I’m not holding on or dragging the handle, I’m letting it out nice and wide so that the bottom the club’s traveling very shallow through the shot get up there and land very very softly on the green. So let’s give one of those a try, and that balls pretty straight landed nice and soft, we’re going to have a great opportunity to make a three, possibly a two on a par three, picking up shots on the field.