For short and medium length hitters (that is, most of us), getting to the green in regulation on a long par 4 requires two heroic shots. Fail to precisely nail either one and the best case scenario is that you need an extra shot to reach the green. But because longer shots magnify mistakes, you could waste a lot more trying to extricate yourself from trouble.
The solution is to play a long par 4 like a par 5. Take three controlled, medium length shots to the green. Having avoided trouble, the third shot should be a short enough wedge that you’ll have a reasonable chance at par.
This mental golf tip, and 99 others can be found in The GolfBlogger’s book, The Five Inch Course: Thinking Your Way To Better Golf.
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I prefer a short par 5 to a long par 4 any day. In fact, I think a long par 4 is even worse than a long par 3. At least with a long par 3, you’re only dealing with having to get one decent long shot. With the long par 4s, I have to use my low irons or my 3 or 5 wood which aren’t my best clubs.