Michael Block: how average golfers can make more birdies on par 5s

Instruction
Michael Block hits a shot from the fairway

It’s been the BMW PGA Championship on the West Course at Wentworth this week and, as always, the par 5s there matter.

On the front nine it’s essential to break par on the fourth to maintain momentum (or perhaps create it).

Meanwhile, on the back nine, a player can go super low by attacking the long 12th and then attempt to close the round with a flourish at the 17th and 18th, which are both par 5s.

It creates drama for the fans watching on the course and on television but how does the average golfer look to make more birdies on the long holes?

Michael Block, the teaching pro who became a cult hero when finishing in a share of 15th at the 2023 PGA Championship, says that the best way to break par is to keep it simple.

In a PGA of America video filmed at the 2018 PGA Championship Block states: “My job today is to teach you course management on a par 5.”

He starts by bunting his tee shot down the fairways and then the advice kicks in.

“Okay,” he says, “I was lucky enough to find the fairway and I have 250-yards left to the pin.

“From what I’ve seen of the members back at my home course you all wanna grab the 3-wood on your second shot at a par-5 and unless your name’s DJ or Rory you tend not to hit that 3-wood too good do you?!

‘Happy number’

“So my recommendations if you want to start making more birdies on par-5s is go ahead and lay up to your happy number.

“My happy number is 100 yards out so I’m gonna hit 9-iron to the 100-yard marker and then make easy birdie with my lob wedge.”

When he gets up to the ball, Block glances up at the green, surrounded by bunkers, with tree and water also in play.

“This way of playing,” he says, “takes out the bunkers, and the trees and the water, and also the dreaded top with the 3-wood which I know we’ve all done before.

“By laying up with my 9-iron I was also able to avoid the 60-yard bunker shot which I know none of us like and I definitely didn’t slice the ball into the stream.

“Now I’ve got 100 yards with my lob wedge and I’ll take that all day.”

Ridiculously, Block then holes the wedge for an eagle-3. “Are you kidding?” he says. “I should have saved it for the tournament.”

But Block insists that all average golfers can learn the lesson of the happy number.

“You just remember,” he says. “Use course management and lay up for the birdie.”

READ MORE: Wentworth: what would an ‘average’ golfer score at the home of the BMW PGA Championship

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