These A+ Course Management Hacks Help Conquer Scary Par-5s

If you're an amateur or beginner golfer, there's a good chance you don't fully understand the concept of course management - and, trust me, that's not a knock on you.

As someone who discovered how to fully navigate a golf course by using better on-course management skills in the past few years, it's just a fact - most average players don't know how to put together a good on-course strategy.

What is Course Management in Golf?

So what is course management, and how can it help you play better golf and lower your golf scores?

The general definition is this: "a strategic process of navigating a golf course to minimize risk and maximize scoring opportunities, which involves analyzing the layout, understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, and picking the smartest target for every shot," which, in Layman's terms, means "making smarter decisions equals better shot results and lower scores."

And if you're a golfer who sees a scary, long, bunker-filled par-5 from the tee box and immediately grabs driver, the video below is for you - as top-ranked golf coach Brian Mogg gives me a masterclass in proper course management, walking me through each shot along the way.

Use this Course Management Plan on Long, Intimidating Par-5s

Playing the iconic 18th hole at Chambers Bay - where Jordan Spieth hit his memorable second shot during the 2015 US Open - Mogg and I have a whopping 541 yards between the tee box and the center of the green.

While my instinct is to naturally pull driver and try to get as much distance as possible, Mogg stops me in my tracks, telling me that that common method could lead to a nasty blowup hole because of the crazy bunkers that line the right side of this hole - so the landing area is narrow.

"Rarely do you ever say or suggest this, but our goal is to make par," Mogg tells me. "There's so much trouble out there, especially if you go up the left side and get it narrow, your driver's going to go too far into the bunker.

"I'd actually like to see you hit either a 3-wood, Hybrid, or 5-wood, something that goes about 220 yards."

By aiming away from the bunkers and using a more controlled golf club (5-wood), Mogg has me focus on hitting a 220-yard tee shot, which will set me up perfectly for shot No. 2.

"Normally you wouldn't do this, but let's play really conservative right now," he adds. "So let's go 5-wood, [hit it] 220 yards, and aim for that far-left bunker - which is the fat side of the fairway."

Good Course Management Isn't Just About Club Choice

As the video continues, Mogg and I talk through everything to fully understand what decision is the smartest on this par-5. But that doesn't only include choosing the right club, but also where to aim and what type of ball-flight I want.

For instance, after hitting the ideal tee shot, my confidence is high and I'm running on adrenaline, so I'm itching to give it a rip with another fairway wood on my second shot.

But Mogg shuts that thought down fast, reminding me to play within my limits and not "go for it," since I'm not reaching the green in two anyway, and I've already accomplished what I wanted to with my first shot.

"[You landed this tee shot on a fairway] that's about 50 yards wide," he says. "Had you used driver, even if you striped it, you would've had about a 20-yard-wide fairway - so the consequence would've been pretty significant.

"You aren't going to hit [the green] in two anyway, so why even bother with the risk of that [off the tee]?"

After hitting an OK second shot that ended up being a good mishit, I find myself with about 129 yards away on shot No. 3 - meaning I'm only a solid 9-iron away from hitting a green in regulation and giving myself a birdie opportunity.

"You've really got to lock in on the moment right now," Mogg says. "That means you're locked in on this shot only, and not going into the future and thinking about your score. Just focus on execution."

While I did everything right on this third shot, using a 9 instead of an 8-iron did me in, as my ball came up just short of holding the elevated green and rolled back down the slope just a tad.

Brutal.

Use Alternative Targets in the Short Game

While committing to great course management skills can be tough for many average or beginner golfers on full swing shots, in the short game, it can actually be a lot of fun.

For instance, after seeing my third shot roll slightly down the slope and off the green, Mogg walks me through a few different short game shot options, which includes a standard pitch shot, but also a Texas Wedge, where I aim between a sprinkler head to try and sweep my ball up the hill and back down it from right to left.

"What's your strength?" Mogg asks. "Since you're going to putt it, aiming for this sprinkler is a good target because to the right of it, it'll come more down the hill, and inside of it, it's going to hook a little bit.

"So I'd say aim about one step inside the sprinkler head. Just pick your line, trust your line, and commit to the speed."

I decide to go with the Texas Wedge, which proved to be effective.

I was pumped that the shot eliminated risk by keeping the ball on the ground, and, while I correctly read the putt from this distance, my speed was just a bit off.

Now, the pressure is on to make par from about eight feet away...

"Pressure's only on if you put the pressure on," Mogg reminds me. "What can you control right now? The start line and the speed. You can hit a good putt and it doesn't go in, or hit a bad putt and it does go in.

"Only focus on what you can control right now."

As I confidently hit my par putt, the darn thing doesn't turn over and just burns the edge of the cup, leaving me with a safe, simple, and stress-free, tap-in bogey.

Sure, I didn't hit my goal of making par, but I gave myself a chance by playing smart, evaluating risk vs. reward, adapting my shot types, and being more creative - which is why course management is the perfect way to make golf more fun (while lowering scores along the way).

Craving more golf swing tips and golf instruction? Be sure to follow Nick Dimengo on Instagram, and subscribe to Rainmakers Golf on YouTube for more relatable swing advice to help your game improve.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 10:50 AM.