Know your real distances

Almost all strategy rests on one number: how far you actually hit each club. And here nearly everyone lies... to themselves. Players systematically overestimate their distances, which is exactly why they keep coming up short. The classic example: you think your 7-iron flies 155 yards, but your real average — throwing out the shot of your life and the total shank — is closer to 145. Picking a club off your best-ever swing instead of your average swing guarantees you'll be short.