Playing to Pin Positions (Front, Back and Tucked Pins)
Also known as: back-left pin, back left pin, back pin, front pin, tucked pin, pin position, pin placement, how to play a back pin, how to play a front pin, sucker pin
For a back-left pin, take enough club to reach the middle of the green, then aim at the center or slightly left of it. Going long usually leaves a hard chip back down the slope. For any tucked pin, aim at the safe part of the green and let the putter do the rest.
Pin position changes what the safe target is. With a front pin, the risk is coming up short into a bunker or false front. Take enough club to carry the front edge, and accept a putt from the middle. With a back pin, the risk is going long. Club to the middle of the green, so a good shot finishes near the hole and a weak one still finishes on the green.
A tucked pin sits close to an edge, a bunker or water. Golfers sometimes call it a sucker pin. Aim for the wide side of the green, away from the trouble. A miss on that side leaves room to chip. A miss on the tucked side is called being short-sided.
Check the pin sheet or flag color if your course uses them. Then pick your target from your usual miss. If you tend to fade the ball, start it toward the middle and let it move toward a right pin.
Tips by skill level
Aim at the middle of the green unless the pin is in the middle too. Two putts from the center is a solid result.
Know your dispersion with each club. Aim so that most of your pattern finishes on the green and away from the short side.
Example
The flag is back left, just over a bunker. The golfer aims at the center of the green with one more club than the front yardage suggests. He finishes twenty feet right of the hole and two-putts.
Why it matters
Pin position decides where a miss hurts. Playing to the safe side keeps big numbers off your card.
Common mistakes
- Firing at every flag no matter where it is tucked
- Using the front yardage for a back pin and coming up short
- Missing on the short side next to a bunker
Frequently asked questions
Should I aim at a back pin?
Usually not straight at it. Take enough club to reach the middle of the green. A good shot rolls toward the hole, and a miss still stays on the putting surface.
What is a tucked pin?
A pin placed close to the edge of the green, often behind a bunker or near water. Aim for the wider side of the green instead of the flag.
Related terms
- Approach ShotAn approach shot is any shot hit toward the green to reach or set up the putting surface. It is usually a par 4's second shot, or a par 5's second or third.
- Course ManagementCourse management is your strategy for where to aim, which club to hit, and how to play each hole. The goal is to limit risk and score well for your skill level.
- Good MissA good miss is the preferred side to miss on a given shot. It is the direction or spot where an error leaves the easiest recovery or does the least damage.
- Club SelectionClub selection is picking the right club for each shot from real carry distance, lie, wind, elevation, and hazard placement. It is one of the biggest scoring decisions.
- Greens in Regulation (GIR)Greens in Regulation (GIR) counts how often a golfer reaches the green in two strokes fewer than par. It is golf's most common ball-striking measure.
Related guides & benchmarks
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