Common Strategic Mistakes in Alternate Shot Strategy

Mistake: playing your own game

Alternate shot punishes solo thinking. A player may love attacking a back pin, but if the miss leaves the partner short-sided in thick rough, the team paid for that ambition. Every shot should be judged by the next shot it creates.

Mistake: automatic driver

Driver is not mandatory. On narrow holes, a fairway wood or hybrid that leaves a full approach can be smarter. The goal is not to prove who hits it farthest; it’s to keep the ball in a place where the next player can swing freely.

Mistake: vague layups

“Just lay up” is not a plan. Lay up to a number your partner likes. If they love 90-yard wedges but struggle from 55, choose the club that leaves 90. If the fairway narrows at that number, adjust.

Mistake: emotional silence

Some teams stop talking after a bad shot. Others talk too much. Both hurt. Agree on a reset phrase before the round, such as “next good target.” It gives the team a way to move forward without pretending the mistake didn’t happen.

Better alternatives

• Choose safe sides of greens before approaches.
• Favor full swings over touchy half-shots under pressure.
• Club down when the miss with driver is a penalty.
• Keep encouragement specific and short.
• Review decisions after the hole, not during the walk to a tough lie.

The theme

Most alternate-shot mistakes come from trying to be impressive. The better strategy is usually less dramatic: leave playable angles, trust the partner, and avoid making one error become three.