Strategy in golf is nothing more than knowing your game.  If you know how far you hit each club, then you can use the appropriate strategy.  It's a good idea for most golfers to ignore the flagstick, and aim for the center of the green.  Except for one really bizarre hole in Los Angeles, the center of the green is usually a good place to be.   Play to your strengths and know your limits.  For instance, I really hate being in the sand. I will  aim away from a bunker to a safe part of the green.   I feel I am a good putter, but an average bunker. By playing away from the bunker I am playing to my strength.  Another of my strengths is that I can really make the ball spin (spin helps stop the ball on the green), I can only spin the ball from the fairway,  it doesn't work in the rough.  Therefor accuracy off  the tee is   a priority, distance is not really important to me.  Often times I will hit an iron or fairway wood from the tee just to insure I can stay in the fairway.  You must also know your limits.  Say you have to hit a shot over the water.  It will take a shot of 140 yards to carry the water.  If you are not able to hit it that far, then you must play around the water, it's all part of the game.  In time you will hit the ball that far but there is nothing to be gained by drowning a bunch of golf balls, play around the water.  Don't try to be a miracle worker, play smart.  In a tournament, I tried to hit a ball thought the branches of  a tree.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I tried it anyway.  The ball hit the tree and then came back and hit me.  First it hurt, secondly it was a two stroke penalty.  If I had chipped the ball back into the fairway, it would have only been one extra stroke, instead it cost me three extra strokes.  Play smart, but most importantly, have fun.

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