For decades, golfers have debated the "right" way to play a par 5. Should you lay up to your favorite wedge distance? Should you leave yourself 100 yards? Or should you simply hit the ball as far as you can while keeping yourself out of trouble?
New data suggests that many golfers may have been approaching this decision incorrectly.
A recent MyGolfSpy analysis, powered by Arccos data, looked at 1.34 million par-5 holes played by 18,285 USGA-handicapped golfers over a full year. The goal was to determine whether golfers score better by laying up to a preferred distance or by advancing the ball as far as possible.
The results were very clear.
There Isn't a Magic Lay-Up Number
Many golfers have a favorite lay-up number. The thinking is usually straightforward: "I'm better from this distance, so I'll lay up to it".
The data doesn't support the idea that there is a universal sweet spot where golfers suddenly become more effective. Instead, strokes-to-hole-out increased as golfers laid farther back. According to the analysis, moving from roughly 60 yards to 100 yards cost about 0.22 strokes, with the disadvantage continuing as golfers moved farther from the green.
There's another important variable, too: The fairway matters.
The data showed that being in the fairway was worth roughly 0.09 to 0.18 strokes compared with the rough at the same distance.
So the takeaway isn't necessarily: "Always hit driver or always go for the green."
You want to advance the ball as far as possible while keeping it in a playable position.
That changes the way we should think about par-5 strategy.
Going for It Isn't Just for Low-Handicap Golfers
One of the most interesting findings was that the advantage of advancing the ball wasn't limited to scratch golfers. MyGolfSpy compared golfers hitting second shots from the fairway between 180 and 260 yards from the hole.
Golfers who finished on the green or within 40 yards of it generally performed better than golfers who laid back. And that pattern held across handicap levels.
Perhaps most surprising was the 20-handicap group. Going for it more than doubled their birdie-or-better rate while also reducing their bogey-or-worse rate by nearly a third compared with laying back.
We often assume that aggressive play means accepting more risk in exchange for more birdies. But the data suggests that, when the shot is appropriate, getting closer can improve both sides of the scoring equation.
More birdies. Fewer big numbers.
So What Does This Have to Do With Speed?
This is where things get interesting for us at SuperSpeed. Distance isn't simply about hitting your driver farther.
Speed changes the way you can play the golf course.
Imagine two golfers standing 250 yards from a par 5. Golfer A has 95 mph of driver clubhead speed. Golfer B has 105 mph.
They may have similar technique, similar handicap and similar course-management philosophies. But the second golfer has access to a completely different set of options.
A shot that is out of reach for one golfer may be a realistic shot for the other. A golfer who used to have to lay up with a 7-iron might now be able to hit a hybrid. A golfer who previously had no chance of reaching a par 5 in two might now be able to attack it. And a golfer who already had enough speed to reach the green might be able to choose a more conservative club while still getting significantly closer.
Speed creates options.
More Speed Can Change Your Course Management
Let's say you gain 5 mph of driver clubhead speed. That doesn't just mean your drives can potentially go farther. It can change the entire architecture of your game.
Your second shot on a par 5 might become shorter. Your approach shots might require less club. You may be able to carry hazards you previously had to avoid. You may be able to attack greens you previously couldn't reach. And suddenly, the lay up to 100 yards strategy isn't necessarily the best option anymore.
This is one of the most overlooked benefits of speed training:
Speed expands your decision-making window.
The more distance you have available, the more ways you can solve a golf hole.
The Bigger Lesson: Stop Guessing. Use Data.
This is what makes the MyGolfSpy study so interesting. A lot of golf advice is based on tradition:
- "Lay up to 100."
- "Leave yourself a full wedge."
- "Don't try to hit shots you aren't capable of hitting."
Some of those ideas may be useful in certain situations. But once you have enough data, you can start asking a better question: What actually produces better results?
That's the same philosophy we apply to speed training.
Don't just assume you're getting faster. Measure it.
Don't assume your training is working. Track it.
Don't assume you need more speed. Find your baseline and determine what your potential actually is.
SuperSpeed's mobile app allows golfers to track their clubhead speed and training progress, while our research and real-world data continue to show that structured overspeed training can produce meaningful speed gains.
Our current aggregated app data shows that golfers who complete 25 or more training sessions average roughly 10.7% more driver clubhead speed, while SuperSpeed's broader research base includes studies showing increases in swing speed, driving distance and on-course performance.
Read the full MyGolfSpy article here: The Par 5 Lay-Up Debate Is Over. We Have The Data.