When I was first learning the APBA Golf Master Game, I used to think that working-the-ball (WTB) was just a way of “aiming” when you are short-sided. I soon found out otherwise. I’ve come to believe that WTB is a risky strategy that should only be used in special circumstances.
The main difference between aiming and WTB is the amount of Left/Right (L/R) variability between the two. When you have a good angle and are aiming, you have a much better chance of predicting the final L/R position of the ball relative to the centerline (CL). There are other factors that may come into play (e.g., variable crosswinds), but you can at least roughly estimate the odds of a good shot based on your understanding of your golfer’s Player Result Numbers (PRNs) and the APBA shot boards.
But when you are WTB, it is often a crap shoot (pun intended). Not only do you have the L/R variability of the shot result to contend with (and possibly variable winds), but you are adding another roll specifically for additional L/R movement on top of that. As such, it is almost entirely up to chance where your ball ends up with respect to the CL.
WTB Ratings
You might think that the golfer’s WTB ratings (e.g., A/B) would make a difference, but that has not been my experience. While it’s true that the L/R variability is less for A ratings than B ratings and B for C, that really only comes into play for fairway shots that are already pretty far off the mark. (WTB ratings don’t matter for shots from the regular rough or sand.)
My advice is to WTB only when you have no other reasonable option. There are two exceptions to this: (1) I have an A-rated golfer on the tee or fairway and there is almost no chance of disaster if the shot goes somewhat off course in either L/R direction and (2) I’ve got a golfer with any WTB rating and a wide swath of fairway or green to work with (e.g., Birthplace), where L/R miss-hits don’t matter that much.
When WTB Makes Sense
If you are teeing off on a par 3 and the pin placement is 15 yards or more from the CL, you might consider WTB. However, I’d probably only WTB 5 yards in the direction of the pin, because I don’t want to end up short-sided in that situation. If I am, I then have to target the CL on my next shot. That means I’m likely looking at two putts.
Another scenario in which I’ll WTB is when I want to avoid the possibility of disaster. The most common examples of this are when water runs along one side of the green or when a hazard is within 20 yards of the CL. I may WTB to a point on the opposite side of the green just to be safe. Depending on the golfer’s WTB rating and other factors (e.g., wind), I may WTB to a spot 5, 10 or 15 yards away from the green (not just the CL). Obviously, pin placement and other topography will affect my final decision.
The Bottom Line: WTB is much riskier than aiming, so play for good angles and use WTB sparingly.