How to Play a Dogleg
The simplest way to play a dogleg is to hit your tee shot to the corner of the bend, where the hole turns, and leave yourself a clear look at the green for the next shot. You don't need to be long. You need to be in the right place.
A dogleg is a hole whose fairway bends left or right partway along, like a dog's hind leg. If the term is new, start with what is a dogleg in golf. This post is about how to score on one.
Step 1: Find the corner
Stand on the tee and work out three things before you pull a club:
- Which way it bends: a dogleg left turns to the left, a dogleg right turns to the right.
- How far to the corner: the yardage book, a marker post or the hole map usually tells you.
- What's at the corner: trees, a copse, a pond, bunkers or out of bounds. This decides how bold you can be.
Your target is a spot in the fairway at or just short of the bend, from which you can see the green.
Step 2: Pick a club that finishes short of the trouble
On a dogleg, the longest club in the bag is often the wrong one. If the corner is 200 yards away and you hit your driver 230, the ball can run straight through the fairway into the rough or trees on the far side.
Choose the club that carries you to the corner, or a little short of it.
Step 3: Use the angle
Where you tee up and which side of the fairway you aim at both matter.
| Hole shape | Tee up on | Aim at | Safe miss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dogleg left | Right side of the teeing area | Centre or right-centre of the corner | Outside of the bend (right) |
| Dogleg right | Left side of the teeing area | Centre or left-centre of the corner | Outside of the bend (left) |
Teeing up on the side away from the bend gives you a wider look at the fairway. Missing to the outside of the corner usually leaves a longer shot but an open one. Missing to the inside often means you're blocked by whatever forms the corner.
Step 4: Shape it if you can, but don't rely on it
A shot that curves the same way as the hole fits a dogleg perfectly: a draw for a dogleg left, a fade for a dogleg right (for a right-handed golfer). If that's your natural shot, aim a little outside the corner and let it curve back.
If you don't have a reliable shape, hit your normal shot at the safe target. Trying a curve you can't repeat is how one bad hole turns into a really bad one. See draw vs fade in golf for how each shot works.
Should you cut the corner?
Cutting the corner means hitting over the inside of the bend to leave a shorter second shot. It's tempting. Ask yourself:
- Can I carry the trouble with my normal swing, not my best one?
- What happens if I miss? Rough is fine. Water or out of bounds costs at least a stroke.
- How much shorter is my next shot? If it saves one club, the risk rarely pays. If it brings the green within easy reach, it might.
If you can't answer yes to the first one, play to the corner.
The second shot
Once you're round the bend, a dogleg becomes a normal approach. If you ended up blocked, chip back to the fairway: that costs one shot, while threading a gap through trees can cost three.
Play doglegs in Mashy
Mashy has a whole course built around this: Dogleg Downs, a parkland nine with five par-4 doglegs bending round copses and ponds. With no driver in the bag, the club decision is all about irons. Pick the one whose carry reaches the corner (the 7 iron goes 150 yards, the 9 iron 126), aim at the bend, and use the swing meter's timing to shape it: tap early to pull the ball left, late to push it right. It's a good way to see why the corner, not the flag, is the target. The Mashy courses guide covers all five courses.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use a driver on a dogleg?
Only if your driver finishes short of the corner or you can carry the inside of the bend comfortably. On many doglegs a driver runs through the fairway into trouble on the far side, so a hybrid or iron that reaches the corner is the smarter choice for most players.
Which side of the tee should I use on a dogleg left?
Tee up on the right side of the teeing area for a dogleg left. It opens up the angle so you can see more of the fairway and aim at the corner, with the outside of the bend as your safe miss. For a dogleg right, use the left side.
Is a dogleg harder than a straight hole?
Usually a little, because the tee shot needs a set distance as well as direction. Doglegs reward thinking more than power, though, so a beginner who plays to the corner can score well on them. Long hitters who aim straight at the green often find more trouble than shorter players.
What is a double dogleg?
A double dogleg bends twice, for example left and then right, so the fairway makes an S shape. They are mostly found on par 5s, where there is room for two bends. You play them the same way: pick a target at each corner and keep a clear view of the next shot.
Are there dogleg holes in Mashy?
Yes. Dogleg Downs in Mashy is a parkland course of nine holes with five par-4 doglegs that bend round copses and ponds. You play them with irons only, so picking the iron that reaches the corner and timing the swing to shape the ball are the main skills.