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Mark Blackburn was voted No. 1 by his peers on Golf Digest's 2026-'27 ranking of The 50 Best Teachers in America. In this series, “What the Pros Do That You Don't,” Blackburn highlights the key adjustments that tour players make to play the right shot at the right time.
Tour pros seem to always miss in the right spots, but how? Most of the time they aim away from trouble and curve their shots toward the risky spots, being careful not to over-curve them.
If the pin is tucked on the left side (above), pros know they don’t want to miss left, on the short side, so they aim at the middle of the green and work the ball toward the hole. A great example of this idea is on the 12th hole at Augusta National, especially when the pin is on the right side of the green. Players aim toward the middle or left part of the green and try to work the ball slightly closer to the pin (below). This helps ensure they don't miss right, in Rae's Creek
Amateurs often go directly at the pin, leading to short-sided misses. Make your target bigger by aiming at the safe side of the green. If you curve your shot toward the hole—great shot! If not, you’re still on the green.
