Sneak Peak → Green Maps
One of our most requested features is almost here. Green maps. We are in the final stages of testing and it should be in the next release.
Smart Targets: The Most Important Skill in Golf
Target → Routine →Align → Commit → Execute → Review
(A Deep Dive Into the “T” of the TRACER System)
Most golfers think about targets the same way they think about sunscreen:
They know they should use it… they just don’t.
Some golfers don’t choose a specific target at all.
(Ahem, driving range zombies—we see you.)
They aim “somewhere out there,” hit balls, and hope the pattern magically tightens.
But here’s the truth:
Golf gets easier when you care more about where you’re aiming than how you’re swinging.
Choosing a smart target is the foundation of great golf.
And yet it’s one of the most overlooked parts of the entire game.
Let’s fix that.
Why Targets Matter More Than You Think
A target isn’t just the place you want the ball to go.
It dictates:
Where you align
Your ability to commit
How free your swing feels
What a “good shot” actually means
What a “mistake” really costs
Most amateurs only consider the first one:
“Where do I want the ball to go?”
Better golfers ask a more important question:
“What happens if I miss?”
We miss the target the majority of the time.
Scratch golfers. Tour pros. Everybody.
So the point of choosing a smart target is simple:
Give yourself room to miss.
A good target isn’t the center of the green.
It’s the place where The Good Miss still works.
The 3 Requirements of a Smart Target
1) It should be appropriate for your pattern
You don’t hit laser beams.
You hit shot dispersions — circles, ellipses, cones, clusters.
The biggest mistake amateurs make?
They pick targets like they’re tour pros and then swing like amateurs.
They’re basically aiming for disaster.
Your target needs to account for:
Your left/right dispersion
Your median distance (not your best distance)
Your typical miss shapes
Your “big number” hazards
Smart golf starts with an honest understanding of your real pattern.
Smart Targets take into account your potential dispersion per club.
2) It must provide margin for error
Take a par 4 with OB right and rough left.
Average golfer:
“Middle of the fairway.”
Smart golfer:
“Left center, maybe even left rough — so even my push stays in play and I never bring OB into the equation.”
This is how you lower scores without changing your swing:
Shift your target until the worst swing you hit today isn’t round-ending.
3) It should change based on the hole, conditions, and your confidence
Most golfers pick one static aim point.
Smart golfers adjust dynamically:
Wind off the right? Shift left.
Trouble short? Club up.
Pin tucked tight? Aim away.
Confidence low? Choose a safer line.
A smart target is a moving solution, not a fixed one.
A smart target is one you can commit to. If you can’t commit… your dispersion goes out the window. Queue a stone cold top or banana slice off the planet. You don’t swing free if you’re uncommitted.
Where Tangent Fits In
Most golfers want to choose smart targets—they just don’t know how to calculate them.
This is where Tangent becomes your competitive advantage.
Tangent’s Smart Caddie does the math for you:
Understands your shot pattern
Analyzes the hole layout
Adjusts for wind, weather, and elevation
Identifies danger zones
Gives a target that maximizes scoring and minimizes disaster
Adjusts recommendations as your skill improves
It’s like having tour-level strategy built directly into your phone for every shot.
You don’t need to guess.
You don’t need to eyeball dispersion.
You don’t need a PhD in course management.
You just glance at Tangent, look at the target, and say:
“I can hit that.”
Then run the rest of the TRACER system.
What Happens When You Start Choosing Smart Targets?
Everything.
Your alignment becomes clearer
Your commitment skyrockets
Your misses hurt less
Your scorecards clean up
You get off the bogey train
Smart targets don’t just help you play better.
They help you play with confidence.
You stop fearing shots.
You stop “hoping” for outcomes.
You start playing with intention.
Golf feels easier, because it is easier.
Instead of being short sided in a bunker, you have an easy up and down from the apron.
Instead of reaching in your golf bag for another golf ball, you have a manageable shot in the rough.
It’s all these fractions of a shot that end up being meaningful after 18 holes of golf.
The Challenge for This Week
Before your next round, try this:
Pick a specific target on every single shot — even on the range.
Not “the fairway.”
Not “the green.”
Not “that general area somewhere out there.”
A specific target.
Then ask:
“What happens if I miss left?”
“What happens if I miss right?”
“What happens if I miss short?”
“Is there a safer spot that still gets the job done?”
You’ll be shocked how much better you play simply by thinking differently.
Closing
Golf is not a game of perfect swings.
It’s a game of smart decisions.
Smart targets reduce bad scores, soften your worst swings, and set up every step of the TRACER system.
And Tangent makes the hardest part of this simple:
Better targets. Better golf. Better scores.