If I am the wolf, I am hitting driver and I am going to try and get it up near the green with the 2nd on a par 5
This is pretty standard per DECADE but it was enlightening to understand that pros are making tons of tap in birdies by getting near or on the green in 2
Much more likely to hit a 20 yd pitch stiff vs 100 wedge
We usually do birdies are double and occasionally play with hammers. Knowing that most birdies will be “luck” with the exception of two consecutive strong shots on a par 5 gives me a great opportunity to juice the bet when i know i have the best of it
Don’t sell yourself short. You’re in the running!
I’m not calling club choice aggressive or conservative necessarily, though it certainly can be. More lines than anything. Cutting corners. Carrying water knowing there’s a bailout if you miss it a little.
Risk/reward. There’s always a best shot you can hit. It’s not always the smartest shot you can hit.
Obviously risks and aggressive play can get you into trouble, but if you pick your spots and know your tendencies you can take advantage of certain situations more than others.
There’s more to it than, “This is a golf hole. I’m going to hit driver.”
When I tried this philosophy at the Par 3 course, they didn’t appreciate it.
Pros averaging three to four birdies a round… Also happens to be probably the average number of par 5s on a PGA Tour course…
Takeaway: Play to the middle of the greens on par fours (play the tee shot that best gets you to middle of the green, too) and par 3s. Take your par on 4s and 3s and run to the next hole. Maybe sometimes you make an unlikely 20 footer or you pull your approach onto a left pin that you had aimed to the middle of the green and knock one close accidentally. Try to make your birdies on par 5s. That’s golf!
Play your game. Don’t worry about them. 
Going through my stats, my par 5 scoring is atrocious. I think it might be BECAUSE I feel like I should be shooting for birdie and get out of my normal “one shot at a time” mindset.
Ironically, I have spent time plotting out the best plays for my home course… it’s 12 drivers… 13 if I can learn to hit a draw, and I’m working on convincing myself it’s 14.
My course is fairly long and open, though… my strategy into greens has become more conservative… but hopefully with good drives, I have more and better opportunities to convert birdie opportunities and not card bogeys and above.
As a complete NON-scratch golfer … ie. average bogey golfer … one of my basic strategies is to make my “personal par” = bogey on every Par 3 and Par 4, plus a goal of par on (not too long) Par 5s.
I’ve been working hard on my short game, and last several rounds have shown real improvements … so that’s not where I’m losing the most strokes anymore. Working on my full swing, also, via lessons and making progress but still have a ways to go - especially off the tee…
Vision 90.
To paraphrase a famous golfer, plan for bogeys. Sometimes par will happen.
Love it!