One of the top rules I try to follow when I get into trouble on the course is to get the ball back in play. How do you turn a potential bogey into a double, triple, or worse? By not following this rule!
It is one of the biggest mistakes amateurs make and I have made this mistake many times. I discuss this in my book on the section on course strategy. As everyday golfers we tend to go for the “hero shot” or a low percentage shot to try to “make up” for the mistake instead of taking or lumps and just getting the ball back in play. Unfortunately for most of us, it usually makes our situation worse and leads to higher scores.
So when do you try a higher risk shot? When you feel you are confident that you have the skills to make that shot happen. For example, after learning and practicing to hit the ball low, I was able to start hitting low shots under branches of trees to move the ball forward. So what used to be a shot I was not able to pull off, became a shot I was attempting more on the course because the confidence in my skill for that shot had increased tremendously. So situations that used to be high risk ultimately become lower risk due to an increased skill level.
Get the ball back in play if the odds against success are high. It might not feed your ego, but it will help keep your scores low!