Ouch.
Well,
1) If you didn't go for it off the tee, you would have saved 2 strokes.
2) The fact that you "parked it" indicates you probably weren't aiming for the fat part of the green.
I think if you're going to lay up, you gotta commit to it, and you gotta go for the fat part. Take your 4 and walk quietly to the next hole.
Of course that's easy for me to say.
I agree. There are 4 plays, but no matter the choice, you have to commit.
You can go for the birdie. Then try try try again until you make it. (My preferred strategy with a flexed out wide flick firebird.)
You can go for the 3 by hitting the fat part of the green off the T.
You can go for 4 by laying up, then throwing right, then up and in.
You can go for 3 by laying up, then up and in.
All of those are legitimate strategy's. The problem with them is that when people start missing shots, they tend to "play it safe". Then all of a sudden you're trying to execute a throw you haven't practiced. Gotta stick to the plan. If I miss the first time, I'm assuming it was just a bad throw and I'll hit it next time.