Home and Away

FixdePitchmark

Was thinking recently about how different golfers play away from their own course.

Was travelling to different courses due to work and pleasure and was having a poor nine - say a 7 or 8 over nine , then maybe a 3 over on other nine. I've been fairly inconsistent over the last 6 months - but I was wondering how other players here generally play when they are at a different course.

In saying that , if you go to a society outing - there will be a lad that shots over 36 points most times, even off a low handicap - his first time out on the course.

I was wondering if you play your own course too much - do you dis-improve as an all round golfer, You get lazy with the clubs you hit, not having to learn to shape shots - draw , fade, punch.

Ciaranra

I play a lot away from home but would play well.
Maybe your more relaxed playing at home and over analyse when playing away.

Keano

My home course is tough. Being tree lined there is so little room for error that when I play away I find it easier...not that my handicap reflects that!

levitronix

Been cut more playing away, i shot better scores because i adopt better course management.

Ciaranra

Keano whats your home course

dan_ep82

Keano A Legend wrote: »

My home course is tough. Being tree lined there is so little room for error that when I play away I find it easier...not that my handicap reflects that!

I've yet to play in a qualifying comp yet but I imagine it will be the same for me.

I've only played a handful of courses since starting late last year (Navan GC, Moor Park, Virginia GC, Ballinlough) not including my home course Rathcore.

The last time I was in Rathcore was my best (92 gross iirc) but I've played to the mid eighties in Moor Park and low 90's in Navan consistently.

I honestly think its about comfort with me, I'm very comfortable in Moor Park as I've alot of games put in there as my starter course. I'm the kind of person that finds it hard to sleep if I'm playing a new course in the morning, like a kid at christmas:o

mafc

I think it's really all about approach. I can play well at home & equally well away, however I can also play poorish home & away. Thing I do is just try to make pars and if I make bogey's or double bogey's so be it. Don't go chasing because you'll end up having a mare.

Russman

I think it depends on the away course TBH. Some courses fit your eye, some don't. I know there are a few courses where for whatever reason I almost always play decently on, and a few where, no matter how I'm playing, I just can't seem to score well on.

Playing away definitely helps you as a golfer, but I think it helps you more on your away games, if that makes sense. I mean I don't think it necessarily helps much on your home course games, but the more you play away, the better you get at playing away (at golf !! ). Possibly for no other reason than standing on the tee box of a different hole than you're used to and still being comfortable to pull the trigger. Its easier to get into an auto pilot kind of mode where you can just stand up and hit the shot - a bit like the tour guys playing a different course each week but still being able to just look and "go".

Re hitting different shots, meh, not sure about that. I think shaping the ball is overstated, I don't think many of us stand up and try to move it different ways (most of the time) to our natural shape. Most people slice fade it and find a way to fit that shot into the hole they're playing.

You're probably subconsciously more positive away from home in that you're trying to hit it to point x, whereas at home you're often trying to "not" hit it somewhere.