Playing a course for the first time. Mindset.

rickis tache

Curious as to how players approach playing a course for the first time.

Case in point when we had the outing in headfort new, a course I hadn't played before, I thought I would approach it in a cautious way due to the amount of water and dog legs.

I do have a garmin approach g8 that shows a map for each hole but driver wasn't behaving on the day and scoring reflected this. Knowing lines off the tee I thought was a huge advantage (if you could hit it ) as well as sides of greens to miss on.

My own course is very much a stand up and have at it kinda place which probably doesn't suit when travelling to other places.

So what's your approach to playing a course first time, enjoy the course for what it is? Plot your way or tora tora tora.

dan_ep82

Just enjoy the course for what it is. If someone in the group played it before great, but just as good discovering the course on your own.

slave1

Shot by shot, no reading of layout etc beforehand, sometimes blind is the most relaxed and enjoyable

FixdePitchmark

The technology is there now to make this easier - and you have a gps so that answers that. Whilst it is incredible technology - I'm not sure everyone is that skilled (or bothered) at translating that information into an actual shot or line. The old course guides - with the actual pro tips were very good - a gps requires you to have fairly good spatial awareness and ability to understand what distance you hit all your clubs. I see many people not really using the number of features on the gps - like where is the carry , what distance it is to each hazard, bunker

In saying that I recently dropped the GPS - found the charging a pain in the arse. For an experiment I even dropped the laser for a while - but that was getting a bit hardcore.

Whilst not relevant to your question - Another thing I've observed recently - is how poor many people's eyesight is - they haven't a hope of reading a hole - and reading a hole is a skill , I didn't even know was a skill.

Anyway - it just seems some people have an ability to do it and others don't - good bit of experience and variety of golf helps. If you were to give a few simple tips.

1) Look at exactly what the golfers in front are doing, sounds obvious , but on a serious away course a big help.

2) Get a feel for the way the fairways are cut and the fairway first cut - the hole direction 90 % of the time is seen by this

3) The majority of course in Ireland trees are the shape of hole - so there is the obvious hint.

4) Most good cards have a small map - have a good look when in doubt of shape.

5) Be a little bit more conservative when not sure - Hit what you can see , rarely are courses long

6) The total distance of the hole should play into point 5 - is there any point of a massive drive on any hole in that 340 to 360 range ?

7) On away courses - going for par 5s in two is more often then not a bad plan. Unless something very short in. Big long reaching 3 woods to unknown or unseen ditches and ponds ends in tears.

8) Don't miss a chance to look at holes ahead - particularly blind holes - say you are on 8 and you can see 9. You can often pick a few things up.

9) And most golf and golfers are slow - if you haven't a clue - walk that 50 yards forward to have a look if need be.

That is about it - I'm not sure it is something you can massively improve on over night, it is experience and a bit of wisdom that as amateurs we rarely have.

Rikand

Play the ball as it lies and play the course as I see it :)

slave1

Have a look at future greens and hole shapes as you pass by them earlier in the round

blue note

I often go through the course on google maps before I play there. The main reason for this isn't golf related. I'm just looking forward to my weekend and enjoy thinking about it, so running through it is perfect.

I'll get a bit of a sense from it of what holes I might need to think about not hitting driver from the tee or where there's a dogleg will my drive run through it or will it not even reach it.

Of course, by the time the round comes around I'll have forgotten it / won't recognise it once I'm on the course. Plus some of the holes will be uphill / downhill, the tees will be different to where I measured from and the wind will change everything too. So I'll pretty much be playing the course blind which is both a good and a bad thing. Good in the sense that you won't have the fear of certain shots. If you don't know there's water or OB to the right from a tee you'll feel better standing over the ball and have a better chance of hitting it straight down the middle. On the other hand if you don't know there's water / OB to the right you won't know to aim left!

Generally speaking I'll err on the side of caution when I get to the course. But sometimes there will be an element of hit and hope. If you have a blind shot and a marker you just have to hit and hope for the best. Or if there's a par 5 and you've no idea where to lay up - taking out the three wood and getting it down as far as possible can be the best play.

I will say it is very annoying when you play a new course, hit the shot you intended to hit and end up being punished. Finding water where you didn't expect it is about the worst. A bunker can be annoying too.

slave1

On you last comment, agreed. Pet hate on mine finding a trench filled with stones supposedly a water hazard and not well marked. I hate those things

boccy23

Found that when I played Grangecastle recently for the first time. A number of the back 9 holes have small crossing water hazards but all are poorly marked from the tee especially. Really damned annoying when you play and get there to find a hazard. Without finding your ball, you have to make the assumption that it is in there. But then it depends on playing partners agreeing etc. Can be a real pain.

DuckSlice

I just usually buy the course planner and try and navigate my way around. They usually give you a good idea of the line of play, and what hazards etc. are in play off the tee. I will look up the course before hand as others have mentioned also. The planner gives me the confidence to pull out the driver for blind shots as I know I have the run out, but sometimes you are miles off where you should have been but that's just the joys of playing a new course.

I always aim for 30pts on a new course as i think that's a good benchmark.

But dont get bogged down in how to approach it, enjoy the course first of all. If you really enjoy it you will probably play it again and you will know where to go.

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138795#Comment_119138795

Yeah, 16th tends to catch a lot of people out. Long par 4, but you can't really hit drive off the tee unless you're a really big hitter.

gypsy79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119138898#Comment_119138898

12th, the par 5 too

bobster453

Not that I would know but seemingly we tend to get in our own way too much.

Dr Bob Rotella put it something like, as animals we are hunters, our brains are designed to pick up visual clues and instantly make the right call when hunting prey, of course having the right weapons and more importantly knowing how to use them is key, also..the first line of a putt is usually the right one, then we get in our own way.

Play what you see, keep it in play, and if you go offline, get it back in play.

No miracle shots

kev_s88

I always just play it simple, don't go for any hero shots, and aim for 30 points. If i can get that then i've had a good day

swededmonkey

Play it as you see it in front of you. Never know what's lurking behind a bush