Course management.

[Tashyboy]

Tashy I tee off at Anahita in three hours, you know how long a course it is
I'll be paying with a couple lads that can get decent distance
If my swing is working then it's still driver & then 3w on several holes but driver is not getting out to play today but I won't do 3w then 3w either because alternating hitting the same club from a tee and then fairway lie has its risks so it'll be 3w hybrid which will leave me well short but it'll be in play allowing me to use my shots getting to the green
You could call it Conservative or course management but it's really managing the game I'm most capable of on the day
It's the same strategy I use in team comps (you know when you don't want to let the others down) to make sure I contribute
Used it two days ago for a charity team comp and turned in 38 points just playing the percentage shots /clubs

Sometimes less is more

Slab that sentance is not helping, it is bladdering it down here, 50 mph winds, minus eleven teen, no golf and and am off to Melton Mowbray in half an hour to buy pork pies in stead of course managing.

Flippin playin Anahita, one of the best courses in the world, hope you get gout. 😂😘

That aside, my course is more driver. And three wood on most holes. At Notts the holes were a lot shorter, I loved the Fact it wasn't hit it as far as you can twice, but there were shot choices. It's just a lot of the time the shot choices were wrong.

 

[duncan mackie]

I thought my course management was pretty good - until I had a caddy at the Old Course last summer. The way he saw things was a whole level or 6 above mine. Now I find myself looking at slopes in the landing zones, trying to make sure I don’t end up above the hole, just noticing a lot more about my lie etc. I think if a caddy went round with me every comp at my home course I’d shoot much better scores. But that’s not the game for us, so all I can suggest is that you try to become your own caddy.

I've had this referenced as the parrot on the shoulder trick. You consider that you always have that caddy with you on the course and any time you feel like taking his advice you turn to the parrot and ask it what you should consider, and do, on the next shot.
Note - it's shot selection not how to play the stroke (the example of easy 8 or hard 9 isn't course management unless there is trouble at the back that a 9 cannot reach...).

This approach works really well when it's embedded ie you stand over the ball and the parrot talks without you having to ask it ie your sub conscious (which is in charge really) starts considering the important issues for you.

As posted previously, if you are motivated by getting up in 2, or nailing a 6iron to a long raised green par 3, rather than looking to plot you way round to the best score you can everytime - then this is all a complete waste of time.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't think course management is particularly difficult to be honest, all it takes is a bit of logic and common sense. I use a GPS to see if I need to carry a hazard and sum up whether I'd be able to or not. And as a mid-to-high handicapper I know which clubs I hit more consistently than others. If I've got 190 to the green and it's a clear run without much danger, I might give the hybrid a crack and try and get there, but if there is trouble around, I know it's not my most consistent club so I'm happy to lay up with a 7 iron and chip on instead. It only takes a little bit of thought - and being realistic about your own abilities.

A lot of people say that low handicap course are better at course management, that's obviously true, but also it's probably a bit easier for them since you would expect them to hit all their clubs reasonably well consistently, so that takes one variable out of the thought process. It just becomes about yardage and carry, and what is the safer side of the green to miss on.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

It only takes a little bit of thought - and being realistic about your own abilities.

This pretty much sums up course management

 

[Curls]

A lot of people say that low handicap course are better at course management, that's obviously true, but also it's probably a bit easier for them since you would expect them to hit all their clubs reasonably well consistently, so that takes one variable out of the thought process. It just becomes about yardage and carry, and what is the safer side of the green to miss on.

Very true. I’d add to this that a low guy isn’t afraid of stabbing out sideways because they back themselves to get it on with their next one. If you’re still 200 back higher guys might panic that unless they get up to within 150 they’re going to struggle to score and take on the riskier shot.

 

[Scozzy]

If you listen to Mark Broadies devotees,and there's a few of them, then you just hit it as far as you can whenever you can but I feel very much that he's cornered the market in advice for pros sold to amateurs! Play to your strengths and rate each potential shot success out of 10,less than 7 and reach for the 5i.How many times is anyone over,say a 5 HCP, hitting the green with anything from 200yds off a tee never mind fairway?? Difference is the low marker will probably be pin high and likely get up and down, where will you be?

 

[pendodave]

On average, how many penalty shots do you rack up a round ? (lost balls, penalty areas and OB). Any advantage of getting a ball nearer to a hole a la Broadie is negated by adding one or two to the score on a regular basis.
Obviously, not all penalties can be avoided or predicted, but quite often shots are played which have every chance of disaster unless perfectly executed.

 

[3offTheTee]

Played today at Nottinghamshire, lovely set up and for £25 with a meal= a steal. Anyway I cannot remember hitting my drives so well. I was a machine. But I was crap after that, I must of lost five balls in the water. My shot selection was atrocious. One of the lads who plays off 1 in the fiddle. He is our club singles champ, won last month in Vale de Lobo, and is playing at west Lancs for the chance to play at ? TPC sawgrass. Anyway after the front nine, I had 13 points. He was marking the cards and was gobsmacked at my low score. The back nine was even worse. Stood on the 18th, A par 5, he told me where to put me drive and I did. Got to me ball and said 3 wood. He said why, five iron and a wedge onto the green. I did. I parred it to finish with 9 points on the back nine. He said to me " Tash you can obviously hit it, but your shot selection/ course management is crap".
So how do you improve that, nigh on everyone has had lessons, but how do you get better at shot selection. Am convinced a low single handicapper manages his game better than someone/ me playing off 19. So what gets you in the zone to think about all options.
EG, I smashed one drive, it was sat half up, half down and I said it's an iron or a three wood. He said " hybrid". I never even thought about it.
Thoughts please me dears.

Just wondered Tashy how many times he offered and you accepted advice!!! Your total points may need a reduction! You are the only person on here I would say that comment to.

Hope City stuff’em tonight me man!

 

[Tashyboy]

Just wondered Tashy how many times he offered and you accepted advice!!! Your total points may need a reduction! You are the only person on here I would say that comment to.

Hope City stuff’em tonight me man!

😂😂😂😂😂 think he could see i was dying a death on the last. If there was a booby pzize i would Of probably dropped that. Joking aside he does play in some good comps and said it does get serious, says he needs days with players like me laughing and joking to help him enjoy it.
Got to say that when i wrote me story i knew giving advice was not on and suprised no one has mentioned it before. Don't think he would of said anthing if i had been pushing for any brass. That aside i suppose if i had been in with a chance of doing owt he would not of had reason to say owt

 

[3offTheTee]

😂😂😂😂😂 think he could see i was dying a death on the last. If there was a booby pzize i would Of probably dropped that. Joking aside he does play in some good comps and said it does get serious, says he needs days with players like me laughing and joking to help him enjoy it.
Got to say that when i wrote me story i knew giving advice was not on and suprised no one has mentioned it before. Don't think he would of said anthing if i had been pushing for any brass. That aside i suppose if i had been in with a chance of doing owt he would not of had reason to say owt

Rammel mate!

 

[garyinderry]

Course management for me is not always taking the safe option. it is also calculating when to take the risk.

 

[rksquire]

Course management is a term we know, and something probably a lot of us think we're good at; but in reality at a mid to high h/cap level, we could drastically improve on. Our 6th, normally a par 5, plays as a par 4 in the winter from the forward tees. Most people have in or around 200 yards to carry water for their approach to the green, the pond collects the majority of these efforts. It's SI 1, so 5 is a good score, but every week the same guys take it on - they're playing their all time best shot with the selected club (rather than even over-clubbing!), rather than recognizing the normal outcome that that shot normally produces (ie well short).

Having said that, I love a Hollywood shot so clearly I'm the person that needs some management instilled in their game.

 

[GolfingPastor]

My handicap come down purely on course management. Playing the percentage shots like an iron bump and run around the green rather than a beautiful looking wedge that hops and checks.

I also ditched 3/5 woods and hybrids. Just use a driver and then next longest club is a 3 iron. Worked for me, but everyone is different and has different strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Course management for me is not always taking the safe option. it is also calculating when to take the risk.

Think this is a very good point, thankfully with the course empty today I went out with the intention of spending time over every shot and considering the options, some were quite straight forward, others not so much.
As I put in the “I played today thread” it was an interesting round maybe we become a bit complacent on our own course.

 

[srixon 1]

5 balls in water is not very good course management at any level.


What happened with these?

They probably sank. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

 

[Tashyboy]

Just wondered Tashy how many times he offered and you accepted advice!!! Your total points may need a reduction! You are the only person on here I would say that comment to.

Hope City stuff’em tonight me man!

Good prediction 3OTT

 

[Curls]

Think this is a very good point, thankfully with the course empty today I went out with the intention of spending time over every shot and considering the options, some were quite straight forward, others not so much.
As I put in the “I played today thread” it was an interesting round maybe we become a bit complacent on our own course.

There is absolutely food for thought because this part of the game transcends ability. It’s probably the part of the game that people are most capable of improving.

I just wish I could caddy for myself

 

[Tashyboy]

They probably sank. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

What narked me was most of um sunk in mud and I couldnt find three of them.