Firm courses

[Orikoru]

I always score better in summer because of the extra roll on tee shots, hitting shorter clubs into the greens etc. Also more forgiving if you fat one, of course. It is tricky trying to hold the greens but some of ours are like that even in winter anyway because of the slopes on them. I just try and adjust and pitch to the front edge.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Drove through to North Berwick on Thursday and all the East Lothian courses I saw were already burnt up, never seen it that bad this early in the year,
Scottish Open may be fun.

 

[Jason.H]

It’s tough. Last year I never won a comp through the dry spell, come the softer ground i I’m a regular winner.

 

[sjw]

While my course is firmer, obviously, to me it is currently how I expect a golf course should. I'm therefore taking more note of my scores at the moment as I don't think I'm being helped nor hindered by extra roll or distance.

It will be interesting to see, come the winter, how far I can hit driver. I've definitely added a significant amount of carry through regular practice, my strike is much better now. But the firm ground is no doubt helping a little wrt. total distance.

 

[Bdill93]

While my course is firmer, obviously, to me it is currently how I expect a golf course should. I'm therefore taking more note of my scores at the moment as I don't think I'm being helped nor hindered by extra roll or distance.

It will be interesting to see, come the winter, how far I can hit driver. I've definitely added a significant amount of carry through regular practice, my strike is much better now. But the firm ground is no doubt helping a little wrt. total distance.

Warmer air will also add to your carry.

 

[sweaty sock]

Toughest thing i find, especially playing later in the day, the semi near the greens gets so dry it causes alot more friction with the club, makes pitching way more difficult compared to wet dew covered stuff in the morning.

Also, the greens roll like a fair ground attraction after everybody has walked all over them....

 

[Springveldt]

Had a look on my England Golf app this morning to check how I did this time last year and I was horrific all of June when the course was playing really fast and the rough hadn't lost that "lushness" yet. Maybe something I should keep in mind over the next couple of weeks.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Think courses are great when they run hard and fast.

Never quite sure where the ball is going to end up and its beats me up badly on the days that I'm hitting a curved ball.

 

[Bdill93]

All depends on the make up of the course and how it was designed

A lot of inland parkland courses need those sort fringes and run offs as well because the greens a lot of times will be raised up so you can’t land it short and look to run it up


But on a links course or other courses where it’s expected to be firm then the greens will be set down to allow those shots short for the ball to bounce on a bit more

We have started to get the water onto the fairways now to get them green and lush - some don’t like it because the hit it low and short and lose their 50 yard run

I wish our place did this The shorter straighter hitters absolutely love the summer months at our place

 

[Deleted member 1147]

When it's very dry you need to be less aggressive off the tee, as it's easier to run into trouble. Especially for bigger hitters.
You either need to carry onto the green and hope for spin, or land a long way short, preferably from a lower ball flight, as the fairway normally bounces more than greens.
Play for running chips/pitches as spin will be harder to get on shorter shots, and don't shortside yourself.

 

[louise_a]

While the extra distance off the tee is nice, being able to find a green from distance is tough, especially when you are having to use a wood

 

[MACM85]

This is from my course last night after going out for a quick 18 on my own.

18th hole is 360 from whites. I take a 6 iron off the tee and I am 100 yards from centre of the green. Soon it will be a 7 iron and hope to get a decent bounce.

Ground is rock solid and only going to get harder if we get no rain over a period of time

 

[LincolnShep]

On average, I score better in the winter than the summer, but I enjoy the challenge of playing a baked course. I'd rather have variety than have the same conditions all year round.

 

[IanM]

We've got thunderstorms forecast for Saturday