Home & Away...

[Fish]

No, not the TV programme.

Do you see or notice that you play far better away from your home course, especially a new course not played before or do you naturally play better at home?

I've been struggling of late, especially off the tee in all rounds I've been playing in, both in competition formats and my less intense roll-ups, but after just playing at The Oxfordshire I didn't experience any of the issues I've been having off the tee at home

Whilst hanging around the hotel on the 2nd day waiting for the AA (don't ask), I then thought how well I'd been playing away from home in my A-team matches also, in fact my home form has been shocking by comparison to my away form for the club or at meets!?

I'm talking about open play not putting as we all should know our home greens better than away greens.

Anyone else experience anything similar?

Is it simply down to concentration?

Is it over familiarisation of the home course against a course not played before or played for a while?

 

[shortgame]

It can be scar tissue from years of poor shots/mistakes and subsequently being too mindful of where the trouble is

It can be over familiarisation resulting in going through the motions and not really 'seeing' the shots like on an away course

It might just be your home course is hard and/or doesn't suit your game

Or

It might just be co-incidence and the inconsistency of a mid(ish) handicapper

 

[anotherdouble]

Sorry mate I am totally the other way. I play much better at home

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Wise post from Shortgame. I do tend to stand on some tees at my home course and only see trouble. At a different course I don't know where the trouble is so I swing more freely.

I actually could tick all 4 points as made by SG as reasons why I play better away from home.

 

[Orikoru]

No, I tend to have a poorer round when playing a new course for the first time. Which I think is the more common way round, surely?

 

[BubbaP]

I can do this Fish, I wondered if in part it is down to some of the technical changes I have tried to implement in the swing over the last couple of years and know I am guilty of having too many thoughts in my head most of the time.
Playing a match-play game on an away course where concentrating on digesting unfamiliar holes and decide approach I think the techy stuff is (rightly) pushed to the back and may result in better outcomes.

 

[drewster]

I tend to play better away, probably because, in my mind, there's no fear and I don't know where not to hit it if that makes sense ?? Over familiarity can be a problem for me at my home track, this breeds lack of concentration and probably lack of 100% commitment to each shot.

 

[jim8flog]

If I play away on a course that have never played before I reckon I will lose 2-3 shots on the round just from dropped putts.

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

I usually have a mare first time out on a new track, especially Heathland and Parkland courses.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

When the club was based in the racecourse the handicap didn't travel and I was two or three shots worse than my handicap indicated, purely because the course played short in the summer, and wasn't overly long in winter. Now we've moved my handicap is travelling much better as it's a harder course by a long way.

I prefer playing away and the familiarity breeds contempt/complacency is just in my book. Not knowing too much about a course means you can take a quick look at a yardage chart or GPS, look down the fairway and fire. No bad memories, no ghosts

 

[mashleyR7]

Since 2016 at Ashford and my two new clubs now I don't think I've had a buffer, maybe one or two cuts, but prob 10-15 0.1's each time. Yet I can go away and shot a +4 on away courses in golf day, matches and society events. For me it's a mental issue and putting to much pressure on myself to win home comps.

 

[OnTour]

my personal experience this year is i start well and inch towards my handicap and then blow up last 3-4 holes. as can't get the job done :-( but that's slowly changing and with a years knowledge 2018 is all about away day medal wins

playing at home is so last year! who wants to play 3-4 times a week at one course.