Playing a new course

[GeneralStore]

I figured out the other day that just pitching up to play a new course and not knowing the yardages to hazards etc, wasnt the smartest plan....my question is this, how do the experienced golfers amongst you prepare for a round on a course that you havent played before?

Is it a case of most use rangefinders?
Does everyone only play the same courses all the time?
Do you just down 3 pints and run onto the first tee?

Curious on how its done

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to buy both a strokesaver (acts as a momento anyway) to get a picture of the hole in my mind and then rely on the Sky Caddy when I'm out there. It doesn't take much time to have a cursory glance at the strokesaver on the hole, check any carry on the SC and then top it 30 yards off the tee anyway.

 

[sweatysock41]

It doesn't take much time to have a cursory glance at the strokesaver on the hole, check any carry on the SC and then top it 30 yards off the tee anyway.

If you believe that you'll believe anything from the GM Society Comp runner up!

 

[richart]

I tend to buy both a strokesaver (acts as a momento anyway) to get a picture of the hole in my mind and then rely on the Sky Caddy when I'm out there. It doesn't take much time to have a cursory glance at the strokesaver on the hole, check any carry on the SC and then top it 30 yards off the tee anyway.

I hear they are good for letting you know when there is a pond, just out of sight in the middle of a fairway Homer.

 

[GeneralStore]

I guess that a gps/rangefinder will sort that out then. Do the majority of golfers on here use a gps?

So no pre-round 'homework'?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If you believe that you'll believe anything from the GM Society Comp runner up!

It was the strokesaver and the sky caddy that got me round. The inability to putt from long range like Bill did was the difference. To be honest the FoA wasn't the greatest scoresaver I've seen and I only really used it to plot any unseeable bunkers off the tee

 

[jasondransfieldgolf]

I use both a skycaddie and a Bushnell so I use the Skycaddie to show me the route and the Bushnell for exact yardages. Using the two together gives me a great idea how much room I have short or long of a pin. So this gives me enough info to play most new courses without too much trouble. I hope.

 

[connor]

Never used a gps I normally go by the score card pic.. Although just downloaded golf shot on my phone which shows gps and stile view of hole etc so quite keen I try that

 

[Scratch_in_my_head]

Never used a gps I normally go by the score card pic.. Although just downloaded golf shot on my phone which shows gps and stile view of hole etc so quite keen I try that

Be careful using the golfshot app, assuming its the IPhone version. If I understand the rules correctly you can't use this phone in a comp because it has weather and compass apps.

 

[connor]

Yeah it's the iPhone one.. Not used it at all yet only got shown it the other week..

 

[patricks148]

i play a few away opens each year and i buy the club stroke saver and i few weeks ago i got a range finder.

don't find it a massive problem playing a new course unless it has lots of blind shots, if fact i usually play better on a new course, its the ones i know i struggle with

 

[sweatysock41]

It was the strokesaver and the sky caddy that got me round. The inability to putt from long range like Bill did was the difference. To be honest the FoA wasn't the greatest scoresaver I've seen and I only really used it to plot any unseeable bunkers off the tee

I was referring more to the topping it 30yards off the tee . You are quite right the FOA strokesaver isn't the best and to be fair you can see most of the trouble so a laser would probably be good enough round there.