Hump day thoughts.

[mnfats95]

Just been thinking about a few things lately. Input requested.

 

1. Going through the motions.

 

I play 95% of my golf on the same course. It's not that I don't want variety, it's just that where I live there are only 4 courses worth playing on a regular basis and frankly, being a member at one eats up the majority of my green fees money for the year.

 

Every time I play a new course I don't play very often or have never played I find I am way more focused than on my home course. Obviously this is due to not being familiar with things like I am on the courses I play a lot. This has me wondering if this is costing me strokes. I know what to hit when on my home course and I don't have to think about it. I've considered removing my driver from the bag for a month to play my home course differently.

 

Am I being ridiculous or would hitting different clubs into every green benefit me in any way?

 

2. My handicap is artificially low in my opinion.

 

My home course is very old and the layout is fit into a big square. It is also only 9 holes. It's usually in great condition and the holes are challenging, but I feel like since my handicap is based on mostly playing this course it is a few strokes better than it should be.

 

The course is rated easier than normal at 68.2/114. Just an example, if I shoot a one over par 72 it goes into the handicap rating at a 3.8. So that evens it out a bit, but I feel like playing the same pins twice each 18 is a big advantage to putting.

 

Another issue is that all the OB is right and left is almost always a completely safe shot if you can avoid the trees that line the left side of the holes. This is such a glaring advantage as in pressure situations people will purposely play left of the trees into an adjoining fairway or open area to avoid OB.

 

Basically, on a bad day from the tee, as long as you can miss left the worst you will have to deal with is punching out from a tree. Never an OB and very rarely a lost ball as the trees are sparse and only there to affect the next shot.

 

When I play courses that are not this type of layout I magically hit the ball in play most of the time unlike when I play my home course and pull it left 50 yards because the wind is out of a bad direction for OB.

 

I am currently a 6.4 and on the next revision the computer will have me down to a 5.5 which is lower than I've ever been. With the course I normally play on I think I should be around an 8 or 9.

 

Is the course rating taking care of this for me or do I have legitimate concerns?

 

3. Chip with one club or many?

 

I Chip/Pitch with a 58 degree wedge and have for years. The only time I am hitting something different is if I have to keep the ball low because of a tree or something. I have read plenty of information about why I should be hitting a bump and run when I can or why I should be getting the ball down as fast as possible but I just don't feel comfortable doing it when I try it.

 

I would consider my game around the greens to be slightly above average, but since I am constantly trying to improve, it's the only thing I keep coming back to on this aspect of my game to try and improve it.

 

Anyone have any success stories going to the bump in run or from the bump and run to a higher shot?

[kygolfer1980]

Won't hurt a thing to switch up the club selection in my opinion.  It will allow you to have those shots at other courses you play.  The kids at the high school I went to also play a 9 hole course and have the same routine with the clubs they hit.  The coach has been telling them which club to play and making them switch it up to keep them from getting in a rut.  I chip with every club in the bag including my utiltiy clubs if it's mowed close.  Tom Watson says get the ball rolling as soon as you can and I think he has always given great advice to amateur golfers. 

[fozcycle]

Just been thinking about a few things lately. Input requested.

 

1. Going through the motions.

 

Am I being ridiculous or would hitting different clubs into every green benefit me in any way?

 

2. My handicap is artificially low in my opinion.

 

Is the course rating taking care of this for me or do I have legitimate concerns?

 

3. Chip with one club or many?

 

Anyone have any success stories going to the bump in run or from the bump and run to a higher shot?

 

1. Trying different clubs for your approach shots is definitely a good thing.  Since your home course is only 9 holes, try playing the back 9 by using a different club off the tee than your driver. I used to belong to a club that had 9 greens and 14 tees.

 

2. Possibly because as you said, you get a second try at the pin locations. You should try to place your approach shots to different positions(if you normally miss the green to the right, try playing it to miss to the left. This will give you different chips to the pin

 

3. I chip with many clubs, from hybrid for long rolls to a back pin to open sand wedge for a flop shot over a bunker to a short green. When you do this, you can keep the same stoke but use different lofts whether it is 8i PW GW or SW

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Have had the same questions regarding handicaps. I think you can definitely get comfortable playing the same course - happened to me last year.  My Grint 'cap was around 7 last year, but I played virtually all of my rounds at the same course.  The 7 didn't travel well.  Spreading the golf around this year, and started as an 11, but it's down to 9 now.

 

One of the pros teaching Hack To Jack participants taught us the bump and run chipping technique.  Using a 9 or PW around the green now -- with MUCH better results. 

[Kor.A.Door]

The course handicap will take care of the difference for each course. My hcp is down to 6.4, the course I play has a rating of 139 from blue tees and 145 from the black, I get 8 strokes on the course, but if I play a course with a rating of 114 like yours I get 6, so it's basically saying that the difference in the toughness of the courses is 2 shots.

The best part about playing my course is that the hcp travels well, if you can play here, you can play just about anywhere.

To put into perspective, Quail Hollow CC ratings are 147 from the I tee and 138 from the II tees.

[RoverRick]

I don't think I will ever hear the expression "Hump Day" ever again without thinking of that commercial with camel wondering around laughing and telling jokes.  "Happier than a camel on hump day."

[Kenny B]

I typically play on a similar course, but I use it just for practice. I play different clubs off the tees so I can use different clubs for approaches. I used to keep my HCP there but it didn't travel we'll either, so I moved GHIN to a more challenging course. I play there occasionally, but I travel all over both for business and pleasure, so I play a lot of different courses. Because of that, my HCP is probably more in line with my ability. I was very used to the old course. I know the HCP adjusts depending on the course as said by Lefty, but my experience is that it never compensates for all of the familiarities of a home course stated above.

 

I have been struggling with shots around the green (see subject of another post). The bump & run is certainly a safe go-to shot, but if you only use it, then when another shot is called for, it is more difficult to pull off. Bottom line: practice many different shots around the green.

 

Great thread. Good comments!

[sp0rtsfan86]

lot of things here: It's funny, I played the same golf course at my school easily 40-50 times and never got tired of it. Perhaps it's the course itself boring you that has lead you to this. I like the suggestion above that you should try playing different tees.

 

One thing I did notice is that when I played my schools course and moved back up north, I had no idea how to play out of the rough. The rough at school was easy to punch out of, back home, if you were under a tree the rough would grab your ball and hold it preventing a lot of low shots. Also similar to yours, all the trouble was on the left, so it was aim right and be safe. Honestly, no other way to break it then play another course or try to change tees if that helps.

 

Lastly, I grew up with a 60 degree wedge. I can do just about everything with it, high, low, running, stopping... even bump and run it. However, it is very useful to have other clubs to go to when you need a low shot or feel more comfortable running a ball to the hole rather than trying to float it there close. My thing is to have 2-3 clubs and each have a purpose. the 60 is the failsafe, the 8 iron for bumps, and the 52/58 is for anything I need a little height but mostly want it rolling.

 

Good luck with everything.

[BIG STU]

1. Trying different clubs for your approach shots is definitely a good thing.  Since your home course is only 9 holes, try playing the back 9 by using a different club off the tee than your driver. I used to belong to a club that had 9 greens and 14 tees.

 

2. Possibly because as you said, you get a second try at the pin locations. You should try to place your approach shots to different positions(if you normally miss the green to the right, try playing it to miss to the left. This will give you different chips to the pin

 

3. I chip with many clubs, from hybrid for long rolls to a back pin to open sand wedge for a flop shot over a bunker to a short green. When you do this, you can keep the same stoke but use different lofts whether it is 8i PW GW or SW

Very good Foz that was exactly the advice I was going to give him myself. On your 3 rd statement I do that exact thing on my regular practice sessions. It is fun to do that for me I took up that habit as a kid while watching the gamblers bet on different shots. In fact the "new" thing of the belly wedge around the greens is old stuff for me I have done that for years watching those old gamblers putt with a wedge for certain games

[BIG STU]

I don't think I will ever hear the expression "Hump Day" ever again without thinking of that commercial with camel wondering around laughing and telling jokes.  "Happier than a camel on hump day."

I have had to redefine hump day for me now. For the last 2 years or so Wednesday has been Friday for me since I semi retired so to speak. Well I ended taking a real truck driving job on a steady run home every night 5 days a week no weekends and holidays. My boss is a golfing buddy of mine and the first Thursday I worked for him he called me to make sure I was on my way to work which I was. He laughed and said I know you are not used to being up and going on Thursday unless you are playing golf somewhere! But i have gotten used to my routine now