Course Strategy

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Not always grabbing the driver 'should' be a sound strategy for most people most of the time.  But that overlooks the "LUFU", which seems to affect a lot of people a lot of the time.  LUFU, for the uninformed, is the 'Lay-up f**k up".  Had one today, started out driving the ball beautifully, then came to the short 300yd par 4 that has some trouble long, grabbed the trusty five wood, hit it off the toe into the houses/trees right (fortunately hit a tree and bounced back into play).  But remember how many awful shots you and others have hit laying up.  LUFU's get us way, way too often.

[Fireinthehole]

The new club I joined has forced me to employ a different strategy on the tee box of par 4s and 5s rather than driver every time.

 

I use every club my bag more than once- especially since I removed my 3w and I have no need for a 270+ club during any hole where driver wouldn't work off the tee.

 

 

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[newballcoach]

I get it. It makes sense. Be strategic, hit layup clubs, be in a good position. Hit the fairway.

 

But it doesn't take into account one thing. Hitting driver is fun

[revkev]

There are two advantages to being short.

 

1. I rarely have to hit anything other than driver off the tee.

 

2. My misshits are so bad that they don't put Hazzard's there so I just play for bogey from there - easy, peasy except on the psyche.

 

 

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[GolfSpy_APH]

This was one of the reasons I joined the course I did this year. Many courses in the area it's driver off the tee on all par 4/5s and whatever iron for the par 3s. Where as at my new home course I take a little bit of everything...Driver on maybe 5-6 holes, 3 wood on another 3-4 holes and then a few 4/5 irons depending on wind for the rest of the par 4s. Wind does play a huge part as it can really make life difficult on some holes. I'm sure I could get greedy and take driver on more and go for broke, but I've found leaving myself a solid 110 yards out is my comfort spot so I pick a iron off the tee to get myself to that spot.

 

 

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[newballcoach]

I tried to play a little more strategically off the tee yesterday when I played. Put myself in positions to score, give myself good angles on approach shots into the green.

 

Shot my best round of all time and hit 8 greens in regulation (which is big for me). So perhaps there is something to this whole "not hit the driver all the time" thing. But I'm not happy about it...

[Shankster]

I tried to play a little more strategically off the tee yesterday when I played. Put myself in positions to score, give myself good angles on approach shots into the green.

 

Shot my best round of all time and hit 8 greens in regulation (which is big for me). So perhaps there is something to this whole "not hit the driver all the time" thing. But I'm not happy about it...

I only hit driver 3 times yesterday and if I hadn't carded a 9! It would have been my best round ever.

 

 

- Alan

[Shankster]

Hey strokerace I finally used my 9 iron yesterday.

 

 

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[mrsmith123]

I get it. It makes sense. Be strategic, hit layup clubs, be in a good position. Hit the fairway.

 

But it doesn't take into account one thing. Hitting driver is fun

It's only fun if it's in play. Ask yourself how fun that last driver swing is gonna be if it gets dumped OB or in a water hazard.

 

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[mrsmith123]

I only hit driver 3 times yesterday and if I hadn't carded a 9! It would have been my best round ever.

 

 

- Alan

Why on Earth did you card a 9?

 

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[Shankster]

Why on Earth did you card a 9?

 

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Tee shot hooked in the woods. "3rd" hit a tree on the left and I had to chip out. 5th was short right buried deep in a bunker. 6th was from a little closer in that same bunker. 7th was a chip from off the back. 8 - 9 putts. And a little frustration from waiting for the hacker group in front of me for 15 minutes.

 

 

- Alan

[mrsmith123]

Tee shot hooked in the woods. "3rd" hit a tree on the left and I had to chip out. 5th was short right buried deep in a bunker. 6th was from a little closer in that same bunker. 7th was a chip from off the back. 8 - 9 putts. And a little frustration from waiting for the hacker group in front of me for 15 minutes.

 

 

- Alan

Oh the last sentence says it all mate. You let that crap get to your head.

 

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[revkev]

To be clear course strategy might encompass a lot more than not hitting driver on every hole - it may actually mean hitting driver where you didn't used to because as it turns out that's the widest part of the fairway -

 

At my club it took me a year to realize that if I went longer with my lay up on my second shot on 6 (a medium length par 5 with water squeezing in at 125 to the green - I was hitting into the fat part of the fairway - not only to the water back away but the rough on the left crept away to - the fairway is about 40 yards wide instead of 15 and the reward is a nice full sand or lob wedge into the green depending upon the pin position - I'm always trying to get to that spot now.  Laying up to 140 leaves a very tough shot if the pin is up front - there is very little margin for error so you have to hit to the middle of the green which leaves a very difficult down hill putt.

 

Often times the most overlooked and important part of course strategy for an guy with a handicap is knowing your dispersion pattern with the club in hand and aiming accordingly on your approach based on what lies ahead - not only for the next shot but the next couple of shots - If I hit it here - then I can get there which leads to that and the highest percentage towards making the best possible score on the hole. 

 

Generally speaking I'm hitting driver off the tee unless there is a hazard involved or its the difference between a downhill lie and a level lie - I'll take an uphill or side hill lie closer to the hole but not a downhill one.

[Rusty1885]

I'm pretty much only play courses I play several times beside my home course. After a few rounds I'd make my little book. I plan all the shots each hole and do my best to stick with that plan.

 

Usually my course plan would allow me to shoot my handicap, conservatively. If I'm hot with wedge or putter then I'm a few under. If I hit a poor shot I'm disciplined enough that I'd take my medicine right away and put the ball back in play.

[GolfSpy_APH]

One of the benefits I've found this year playing the same course a lot is trying to tactics and seeing what has played best. That and it adds to the variety of playing the same course. Also the weather here has changed dramatically so my 150 club is now 2 clubs fewer then it was in the beginning of May.

Certain holes I've continually struggled on I've taken several approaches and am finally figuring out how best to attack the hole.

Example being #14 which is a long 90 degree left turn with a up hill tee shot. Total yardage is 392, but after a solid tee shot we are normally 180-230 out depending on where you are in your landing spot after the tee shot. That's a long second into a green that plays up at the front and falls away nearing the back. Anyways fun and very challenging hole where most here consider it a or 5. Yes it's very hard to cut the corner!

 

 

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[Rusty1885]

One of the benefits I've found this year playing the same course a lot is trying to tactics and seeing what has played best. That and it adds to the variety of playing the same course. Also the weather here has changed dramatically so my 150 club is now 2 clubs fewer then it was in the beginning of May.

Certain holes I've continually struggled on I've taken several approaches and am finally figuring out how best to attack the hole.

Example being #14 which is a long 90 degree left turn with a up hill tee shot. Total yardage is 392, but after a solid tee shot we are normally 180-230 out depending on where you are in your landing spot after the tee shot. That's a long second into a green that plays up at the front and falls away nearing the back. Anyways fun and very challenging hole where most here consider it a or 5. Yes it's very hard to cut the corner!

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I have several sets of clubs and I used to play the same course 4-6 rounds a week.

 

I made a list of my weaknesses and systematically broke it down to how to improve on it.

 

I used to have a mental crushes that I need driver and woods to score well or shoot my handicap, 6 at the time. So I started playing without driver, then without woods. I learned that I can shoot my handicap without the booming sticks and it was not even that much harder.

 

Now I play less but still play with different sets and format each week and after a few rounds with new sets or formats I started shooting my normal score. I helps me to think less on the course an go on autopilot.

[EthanSterlingPrice]

Gotta agree, mental game is the most important including having and sticking to a plan. I was the worlds worst till I got the idea of making course yardage books from my instructor and they do wonders when you're trying to play a new course under pressure. Pics from an older one I made a while back.

 

 

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[Rusty1885]

Ethan you are an artist. If I have to draw mine you'd think it's the next Mars landing site.

[revkev]

Ethan you are an artist. If I have to draw mine you'd think it's the next Mars landing site.

Really that's some incredible art work. Who cares about golf - I'm extremely jealous.

 

 

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[Honest Wes]

I have been playing more strategically this year. A lot of irons off the tees, I can pick a spot with those and it usually ends up within a yard or two laterally, distance depends. But since doing that I find it a lot easier to navigate the courses. Hitting 3 iron or 2 hybrid off the tee is point and shoot. Driver this year is hit or miss.

 

Before I go out each round I look at FunGolf app to map out what I want to do each round. IF I followed it I could get a fairly low score. But for some reason I forget to leave the driver in the bag and punish myself.

 

Going out tomorrow to put it to the test. I should only "need" driver on 3 holes. 3 wood I'll use twice and either 3-5 iron for the rest. In theory I should be able to make a lot of GIR's... now just remembering to not go for broke will be the test.

 

When your 40 yards deep in the woods/fescue... good luck making a triple.

 

 

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reminds me of the Frenchman. Could've hit 3 5-irons and won the British Open. Thanks for the heads up on the app. I'll give it a look,

 

 

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[EthanSterlingPrice]

Thanks Rusty, Rev. I found a website a while back that shows hole by hole satellite views of golf courses that I use for these called course.bluegolf.com.

 

 

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[TR1PTIK]

I've really been working hard on course strategy lately. Something I'd encourage anyone to do is to schedule some time to play a few holes with (a much) better player or perhaps the course pro and pick their brain about course strategy.

 

Earlier this season I scheduled a playing lesson and did just that. It was nice to get confirmation about how I approached certain holes and even more interesting to learn how the pro would play them or where he'd consider a good miss if it was different from mine.

[Reesedw]

Me and a friend did a boys weekend for several years and the course was Very accepting to all attire... Women in Bikini's,  Guys with no shirts, Personal coolers.. Anyhow you get the point, Fun place to hangout.. Anyhow we used to play in the evenings. We'd take 3 clubs, 2 balls and a couple of tee's, Barefoot, and all the Beverages we could carry.. we' play 2 through 8, Cause we used to stay on #2 and the 8th green was by the 2nd tee.. ,  You would not believe how well you can play, when your just "playing around".. And relaxing.. Oh wait maybe that was the Beverages... 

[Rusty1885]

I've really been working hard on course strategy lately. Something I'd encourage anyone to do is to schedule some time to play a few holes with (a much) better player or perhaps the course pro and pick their brain about course strategy.

 

Earlier this season I scheduled a playing lesson and did just that. It was nice to get confirmation about how I approached certain holes and even more interesting to learn how the pro would play them or where he'd consider a good miss if it was different from mine.

I agree. One quick note about having a plan. Follow the plan. I follow mine like a MIT blackjack rule.

[Stillnumber1]

I've really been working hard on course strategy lately. Something I'd encourage anyone to do is to schedule some time to play a few holes with (a much) better player or perhaps the course pro and pick their brain about course strategy.

 

Earlier this season I scheduled a playing lesson and did just that. It was nice to get confirmation about how I approached certain holes and even more interesting to learn how the pro would play them or where he'd consider a good miss if it was different from mine.

 

This is good advice, as well as most offerings in this thread. Great stuff for me to think about. Thanks to all who have commented here!

 

I remember Patrick Reed commenting at last year's Ryder Cup about how helpful and beneficial it was to him to be able to just walk the course with Tiger and learn how he would attack it. To see the course through his eyes, in other words. Reed was in awe of Tiger's mind and said it had changed the way he looked at things. Then went out and crushed it. Pretty cool to hear a pro talk about learning like that.

[TBT]

Course strategy and management are some of my biggest issues, I need to learn that I don't need to hit driver off every tee and to take my medicine when I get in trouble and not try to hit the hero shot all the time.

[Shankster]

You "literally" never use your 9-iron; except a certain course where the 1st hole is always a 9-iron? One would think courses changing hole locations or a shift in wind direction might precipitate a departure from your slated 18 hole shot selections. But I suppose when you're never more than 2 yards off line and can smash 2-iron from virtually any lie golf is a pretty easy game.

Yeah, I rarely find myself in 9 iron range. Not to say I can't/won't hit the club. Never once said I was never more than 2 yards offline, and yes unless the ball is buried in a bunker I can hit a 2 iron from anywhere. It's just like hitting a 3 iron or 4 iron, it is a little triangle shaped piece of metal attached to a metal rod, just like the rest of them.

 

Thanks for pointing that stuff out, because I am sure the lack of clarification for the past few days has been excruciating.

 

 

- Alan

[Rusty1885]

This is good advice, as well as most offerings in this thread. Great stuff for me to think about. Thanks to all who have commented here!

I remember Patrick Reed commenting at last year's Ryder Cup about how helpful and beneficial it was to him to be able to just walk the course with Tiger and learn how he would attack it. To see the course through his eyes, in other words. Reed was in awe of Tiger's mind and said it had changed the way he looked at things. Then went out and crushed it. Pretty cool to hear a pro talk about learning like that.

I still think Tiger is the best player we have on tour, especially before Sean. He's pretty f'ed up in the head and for his ability, he's playing with more fear than many of us amateurs. He can run 9 shots(3 trajectory x 3 directions) on each club in his bag. The guy does not need to be the longest to dominate but he's just can't get pass that. It's sad really.

[Brian A]

Bit me in the arse today. Had my chance to break 90 with a 2 putt, went for the hole and it missed and rolled downhill. Finished with a 90. I knew take the 2 putt and first time 89, but nope wanted that stupid 88

 

 

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[revkev]

I still think Tiger is the best player we have on tour, especially before Sean. He's pretty f'ed up in the head and for his ability, he's playing with more fear than many of us amateurs. He can run 9 shots(3 trajectory x 3 directions) on each club in his bag. The guy does not need to be the longest to dominate but he's just can't get pass that. It's sad really.

Usually I'm an anti putter guy - not anti but I have become convinced that putting is the most over rated facet of the game because there aren't many strokes to be gained on the field there.

 

Not in Tiger's case though. It remains the hidden reality that his putting went first - before Sean, before the 5 iron through the windshield or anything else he started missing a few putts and from there it all started to unravel.

 

It was that way for Snead, Arnie and Watson, too. All three kept their long game and even had the ability to win on tour with it into their 50's. But they lost the ability to putt in the big tournaments in their mid 30's and that was that.

 

 

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