No, we’re not talking about how high the fairway grass should be or the amount of sand that should be in the bunker.  We’re talking about how you’re playing your game and maybe even how to cut a stroke or three.  How, you ask?  I reply, by playing the hole in reverse!  That, my friends, is the idea behind course management.

Here’s a simple example.  Let’s say that you’re playing a par 4 hole that’s 260 yards.  You know that you can hit a drive somewhere between 190 and 210 yards depending on certain variables.  You also know that your high percentage go to club is your pitching wedge which you can hit 90 yards with a great trajectory and fairly on target all day long.  So then, subtract 90 from 260.  That leaves you with 170 yards.  Why then would you hit it 200 and then go for the next 60 with a club that may not give you the same confidence (real or imagined) as your pitching wedge?

It’s not only okay, but also wise, to break out let’s say a 3 wood and tee it off from there.  You end up around the 170 mark and, Bingo! you pull old faithful out of the bag, step up to the ball with the confidence that you have already established with that shot, and watch it fly high and plop down on the green.  Make sense?  Yes, there will be those in your group that can drive the ball and get it within ten or fifteen yards of the green.  But, have they developed the confidence to flop shot it 10 yards and land it soft enough not to run to the other side?   Even if they do, you both got there in two.  Once again, the short game is the great equalizer.

On average a Champions Tour player hits their drive around 268 yards depending on which study you reference.  On average I hit my drive around 195 yards give or take 5 yards or so (unless I really skull it and hit a worm burner 40 yards!).  Yes, I’m basically a short hitter and I’m fine with that.  I almost always get out driven but, more often than not, I’m usually in the fairway or pretty close to it.  This means that the above example is pretty much how I play my game.  It also means that I may need three shots to get to the green instead of two for the simple reason that I like to take the high percentage shot.  Remember, as someone once told me, ‘the woods are full of long hitters!’

So where else does the course management concept come into play?  How about knowing whether to lay up or try to make it over the stream?  Or maybe how to avoid the bunkers by hitting right before it instead of trying to clear it and then aiming for the spot from where you can have the confidence to hit the green?  Maybe to set up the correct angle to the pin on a dogleg?  I’m sure that you can think of a specific hole or two that you may be able to cut a stroke on by looking at it from the reverse.  Start at the hole, work out how far you need to come back in order to use your best club, then back it up to the tee taking into consideration any hazards or obstacles between you and that money shot.

If you haven’t played this way before let me tell you, it’s not easy.  If you’re used to stepping up and letting it rip every shot or if you see someone in your group make a shot that you ‘think’ you can duplicate; then this will be a slow process.  But that’s okay!  Just start by trying it on one hole and see how it turns out.  Even if it only works once, well, that’s one less stroke on your scorecard isn’t it?  

Make sure to share with us how you already, or are going to, apply course management to your round!

Play well,

Roseann 

A total of 12 teams from North and South Carolina, including 10 state championship squads, will be invited to participate as will the top 12 individual players whose teams didn’t win state titles. Entry into the event is free.

Short Par will provide players with a gift bag, a perk that coincides with the launch of the company’s new Junior Membership Box.

“The Short Par 4 Tournament of Champions will be an opportunity for premier high school girls programs and individuals in North and South Carolina to test themselves against the best of the best,” said Scott Tomasello, tournament director for Golf Tourism Solutions. “We believe the event has the opportunity to be one of the highlights of the prep golf calendar and playing at True Blue, one of Myrtle Beach’s best courses, will only enhance the tournament’s appeal.”

“Growing the game through junior golf is a passion for the entire Short Par 4 company,” said Todd Stires, Chief Revenue Officer, Short Par 4. “We are excited to be part of this great event and look forward to making buying apparel and accessories a little easier on all of the parents.”

A Mike Strantz design, True Blue is one of the area’s boldest layouts, featuring sweeping fairways, undulating greens, and the sprawling waste bunkers. The layout has hosted numerous collegiate events and South Carolina High School League championships, making it the ideal venue for the Tournament of Champions.

The Golf Tourism Solutions tournament division runs 11 events, including the PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship and the boys Palmetto High School Golf Championship, a spring tournament.

Short Par 4 is golf’s premier monthly subscription box, providing subscribers the latest in fashion and unmatched value, guaranteeing players look and feel good when they arrive at the first tee.

For more information on golf’s most popular destination, visit www.PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.

I find it really interesting watching the practice swing.   Some have a nice smooth swing, good rhythm and an effortless appearance.  Some, due to age or physical ability, go about halfway in the back swing and the follow through.  Some, well I just can’t figure out what they’re  doing. Others don’t take a practice swing at all.  They just step up to the ball and let rip. 

The biggest common denominator among almost all of them is that they seem to hit their drives with a swing that resembles nothing what their practice swing looked like!  I mean, what happened?  That smooth practice swing with the nice high follow through?  That turned into a scene resembling a lumberjack trying to remove a tree stump.  The half swinger?  Now he’s decided to take a step backwards after his quarter swing.  The ones that were doing who knows what in their practice swing?  Well actually they’re my favorites.  I always seem to find a ball or two in my yard at least once a week and I do believe that they constitute a high percentage of the donors.  The best ones?  The ones who were older or physically limited seem to be the most consistent.

So, this has really been a wake up call for me personally by making me aware of my own setup and swing process.  I now attempt to make my practice swings very focused as opposed to just using them to loosen up before the ‘real swing’.  I also take the time to check my stance and alignment with every shot.  Has it helped?  I believe that it has.  I noticed that the consistency in the distance, trajectory and aim of my shots (except for that flippin’ 5 iron!) has improved.

Now what about you?  Do you have a consistent pre-shot routine?  Do you focus on your practice swing?   And more importantly, do you bring it to the actual shot (or will you start to)?

Join in and let us know your routine!

Stay safe and Play well,

Roseann