Playing the big boy course

[GreensDruid]

The local golf club where I've played for the last couple of years has two courses - an 18 hole "championship" course and then a 9 hole executive course. For all of this time, I've played the executive course because I thought a 20 - 25 handicap (I don't really know what it is) doesn't belong on the big boy course. Better to hone your game on the small course and play the big one when you're a little better.

I should say the the executive course is an interesting little track. It was designed by Geoffrey Cornish maybe 15 - 20 years ago and consists of two par threes and then seven par fours, the longest hole being about 390 yards. Accuracy is a must - the fairways are relatively narrow and there's both water and woods where you can lose many balls. I've lost quite a few over the past couple of years.

Last week I finally got up the nerve to go over and play the big boy course. This is an older track, probably laid out in the 1950's some time on some very fine river bottom land. The river snakes around thoughout the course but it's relatively flat and pretty wide open. Anyway, I went out with a group who plays there often, and they were chuckling at the fact that I was a little boy course player coming over for the big course. I've played championship courses in corporate events (mostly Vermont) and so I wasn't a true neophyte. But I was gratified to see that in fact my time on the executive course, with its tight fairways and links style hazards, served me very well on this wide open course. While my playing partners were spraying the ball into the next fairway, I was able to at least keep my ball in the proper fairway and never hit out of bounds. They were able to recover, since on most holes they could play even a very badly hit ball, but the openess of the course seems to have hurt their discipline in keeping the ball in the fairway.

I had a great time, and I'm sure I'll play with the big boys again, but there is a place for the challenging executive course to hone your accuracy and maintain a disciplined course management.

[Fried Egg]

These are also great for people who don't have the time for a five hour round. I have a few par three courses where I live and they are not push overs. These are great practice for your short game.

[Shindig]

I had a great time, and I'm sure I'll play with the big boys again, but there is a place for the challenging executive course to hone your accuracy and maintain a disciplined course management.

Congratulations on your great play and on having a great time. Those two combined are always the best

I don't let myself go too many rounds on a course with wide fairways. It ruins my discipline too (or whatever passes for that at my level). You seem to have a great practice routine that also involves playing golf: the best of both worlds.

[golfchief]

I've playe some exc. courses that are actually harder than a reg course. the smaller greens and contour of the lay out just makes you think your shot before you hit or it will make your score ballon higher than normal.