I need to start playing some longer courses.

**kekoa** · October 1, 2008

Anyone else feel like this? I normally play a course nearby that runs about 6,800 from the blues. I really like the lay-out, but on just about every part 4, i'm left with nothing more than 8 iron in. I feel that this really hurts me since i don't get to work my 7-4 irons... I'd really like to start playing a course in the 7,200 yard range, but i can just see my handicap skyrocketing. lol

**Zeph** · October 1, 2008

What about hitting the ball shorter from the tee? Using a wood or something instead of driver, maybe even an iron. You'll have a longer shot for the green and gets to use the longer irons.

**alf174** · October 1, 2008

Zeph is spot-on. Try playing from the forward tees and you'll feel like you're in a place totally different than your usual track.

**Dent** · October 1, 2008

If your course it 6,800 yards, and your hitting an 8 iron in every time it seems like your course isn't layed out very well. There should be atleast a mix of a few long Par 4's in there at 6800 yards. I know at my old home course, each par 4 did leave me a shorter iron in, but there was a couple holes that were extra short to make room for the longer par 4's exceeding 400 yards. I'm sure you'd be hitting long irons into those.

Also try hitting something shorter off the tee box. Hit an iron off the tee, pick the club that can leave you 160-200 yards out.

**Smallville** · October 1, 2008

I'm so in the minority here, I try to avoid long courses like the plague! Maybe in the next couple of years, but for now I don't hit it far enough to enjoy that length of course. My range is 5,700-6,300 yards or so with a slope 125 or less.

Zeph and Dent are right though, you could make your course so much longer by hitting short to mid irons off the tee for a change of pace.

**kekoa** · October 1, 2008

If your course it 6,800 yards, and your hitting an 8 iron in every time it seems like your course isn't layed out very well. There should be atleast a mix of a few long Par 4's in there at 6800 yards. I know at my old home course, each par 4 did leave me a shorter iron in, but there was a couple holes that were extra short to make room for the longer par 4's exceeding 400 yards. I'm sure you'd be hitting long irons into those.

Hmm.. I hit my drives anywhere from 275-300 if i get a hold of it. My course does have a few par 4's in the 430-440 range. Lets say i hit it 275 on the 440 par 4. That leaves me about 165 in and thats a strong 8 iron for me. All the others usually only require a PW or 9 iron in. I may just try to hit a hybrid or 3 wood off the tees next time.

**imtomtomim** · October 1, 2008

actually, my school's course is just like that. I can basically play it with my driver, gap, sand, lob, and putter. Once, I played one club with my buddies and we just took a pitching wedge around. if it weren't for the funny putting, our scores wouldn't be more than a stroke off per hole. However, this course, despite how short it is, is pretty difficult to mange. I end up using a lot of different shots and I get to use the rest of my set. Why don't you try reversing your game and hitting a short iron first and then take long approaches. I know it doesn't seem logical but, you gotta do with what you got

**NI4NI** · October 1, 2008

Hmm.. I hit my drives anywhere from 275-300 if i get a hold of it. My course does have a few par 4's in the 430-440 range. Lets say i hit it 275 on the 440 par 4. That leaves me about 165 in and thats a strong 8 iron for me. All the others usually only require a PW or 9 iron in.

Pull a Tin Cup, and have some fun!

hey what do you think my best shot was..... was it 7 iron on 4? or was it 7 iron on 15?"

**Fourputt** · October 1, 2008

I'm so in the minority here, I try to avoid long courses like the plague! Maybe in the next couple of years, but for now I don't hit it far enough to enjoy that length of course. My range is 5,700-6,300 yards or so with a slope 125 or less.

I don't mind a long course as long as it doesn't involve a lot of long forced carries. I'm not a boomer off the tee by any means, and I don't mind playing 4W or hybrid for some approaches either, as long as I have a chance to be in play off the tee. My home course is like 6950 from the back tees, and 6500 from the whites. My scores only tend to be a couple of strokes higher when I play the blues.

**Smallville** · October 1, 2008

The long carries over water (or, as I've played in Scottsdale, long carries over desert) is the killer for me too. I suppose the slope (as far as I'm concerned at this point) should really be the deciding factor (the higher the number, the harder the course, right?) I mentioned I try to keep my tees to 125 or less, and that's really the high end of where I like. Closer to 120 is more my speed, this year anyway.

I notice you are in Littleton (about 5400 feet above sea level) . . . while I am in Kansas City (about 900 feet). I've never played that high up, but I gotta ask, how much farther do you hit at that altitude than closer to sea level (I am assuming here that you have played elsewhere). Or is it negligible?

**Fourputt** · October 1, 2008

The long carries over water (or, as I've played in Scottsdale, long carries over desert) is the killer for me too. I suppose the slope (as far as I'm concerned at this point) should really be the deciding factor (the higher the number, the harder the course, right?) I mentioned I try to keep my tees to 125 or less, and that's really the high end of where I like. Closer to 120 is more my speed, this year anyway.

The rule of thumb is that we gain about 10% over the same shot at sea level. My course is actually at about 5700 ft. With a reasonable swing, I can carry 250 here.... only about 220-230 when I play in Florida.

**bogeyhitter25** · October 2, 2008

My home course (Sig.) is 6200 from where I play from in matches (middle). We play the front nine. I'll usually hit:

1st-Driver, 7
2nd-Driver, 5 wood, 8
3rd-5 wood, 8
4th-5 wood, 7
5th-Driver, 9
6th-5 or 6
7th-Driver, 5 wood, wedge
8th-9 or PW
9th-Driver, 4 or 5 iron, sometimes even 5 wood

So yeah it's a fairly short course considering I'm a pretty short hitter.

**Dent** · October 2, 2008

I can understand where the OP is coming from though as well. I mean 6,800 is longer than the average course out there, and can get really challenging, but still at times is still not long enough. At my course on the front nine its usually: (assuming I will hit all GIR's)

1) Driver - 6 iron - Wedge
2) 4 Iron - 8 Iron
3) Driver - Wedge
4) Driver - 4 Iron - Wedge
5) 9 Iron
6) Driver - 8 Iron
7) 4 Iron - 8 Iron
8) 6 Iron
9) Driver - 8 Iron

Notice how much people will use the 8 iron, it gets really repetitive. Out of 9 holes I'll usually use the 8 iron 4 times, which seems like a lot.

**Wisconsin Golfer** · October 2, 2008

I just started playing a new home course GLEN ERIN with a 72.4 / 126 rating/slope. My old course was really short and didn't even have a rating. I have been playing GLEN ERIN and getting better because it is so much harder. I went and played some old friends on the easier course and did awesome and won a round with a playing partner that I have never beat before. So I think that playing a harder course may improve your game also.

**microcrayfish** · October 2, 2008

Or you could try my strategy for my last couple of rounds. Completely butcher everything off the tee so you're in the trees or miles and and are forced to hit longer clubs just to get anywhere near the green .

**Dub** · October 2, 2008

Or you could try my strategy for my last couple of rounds. Completely butcher everything off the tee so you're in the trees or miles and and are forced to hit longer clubs just to get anywhere near the green

Ah yes.....you found my game.

Did this a bit yesterday. I had some of the best driving that I've had since returning to the game a few months back....too bad I was hooking the snot outa my approach irons. Ugliness abounded.

**JCDot33** · October 2, 2008

The rule of thumb is that we gain about 10% over the same shot at sea level...

I have GOT to come play in the Denver area ... I'd love to get another 25-30 yards on my drives ...

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I need to start playing some longer courses.

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