Do you alter your playing style for a tougher course???

[Uthinkso]

I'm playing my first course that I would consider to have a challenging lay-out. To the point, pins are place at tougher spots to put on the green and there is a lot of water. In fact your hitting next to or over water on 14 of 18 holes.

Obviously hitting straight is of the utmost importance, so my question is this? How should I prepare to take this course on? Should I club down to more reliable clubs in order to increase control of my shots, or should I just stay the course play how I normally do and see what I come away with?

For a referrence here is the course website http://www.forelakes.com/

[GaijinGolfer]

Playing it safe is probably your best bet. If the course is really that challenge, you dont want to be taking huge risks.

[x-forged]

Yeah, sometimes. In another thread I said that I go for every pin and take a lot of risk. When its a tough course, Ill usually try to be a little more conservative if I can control my stupid alwayswantstogoforbroke brain...

[GaijinGolfer]

Im all for going for broke when you have some margin for error, but if the pin is in a tough spot and water is in play, I say play it safe.

[erova]

i've played my share of tougher courses and I don't usually think about pin placement as much as I try to keep the ball in the fairway and on the green. while that seems like common sense, bomb-and-gouge usually doesn't work on competitive courses because the better architects either predicted you'd try that and defend against it, and/or the rough could be much denser than what you're used to.

also spend some time on the putting green--chances are you'll see a difference on the speed and undulations as well...

have fun...

[Craig Mac]

i've played my share of tougher courses and I don't usually think about pin placement as much as I try to keep the ball in the fairway and on the green. while that seems like common sense, bomb-and-gouge usually doesn't work on competitive courses because the better architects either predicted you'd try that and defend against it, and/or the rough could be much denser than what you're used to.

I would go along with what erova is saying, more of a premium of keeping it in play and knowing when you need to throtle back a bit and maybe just play for a bogey(ie. tight fairway hole, shot over water with a tucked pin). Sometimes you have to look for the "safe" misses. You are listed as an 18 so bogey for you is par for the hole basically, and not always a bad score either.

[Uthinkso]

I plan to get there an hour early and putt and hit a few at the range with both driver and irons.

[b-squared]

Yes I alter my playing style for tougher courses. However, in all the courses I play, I always keep "course management" in mind, going for broke only when needed. But in the end it's all about having fun, whether it be playing safe or aggressive ...

[ks8829]

Hit fairways, greens (middle of the green) and putt for par. analysis what holes are going to be difficult by the handicap rating on the score card and play accordingly.

I would prepare by practicing my short game within 50 yards and chipping around the green. The green may be faster so I would spend at least 30 minutes getting use to the speed of the green for lag putts.

sharpen your shots from 100 yards, 150 yards and 200 yards and sometimes hit the 3 wood instead of the driver to hit more fairways.

Play with someone with course knowledge and have fun, do you need a fourth player?

[worst_shot_ever]

Are you planning to play from the tips? That might be one way to save some strokes! Holes 4 and 16, 202/203yd par 3s over water, would eat me alive.

[CG031]

What's there to alter? I always think fairways, greens, and make some putts.