How do you play LONG courses?

[ScottyCameron]

Hey I have been playing from the mens tees at my home course, but I just found out that my tournament coming up in 2 weeks is at tees that are 800 more yards to what I am used to. From my home course I am usually between 160-180 yards on approach shots to par 4's, and round 185 yards on par 3's.

Any tips to help me out to play long courses better?

[Shindig]

Hey I have been playing from the mens tees at my home course, but I just found out that my tournament coming up in 2 weeks is at tees that are 800 more yards to what I am used to. From my home course I am usually between 160-180 yards on approach shots to par 4's, and round 185 yards on par 3's.

What club are you hitting on these tees? If you usually hit driver at home, and need to add 800 yards, that's 45 yards per hole, or 57 if the par-3s aren't extended. So, what's 50 yards less than your driver? For me, it's a long iron. Maybe play your course hitting long irons off the tee, and see how you do.

Of course, this may or may not be feasible if you have long forced carries, etc.

[Petden]

Chances are since your less than a 4 handicap you should be fine. With the added distance you may find yourself feeling the need to really lean into your shots, but this may hurt you in the end. Just play a smart game, definitly brush up on your long irons and woods as they may be crucial.

[Lemay427]

I try to knock the sh%t out of the ball off the tee....

[sosinsurr]

I try to knock the sh%t out of the ball off the tee....

hahaha there ya go.

[Grndslmhttr3]

As the saying goes, go big or go home; grip it and rip it!

[goblue107501]

Play within your game and don't try and do too much. Focus more on keeping the ball in good position over distance. There is a big difference in 190 from the rough and 200 from the fairway. Even if your not a big hitter I'm sure you would rather have a slightly longer shot in the fairway. If you get within 150 or so it doesn't make that big of a difference, rough or fairway. Unless the rough is really deep. Even on approach shots, don't do to much. If you don't think you can safely hit on, just use a club to get up toward the front of the green. Don't risk hitting a 3 hybrid in a deep bunker if you can hit a smooth 5-iron right up to the front of the green.

I have played many long courses, they will all have several holes that will be more than manageable, so make sure you take advantage of the good opportunities.

[Jay-Bird]

Everyone will be at the same tees. Look at it as an equalizer, not as a disadvantage.

Make putts.

[Zeph]

The apporach shots will increase a bit, you can go up a club to hit it further, perhaps a wood, or take your chances on great short play.

[Titleist Man]

Hey I have been playing from the mens tees at my home course, but I just found out that my tournament coming up in 2 weeks is at tees that are 800 more yards to what I am used to. From my home course I am usually between 160-180 yards on approach shots to par 4's, and round 185 yards on par 3's.

Hit it further LOL.

[Surefire]

Everyone has said hit it further, but I say brush up on your short game.

That way even if you can't make a green in 2, if you make sure you can get up and down, you will be fine.

If you can't reach a green don't force it, just lay up in a position you are comfortable pitching or chipping from, and then get up and down!

Sounds easy when typing it, doing it is obviously a different matter!

[Hidalgo]

The absolute WORST thing that you can do is tighten up and try to get extra distance off the tee or with your approach shots. Just remember...your handicap index will be a couple of shots more to offset the distance change (at least it should be). The remaining shots that you think you're giving up can be regained by managing your misses. If the shot is marginal or longer than you're comfortable with, then plan to "miss smart" and leave yourself a manageable up-and-down.

My first home course was a "drive & pitch" course. The par 4's were somewhere in the neighborhood of 290-300......and it RUINED me when I had to play a longer course. Heck...I had a 4 iron that had never been hit!

Sometimes when you're just playing for fun, hit a 2 iron off all the tees. Or, if the course is pretty slow, drop a ball at the 180 yard distance and hit a long iron to the green on every par 4 "just for fun". But the BEST advice is to always hit 20-30 balls with a long iron every time you practice. Otherwise...you'll be lost when the shot requires it. Whether the course has been lengthened or not, it's going to happen.

[ebough]

Chances are, if you play your regular game, you won't be on many greens in regulation. I don't agree with blasting it off the tee. Practice your short game extra hard so that you can pull off more up-and-downs from 50 yards in.

[Laxplayer201092]

If you are swinging good, work on making a little more coil/tension in your shoulder on the back swing, this adds yards without messing up timing with a longer swing, and while on the range work on holding the wrists off in the downswing.

If you dont want to tweak the swing, PLAY FOR POSITION! Your day will be very long if your hitting poor drives (and by this i mean drivers that dont find the fairway) and having to hit 2 or 3 irons into the green.

When i personally play long courses, unless the fairway is huge,or i am having a very good day with the driver, i mainly hit 3 woods or 2 irons of the tee, because being a little further back in the fairway makes that long iron a heck of alot easier to hit. Look at tiger when he played the british, hit 2 iron off the tee and won it by playing for position, not for distance. Distance comes on holes you want to attack. If your shooting for par, hit a safe club off the tee, get in the fairway, find your ball out area, AKA an area you feel comfortable leaving the shot if it doesnt come out great. and play that shot. So if the right side is danger, but the left has a collection area, i might over cook my draw just a little, to ensure that if i do go left, i am still in play.

Hope this helps! Dont be intimidated by numbers

Brian

[LongballGer]

Hit it harder.

Putting a pic of an ex gf on my golf ball usually helps.

[Dub]

I can't give see me giving advice to a 3.8 hcp player other than to play your own solid game.

If it were me....this is something that I've considered, too, as I generally play the white tees at home. 800 yards more would put me playing the tips.....a huge difference.

If I had two weeks to prepare....I'd get some serious playing time in from those tees. See where that left me on approach shots.

I'd have to spend a good deal of time working on my fairway woods, hybrid and long irons. I'd also need to work on my short wedges and chipping for recovery.

I'm sure that I'd find some of the new par 4s now would best be played by me as par 5s.....that is to define a 100 yard layup spot to play to and then get up and down.

Good luck....it sounds like quite a challange. I'm sure you'll make the adjustment way easier than I would.

[David in FL]

Good God.....Playing off of a 3.8 I'm guessing that you're not playing the "up" tees as it is......that's gotta be a monster course. Out of curiosity, what's the yardage?

My only recommendation would be to stay patient and be willing to lay up.....even on a par 4 if necessary rather than put yourself in a situation where a big number might come into play by forcing it.

From that perspective, it might make sense to spend some extra time on the wedge game as well as the long irons/hybrids.

[ScottyCameron]

Sorry guys, I just looked and my tournament is 500 yards farther. I guess they updated it, and changed the tees. See, I am 14 years old and I play at around 6300 yards because I yet don't drive it far enought to play from the tips.

Thanks for the help, I will put all this input into consideration.