what is course knowledge worth?

[jfrain2004]

How many extra shots do you think you would waste when playing a course for the first time. ie having no knowledge of bunkers, hazards greens, where to layup etc?

[Lefty-Golfer]

I would say 4 to 6 in a given round. it is going to vary from course to course. Blind holes and major elevation changes are much more of a factor on a new course.

[lumpuckeroo]

Not sure of how many, but I know when I play a new course, more than once I will say to myself, "If I would have know I would have played that differently".

[kpaulhus]

I would say 4 to 6 in a given round. it is going to vary from course to course. Blind holes and major elevation changes are much more of a factor on a new course.

^ This for sure.

[Dub]

Knowing which way the fairway runs, locations of false green fronts and the occasional front-to-back slopes, blind tee shots, and etc is really some critical info.

One thing that I do find is that I can do okay on my first round on a strange course. I attribute this to relying heavliy on posted yardages and playing from the green backward....not being scared to use 3 wood or hybrids on the short par 4s.....playing to the center of the green on the par 3s and trying to layup to the 100yd point on 5s.

Having to pick a very well defined target off the tee box helps me off the tee on strange courses.

I feel that by being so heavily "target-oriented" I do okay. It must take over and keep me from questioning my faulty mechanics. Picking a small target and attempting to knock it down with every club should be my focus on every course...not just the strange ones.

[DaSportsGuy]

Really depends on the course. Some courses it may not be that big of a deal, at others, it may be up to 5 or 6 strokes. But without a doubt it definitely is a nice advantage to have in knowing the course.

[ctyankee]

Really depends on the course. Some courses it may not be that big of a deal, at others, it may be up to 5 or 6 strokes. But without a doubt it definitely is a nice advantage to have in knowing the course.

Along with blind shots, the appropriate line of flight on doglegs and whether you can reasonably carry some fairway bunkers, I'd add reading greens.

[ArrrrJay]

I played one course all year, and it does help on the greens, but when it comes down to hitting the shot, it makes no difference.

I had my best round ever (+17) at a course I had never played on, that was much harder than my home course. About the same length, big elevation changes, many blind shots, and greens that were twice as fast.

[lionking]

it depends on the course, but i think course knowledge is hugely important and can make up to a 7-8 stroke difference for a 15 handicapper and 10+ strokes for a 20+. not only is comfort a factor, but confidence and commitment also. if you're not sure what a certain carry or layup distance is, or what areas to miss, you can blow up in a hurry. i think the greens are actually one of the easier part to adapt to on a new course.

thank God for courses that offer GPS carts.

[ctyankee]

i think the greens are actually one of the easier part to adapt to on a new course.

I think it depends somewhat on the golfer's level. If someone is hitting most greens in regulation, 40 percent of the shots are with the short stick, so there is no way around its importance. That said, yes, I've gone to Florida and the differences in the course wasn't on the greens. One set of greens read and reacted pretty much just like another. However, in my neck of the woods, greens very greatly. Not just in speed but in undulation. If the course is by the water, how the grass bends can significantly mess you up without local knowledge. I'm not talking about just talent with the putter, I'm talking about having a clue where to align the shot, let alone how hard to hit it. Again, it varies course by course but that's what this discussion is about. Beth Page Black? No problem. Winged Foot West? Good luck.

Take a look at the pros. The PGA is set up so that they have typically have greens at the same speed, tourney after tourney, so the players don't have to adapt. The last thing they want is for pros to be embarrassed out there. Then they get to the Memorial ...

[ND Fan]

Depends on the course. Some of my most memoprable rounds were on courses i had never seen before. Something to be said about not knowing where the trouble is. Any way It helps me concentrate on exactly where I want the ball to go and never a thought about where I don't want to be. I guess I am a mental midget but I find it helps me on some courses.

[ctyankee]

I guess I am a mental midget but I find it helps me on some courses.

No, you're not. Ignorance is bliss and sometimes what you don't know won't stress your shot. Valid point.

[MX 876]

No, you're not. Ignorance is bliss and sometimes what you don't know won't stress your shot. Valid point.

Interesting, but I agree. I'd say it depends on the course for the same reasons already mentioned, but also the player. Knowing where to put the next shot doesn't matter as much to a player who has know idea where the ball is going. A better player, however, may hit it exactly where he intended only to find himself in trouble. Individual strategy also plays a part like someone else said. For these two reasons I think it only makes a 2-3 shot difference for me, but could be a few shots higher for some courses.

[ddalet]

How many extra shots do you think you would waste when playing a course for the first time. ie having no knowledge of bunkers, hazards greens, where to layup etc?

More like 8 for me.

[Kingfisher]

No doubt local knowledge helps on any course. I think to what degree depends a lot on the golfers ability, in terms of distance control and accuracy.

Personally, I think better players (especially pros) would benefit much more than average players.