First time on a new course

[The Recreational Golfer]

When I play a course for the first time I usually shoot a terrible score. Any tips on playing well around unfamiliar territory?

[Golf_Gal]

I do too haa haa

Now when you go back to play the course a second time, you're somewhat familiar with it. I don't count the scores from first time courses...very bad!!

[flopdarock]

i absolutely love playing courses that ive never been... its a great feeling... exciting!
i think a gps unit is phenomenal for unfamiliar courses... cuz yardage to me is the most important thing to know... if you dont have one... then ask how they measure yardages on the course... buying a yardage book also helps alot if you dont have a gps...
also playing with someone thats been there before... research the course online before playing it and see if they either have a course map or google earth it

[WUTiger]

Go online to the course site (if they have one). Gather some intelligence for how you will attack the course. I always get tripped up if I use scorecard check only, because the scorecard hole diagrams often don't accurately picture what you're facing.

If the site has a to-scale aerial map, this helps to ID the OBs, water hazards, etc. Photographs of the hole scenes can also point out what you're facing.

I visit the online sites too. But for a 20+ player like me, I try to make the first trip a "learning experience," and not worry too much about score. The second time I play a place, it's almost always five strokes lower than the first time.

Before you tee off, ask the pro if there are tricky holes you should be aware of.

As for tactics, try to keep the ball in the fairway. Also, take safe shots out of the rough to get yourself in wedge range for up and down.

[Dub]

Last couple of times I've played a new course actually turned out well.

In fact, the last round was at a local track playing against two buddies. We had a little trash-talking grudge match going....I took 'em both on with no stokes and won by a nice comfortable margin. Birdies on two par fives and many pars helped. One blow up hole and a couple of bogies later and I was grinning from ear to ear. My wife was laughing at how buzzed I was about the round when I got home. Couldn't help it...one of the guys outdrives me by 50 yards and the other is a solid golfer who has been playing forever. He never gets rattled by any event on the course.

The things that help me are to pick out specific targets and try to knock 'em down with every shot. Evaluate yourself each shot on how close to the line your ball stays. Aim for a nice margin of error, too.

Don't ever take a blind shot if you can help it. Ride or walk up quickly to get a looksee.

Don't automatically pull driver out on every par 4 and par 5. Evaluate the known hazards and distances. Do the math and determine if driver is needed.

Play for the center of the greens. Don't get caught chasing pins and bringing in all manner of unknown danger....false fronts, swells and etc.

Get there early!!!!!!!! Go to the practice green or number 9 or 18 green and wait for openings and practice putting. Putt to a tee that is away from the hole and calibrate yourself to the speed. Short putts....longer lag putts.....ten footers.....keep working around that tee from all angles. Being able to make putts is gonna be the "roundsaver" for you.

Good luck.

[Golf_Gal]

^Thanks for the advice :) This should really help!!

[Shorty]

When I play a course for the first time I usually shoot a terrible score. Any tips on playing well around unfamiliar territory?

Don't stress about it. The only tips are common sense ones that you can work out yourself. Unfamiliarity is obviously an issue, but so what? The score you shoot reflects the quality of your game, and nothing else. How you cope on a new course is very much related to your skill level.