Course Familiarity = "X" strokes

[juanrjackson]

Question....how many strokes do you save based on the fact that you are playing a course you are familair with?

[James_Black]

A lot, I know exactly where to hit the ball off the tee and I know all the contours of the greens.

I'd shoot around 4-5 shots higher if I didn't know the course.

[ERC7.5]

For me, it's a pretty considerable amount. I typically play pretty agressively no matter where I am so I get myself into a fair amount of trouble.

[Bullitt5339]

Without SkyCaddie, a lot.................

With the yardages and hazards marked on SkyCaddie, I would say 2-4 strokes different.

[ET-Taylor]

It depends because if you are used to a course you may know every bump and what it does and you lay up to avoid particular ones and maybe can't reach the green in 2 but if you don't you wont know so you smack the ball over the bump and can reach if you see where I am coming from

[dblbgy17]

i think you automatically save 2 strokes by avoiding that "i can't really see where this is going" shot. after that familiarity with a course brings your game down to exactly that...your game. if you know the course, all you have to do is execute. and that's the easy part right? that's why we're all getting paid to play...(sad face)

[sean_miller]

It depends because if you are used to a course you may know every bump and what it does and you lay up to avoid particular ones and maybe can't reach the green in 2 but if you don't you wont know so you smack the ball over the bump and can reach if you see where I am coming from

I do see. I voted for 4 strokes - mostly putting.

[ET-Taylor]

yeh I agree greens can be bad because the course I play is beautifully kept and the greens are quick so when I play other courses I need to whack the ball.

[ohiolefty]

I voted for 3-7, but it depends on the course. Knowing the greens is a massive advantage that you can really take advantage of as long as your irons and short game are together.

[Meddle]

Logically speaking it would be 4 or 5 strokes, mostly putting as others have said because you're used to the green speed and know the breaks. But I've played some of my best rounds on courses for the first time. I think when you play a course for the first time you tend to focus more. Also, I know I tend to put it in cruise control at my home course.

[jamo]

Let me preface this with the fact that what I am about to say might not make sense: To me, knowing a course does not help, but it doesn't hurt me, while not knowing a course hurts me. This means that basically my real ability at golf would be shown on a course that I know, rather than one I don't know.

[mrt10x]

For me it equals out.. on an unfamiliar course I probably cost myself 2-3 shots for just not knowing.. on the other hand on my two home courses I probably give up those strokes to the yips,, not just putting yips..but remembering every time I left the Tee shot on #13 out to the right and OB,, or every time I yanked my approach on 10 into the hillside .. so all those bad memories often cause me to be tenative and when I am tenative,, I suck... so like I said...it all equals out for me.

[juanrjackson]

Without SkyCaddie, a lot.................

Good point. I never thought about how using a GPS could make it easier to play a course for the 1st time. Some courses do not have the distances marked as well as others.

[deronsizemore]

I think it just depends on the course and the golfer.

I've shot under par on courses that I've never stepped foot on before and I've shot much worse on courses that I play every day.

[iacas]

I think I've answered this question before. In another thread, I mean.

With a competent guide, I can play just as well anywhere as at my home course. A competent guide is simply a guy who tells you to hit 3W when he knows your driver will roll down the slope and into a creek. A competent guide can tell you which side of the fairway to aim at, or where you want to miss a green if anything.

Basically, a competent guide tells you what TO DO instead of what NOT to do.

Playing your home course, though, it's too easy for a negative thought - even one or two per round - to creep in and tell you what NOT to do, so any "local knowledge" you get is offset by the negative local knowledge.

[Ben]

The tournament I played in today, a guy in my group worked at the course we played. He shot 2 under. This was my second time playing the course, I also shot 2 under. I really couldn't say what "homecourt advantage" gives. I got beat in the tournament that was at my home course. Just how golf goes. The most prepared person wins I suppose. No matter where.

I think I've answered this question before. In another thread, I mean.

All very good points! I particularly like the last.

[Dub]

Logically speaking it would be 4 or 5 strokes, mostly putting as others have said because you're used to the green speed and know the breaks. But I've played some of my best rounds on courses for the first time. I think when you play a course for the first time you tend to focus more. Also, I know I tend to put it in cruise control at my home course.

Well said. I agree.

[highscoreinky]

I voted for 3-7 strokes. There are at least 3 or 4 shots a round on a new course that I say 'man, wish I would have known about that". Whether it's about the way the green slopes, the fairway slopes or turns, how much room there is right or left in a particular landing area, etc. local knowledge helps. At my home course my mistakes come from lack of execution, not lack of knowing where to hit or where not to hit.