The Golf Fix last night

[Kieran123]

Did anyone else watch this?

I loved the part where he talks about course management.

That is a key thing I changed in my game to bring my handicap down. If I am 260 - 280 yards out on a par 5, I stopped picking up my hybrids, and my 3 wood ( when I had one )....and started laying up to try and have 120 yards to the pin, as this is perfect for my 52*

Now, there are situations where you could be 230 out with little trouble by the green, then i would use my 3 hybrid, but laying up often saves you strokes, going for it as a beginner will only make the hole play longer

It's also a lot safer laying up than banging in a metal and ending up in the sand or behind some trees.

7i, 8i, 9i, PW etc are usually mid/high handicappers favorite clubs to hit...so we should use them more

I was glad he brought up course management.

[chilly]

Yep, we have a ~600yd hole at my home course, typically leaving me well over 300yds on my second shot. I'd usually grab a 20* hybrid or 5wd, but finally figured out that it's ridiculous, a 5i will get me to gap wedge range very easily and takes much of the risk out of the shot. If I miss it a bit, it will still be in the fairway and may take a 9i into the green at worst.

[rwfastrax]

+1 on this. With driver on shorter par 4's I'll be well inside a wedge, but still not on the green... and would need to play a half shot (which is not very comfortable for me). Same goes for par 5s, 2nd shot from 250 out...I'm just as comfortable (or more) with a wedge- 8i in my hand from the fairway hitting a full swing. I tee off regularly with a 5 - 6i, 3H or 5W just to set up that comfortable approach. Sure does make the game a lot easier. Last week in my league match..final hole on par 5. My opponent teed into trouble and I hit fairway. He was forced to play a risky shot and didn't do well. I hit 9i to get about 118 out...then 52 degree for GIR and match win.

[mrprovisional]

Yep, we have a ~600yd hole at my home course, typically leaving me well over 300yds on my second shot. I'd usually grab a 20* hybrid or 5wd, but finally figured out that it's ridiculous, a 5i will get me to gap wedge range very easily and takes much of the risk out of the shot. If I miss it a bit, it will still be in the fairway and may take a 9i into the green at worst.

what course would that be. We have a 600+ hole here in NJ called hanover golf course 18th hole. just curious

[kfowler]

Good course management often comes when you've played a course several times. We have one hole on the course near me that's a Par 5. It's a strong dog leg right with water running all along the right side up until the green. It's a fun hole to play because it's a real sucker hole. The first mistake is people always try and cut the water off the tee. The problem is even you hit a great shot, you're still 200+ yards to the hole and have to carry water again. It's a not a high probable shot for most people. So the reward for a great drive is not the good considering the risk.

The smart play is to poke it out straight off the tee where you have plenty of room for error. Hit a nice mid iron on your second shot and it leaves you 100 yards out with no water in play unless you push it hard. Took me a couple of rounds to figure it out but it's definitely the smart play.

[chilly]

what course would that be. We have a 600+ hole here in NJ called hanover golf course 18th hole. just curious

Meadowbrook Country Club

[DavidFehertysBike]

what course would that be. We have a 600+ hole here in NJ called hanover golf course 18th hole. just curious

Ive played that hole. Its strait downhill so its not as bad as it seems. I got it across the lake in two with my 17 hybrid. But it comes back to the subject of the thread. You dont need to bust it across that lake to score par or better on the hole, youre saving mabye 75 yards by taking a risk that can cost you two strokes.

[double_j]

Ive played that hole. Its strait downhill so its not as bad as it seems. I got it across the lake in two with my 17 hybrid. But it comes back to the subject of the thread. You dont need to bust it across that lake to score par or better on the hole, youre saving mabye 75 yards by taking a risk that can cost you two strokes.

Yep - I played that hole in April. It's not too bad because a.) it's down hill until the last 150 yards or so and b.) the water is positioned that there's really no point in trying to carry it in two (it's about 150 in front of the green if I recall correctly and carrying the water still leaves you with a partial wedge in).

I think I did something like Driver-7-8 for an easy two putt par. That hole would have been much more interesting if the water were 250 or 300 in front with heavy protection in front of the green. Then the long hitters would need to worry about hitting driver off the tee and the shorter hitters would be faced with needing a perfect drive to be in a position to comfortably carry the water in two.

[montru]

I didn't see the program last night but I learned that lesson in the fall, the amount of times I had a Blow up hole would always be on a long par 4 or a par 5, now typically I take driver,6 iron, SW and more often that not make at least par, and as a result my handicap has dropped by 4 points.

I was playing a little matchplay comp back in April, we do it every year with some friends from the UK, it's like a Ryder cup, although I'm originally from the UK, my friend and I represent the US, I caught my friend pulling a 3w and suggested a 6 iron, he said he would try it and eneded up with birdie, ever since he played that day he says he always remebers my advice and doesn't get into trouble.

P.S
We won the match 7 & 6

[clubchamp]

I agree with what he said but I do think it's just more mental than anything else. I mean having a full wedge in helps but how often do you think and average golfer will hit a shot from 100 yards better than a shot from 50 yards? My guess not very often but for an above average golfer I'd say it would make a difference than again I think a lot of above average golfers would hit it just as close from those distances. This is where I think it becomes all mental because you are telling yourself that you you need to be at this yardage to hit it close. Then again if you believe it will work than it should give you more confidence so it can't hurt.

[double_j]

I agree with what he said but I do think it's just more mental than anything else. I mean having a full wedge in helps but how often do you think and average golfer will hit a shot from 100 yards better than a shot from 50 yards? My guess not very often but for an above average golfer I'd say it would make a difference than again I think a lot of above average golfers would hit it just as close from those distances. This is where I think it becomes all mental because you are telling yourself that you you need to be at this yardage to hit it close. Then again if you believe it will work than it should give you more confidence so it can't hurt.

To borrow a term from Poker - what you described is almost like level 2 thinking in course management. The first step is recognizing that just because you have 300 to the green, you don't really need to hit that 3 wood. The second step is figuring out exactly where you want to hit it and why. And I guess the third step would be understanding your normal mishit and taking that into consideration with your shot selection.

[Kieran123]

I agree with what he said but I do think it's just more mental than anything else. I mean having a full wedge in helps but how often do you think and average golfer will hit a shot from 100 yards better than a shot from 50 yards? My guess not very often but for an above average golfer I'd say it would make a difference than again I think a lot of above average golfers would hit it just as close from those distances. This is where I think it becomes all mental because you are telling yourself that you you need to be at this yardage to hit it close. Then again if you believe it will work than it should give you more confidence so it can't hurt.

I dunno, because 100-130 yards is a full swing with a wedge, which is usually easier for a high handicapper than figuring out how hard to hit a ball for a 50 yards shot etc

[iacas]

I watched Michael's "analysis" of Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, and Graeme McDowell. As my friend (an instructor) said, "he's just making it up as he goes along."

Course management is something I've always been pretty good at, but I think it depends on so much you can't really set rules for yourself. The one time I'll set rules is, for example, when I played my PAT. I had a score to shoot, I was not playing against anyone, and so on some holes I hit hybrid even though I probably could have gotten away with driver. I played to the centers of greens unless I REALLY had a green light situation. I hit driver and missed on the appropriate side ALL DAY long... things like that.

BUT if that was a casual round my strategy would vary from hole to hole. On some shots I'd be conservative if something didn't look or feel right, on other I'd pull out the lumber and go for the par five in two or try the tricky shot to get to a tucked pin.

Good course management is simply weighing the odds of pulling the shot off versus the cost of not and the benefits of doing so based on your level of skill. That's it.

[ffemtp]

I dunno, because 100-130 yards is a full swing with a wedge, which is usually easier for a high handicapper than figuring out how hard to hit a ball for a 50 yards shot etc

Exactly. I would much rather have a full wedge shot than try to figure out if I need to hit a 3/4 50* or a 1/2 56* or whatever. I started doing this earlier this year and my scores on par 5's have dropped alot. Last time I played I hit driver, 8i or 9i, pw on all the 5's and ended up par on 3 of them and birdie on the other one.