Course Management !

[Dr. Griefo]

what? im confused

What has been really killing my game has been scoring the inevitable triple and quadruple bogey during a round and it's usually due to poor decisions (going for a green from 200 and hitting ob, hacking out of deep rough, attacking a sucker pin). I can easily get 5 pars in a game, it's more about setting a mindset that 13 bogeys and a couple of doubles are ok so when I get into trouble or have a bad shot I switch from the mindset "how do I get this up and down from 220 yards" which leads to the triples, quads or even quintuple bogeys to managing my game on "how do I get this in the hole in the next three shots" I play the course smarter (i.e. not trying the hero shot) with this mindset knowing that bogey is ok as long as I get my 5 pars and I leave some wiggle room with the double bogeys (i.e. I flubbed a drive 30 yards into deep rough, chunked it 25 yards to the fairway, lying 2 and I'm still 400 yards from the green - par is never going to happen and a bogey is unlikely so I manage for a double bogey)

If I do this I can shoot 1 better than my handicap. If I get down to a 15 handicap, I'll aim for 6 pars, 12 bogeys and 2 doubles. I do start every hole with the expectation of par but this system gives me the option to lower my expectations from par to bogey or double depending on what happens along the way and choose my next shot (club and approximate landing spot) accordingly.

[atthepin]

What has been really killing my game has been scoring the inevitable triple and quadruple bogey during a round and it's usually due to poor decisions (going for a green from 200 and hitting ob, hacking out of deep rough, attacking a sucker pin). I can easily get 5 pars in a game, it's more about setting a mindset that 13 bogeys and a couple of doubles are ok so when I get into trouble or have a bad shot I switch from the mindset "how do I get this up and down from 220 yards" which leads to the triples, quads or even quintuple bogeys to managing my game on "how do I get this in the hole in the next three shots" I play the course smarter (i.e. not trying the hero shot) with this mindset knowing that bogey is ok as long as I get my 5 pars and I leave some wiggle room with the double bogeys (i.e. I flubbed a drive 30 yards into deep rough, chunked it 25 yards to the fairway, lying 2 and I'm still 400 yards from the green - par is never going to happen and a bogey is unlikely so I manage for a double bogey)

I am confused becaused 6 pars, 12 bogeys, and 2 doubles = 20 holes...

[O.B. Right]

There are lots of reasons to hit or not hit a particular shot and playing for the lowest score is certainly not the only valid way to play and have fun. Therefore, it's really hard to talk about course management unless you're talking about tournament strategy because, otherwise, there is no wrong answer.

[Dr. Griefo]

I am confused becaused 6 pars, 12 bogeys, and 2 doubles = 20 holes...

I kind of wish you would have pointed out that my addition was the cause for your confusion the first time before I spent far too much of my life trying to explain something that was little more than bad math. Perhaps this explains my high scores or sometimes I may just get lost on the course and play 20 holes...2 doubles, 5 pars and 11 bogies=18 holes for a score of 86 (on a par 71 course), 2 doubles, 6 pars and 10 bogeys will be for a score of 85.

[atthepin]

I kind of wish you would have pointed out that my addition was the cause for your confusion the first time before I spent far too much of my life trying to explain something that was little more than bad math. Perhaps this explains my high scores or sometimes I may just get lost on the course and play 20 holes...2 doubles, 5 pars and 11 bogies=18 holes for a score of 86 (on a par 71 course), 2 doubles, 6 pars and 10 bogeys will be for a score of 85.

Sorry i wasn't clear. I thought maybe in Canada there were 20 holes on a course (JK)

good luck with that strategy though. I use the same one myself now that i am trying to break into the elusive 80s