giving yourself 4-5 strokes when playing new course?

[birdiedream]

I have been playing very well for my standard. Shooting 87, 87, and 85 at Torrey Pines North from the Blue tees in the last two weeks. I was happy that I am now playing in the 80's more consistently. Yesterday I went to a much shorter Balboa Golf Course in San Diego downtown for the first time. I played well but made a few major mistakes because I was unfamiliar with the course. The mistakes were mainly wrong in estimating distance to hazards on fairways, angle to greens, breaks on greens..etc. I shot 90. But leaving the course I was unhappy about not breaking 90, I thought I could have scored at least 4-5 strokes lower If I was familiar with the course.

What is your mindset when this happens to you?

[kpaulhus]

Just gotta get out there and prove your theory right next time. What would you say if you shot your best round though?

[Dave H]

I try not to think about it, personally. I shot my best round of the year (85) at a new and more difficult course than what I normally play last Friday.

[adamgoodman]

Not a chance.
I figure it this way... If you execute your shots and play SMART GOLF the new course problems can be at least minimized. You may not shoot your best scores, but it should be within your range of scoring. I think if one avoids taking significant risks until the course becomes farmiliar, things should pan out in my opinion.

Of course, coming from me, just take that for what it's worth. :P

[CG031]

Sometimes I play the course better for the first time. I'd say 75% of the time this is not the case, but sometimes I play very well there the first time, or first few times, then I'll go back and seemingly get frustrated and not play as well. So, idk, I seem to relax a bit more when I don't know the course because my expectations are a little lower.

[crayputter]

I have been playing very well for my standard. Shooting 87, 87, and 85 at Torrey Pines North from the Blue tees in the last two weeks. I was happy that I am now playing in the 80's more consistently. Yesterday I went to a much shorter Balboa Golf Course in San Diego downtown for the first time. I played well but made a few major mistakes because I was unfamiliar with the course. The mistakes were mainly wrong in estimating distance to hazards on fairways, angle to greens, breaks on greens..etc. I shot 90. But leaving the course I was unhappy about not breaking 90, I thought I could have scored at least 4-5 strokes lower If I was familiar with the course.

Uhhh...the all tour pro's play practice rounds before they compete on a course...

It's perfectly ok to play a few strokes ( even 10 strokes ) above your handicap when playing a new course....it's naiveto think just because you can play to your handicap at your home course, you can play the same ANYWHERE in the world.... I play off 87,88 at my home course...and when I play at a different course for the first time, I dont' beat myself up if I score a 92 or 93.... Ray

[Zeph]

The handicap indicates your potential, not your average. I would try, but not expect to play to my handicap on a new course. I don't care about if I post a 100 round, as long as I know what I did wrong and can work on it. If I'm 5 shots over because of being unfamiliar with the course, I should be able to play better the next time.

[brgolf]

Just gotta get out there and prove your theory right next time. What would you say if you shot your best round though?

There will always be a doubt about shooting a higher score on an unfamiliar course. Inevitably lack of familiarity will cost strokes.

Had he shot his best round he might equally say that the course cost him an even better score. Perhaps he got lucky or perhaps the course was easy to read and had few quirks. Whatever way you look at it, I personally find that making the correct decisions about a golf hole, the first time I see it, is often difficult. It's only when you get to the green do you realise that you should always play right side or take a club more because of elevation. Then there is getting to know the greens. No two putts are ever the same but I think knowing the break can really help and it takes experience to know the breaks well.

[Amofada]

I usually score better on courses I haven't played or rarely play. Probably because no particular holes are getting in my head the same way they do at my home course where I have a few holes I never seem to figure out making me everything but comfortable adressing the ball.

[double_j]

Accept it for what it is - there's a reason that pros get practice rounds before a tournament. Without knowing the greens & distances/preferred leaves, etc. it's tough not to lose strokes at a course you've never played before.

When playing a course for the first time, I'll usually judge my performance by how I was hitting the ball that day. I usually give myself a bit of forgiveness in the score department (OK as long as its within my normal handicap range) and don't expect to have a career low in that particular round.

[Keyhole]

I always play a new course a few strokes higher than my cap. Not being familiar with the greens, a miss to an area I wasn't aware of, fuming mad and taking driver when I should be hitting 4i ;)

[soloredd]

I look at playing new courses as an opportunity to judge my course management and ability to adapt.

I do use an app on my iPhone that has overhead pictures of most courses. It definitely has helped.