First "full" course experiences, club choices

[Shripe]

Using the Forward Tee Tournament as motivation, I've decided to take on my nearby 9-hole "full" length (i.e. not pitch/putt, but still no par 5s, so not quite "full" in that sense) course. I've not had any sort of experience on anything beyond the pitch-putt course, so basically I know the distance of my wedges, and that's about it. Oh, and I'll be playing alone too.

So, can anyone think back to their first time on a "full" course, and if they had difficulties in selecting the right clubs for shots, either by sight only or by rangefinder (I may be testing out a golf GPS app)? Funny stories appreciated. :D

I've done a few range sessions throughout the summer, and I can guess distance +/- about 30 yards with most clubs, but of course those are dependent on the accuracy of the flags on the range (which are quite infrequent), not to mention the fact that I'm using range balls there. I'll probably take that knowledge with a grain of salt. Argh.

[darkhunter139]

I used golfshot on my iPhone my first time out and it helped a lot with club selection. I did not feel like I had too much trouble selecting the right clubs for my shots....hitting them where I wanted, well that's a different story.

[Paradox]

to be honest, the first few times I played I just went by feel based on my range sessions. I would look at where I was...picture my time on the range and what club went around that distance, and then chose. I wasn't so concerned with distance then though as I was with hitting decent shots. After a couple rounds, I started jotting down what club I hit from what distance and how far it went...that got me started on the right path...I'd suggest doing the same so you have something to reference until it becomes automatic.

[Shindig]

Many courses are marked. You can call ahead and ask about markers. Most public courses here have poles on the sides at 200, 150, and 100 yards to the center of the green. Many courses also have marked sprinkler heads. If you're using a cart, it might have GPS.

[zeg]

If your range is marked well enough to figure out one or two irons, you should be ok. Pick a distance flag and figure out which club gets there on a typical (i.e., not the longest or shortest of your attempts, something in the middle) stroke. Just call that the distance for that club, and figure on about 10 yards per number up or down. That'll be more than accurate enough for your first time out, I'd imagine. If it seems off, you can correct as you go along, but I wouldn't count on needing more accuracy than that.

When in doubt, use the longer club. I probably wouldn't bother figuring out distances for fairway woods, just call them "longer than your low iron". In fact, I'd be inclined not to plan to use them except perhaps off the tee (though if you hit your driver ok, don't bother with thinking you should hit a 3W unless you're actually practiced and more accurate with the 3W). Most courses are pretty well marked, and I'm sure the shop can tell you about the markings.

[Shripe]

Haha... The driver and 3W are my least-practiced clubs, so I may be teeing off with my 3H and seeing how that works. It all depends on how busy things are this morning. I don't want to go chasing all over the course for my balls... even though I'll probably end up doing that anyway. ;P Heading out in an hour or so.

[Shripe]

Just got back, and I realized (even more than when I was on the range) that I can't fight off the classic beginner slice. I started off decently well, with a couple 5s (ending with 4 5's in all), with a couple clean 3H shots, but mostly I couldn't manage to keep that going for the rest of the round. I rarely hit a fairway (perhaps one or two... I figured out I hadn't saved my scorecard with BBGPSGolf >_<), and completely bombed one hole for a 10... though I one-putted it from about 15 feet away! That was the highlight of the round for sure, since my distance and accuracy otherwise pretty much stink. I really am getting the hang of the bump and run, as I landed about 60-70% of my B&R; attempts today within decent range. Obviously not 3 feet from the cup, but at least I'm not stuck on the edge of the green. ;)

[Paradox]

most beginners will start to slice on the course because they are trying to swing too hard. You see a big long hole and it just happens. Get yourself to relax and just make "your swing" and it will do what needs to be done...just like the range.

[Shripe]

most beginners will start to slice on the course because they are trying to swing too hard. You see a big long hole and it just happens. Get yourself to relax and just make "your swing" and it will do what needs to be done...just like the range.

I definitely saw myself doing that, swinging too hard... but it's just difficult since I spend the least amount of time on my hybrids and woods, so when I'm faced with that situation I get excited. However my short game was pretty good for a beginner (at times lol)... I was on target a lot more often than not compared to the hybrids/long irons. Given the distances I was hitting, or lack thereof, I think I might've used my 5-9 irons a couple times, but mostly my 3H once or twice and then my wedges. I'm actually liking what I can get out of my 60* lob, at least in the couple of occasions I used it. Of course I'm using a cheaper ball, so I don't get the kind of spin that'd be nice... not like my swing would really put a lot of spin on the ball anyway, though.

[zeg]

Congrats on getting out the first time, sounds like a successful outing. There's a lot that happens on the course that you just can't practice anywhere else. Lies are never flat or clean the way range grass (or mats) are, and you have frightening things ahead instead of a 100-yard wide field.

[Shripe]

Congrats on getting out the first time, sounds like a successful outing. There's a lot that happens on the course that you just can't practice anywhere else. Lies are never flat or clean the way range grass (or mats) are, and you have frightening things ahead instead of a 100-yard wide field.

Indeed. It's also a lot different (at least to me) than the pitch-putt course I played on a couple times before this one. More of an opportunity for creativity, like my nice little punch/bump and run shot about 60 yards out between a couple trees. I spent more time off the fairway/in the woods than in shortgrass. :P

[zeg]

Those 60 yard punches out of the trees are fun. At first. They lose some of their amusement value when you have 4-5 every round though...

[Shripe]

Those 60 yard punches out of the trees are fun. At first. They lose some of their amusement value when you have 4-5 every round though...

Sadly, I did have that many this round... But it actually made my occasional worm-burner somewhat useful. LOL

[newtogolf]

I definitely saw myself doing that, swinging too hard... but it's just difficult since I spend the least amount of time on my hybrids and woods, so when I'm faced with that situation I get excited.

Same happened with me first time out. I hardly spent any time with woods (still don't) and didn't even take my driver, so teeing off was not pretty. Even on the Par 3's I had issues because I don't hit my irons with tees, so that threw me off mentally even though I set the ball really low.

[Shripe]

Same happened with me first time out. I hardly spent any time with woods (still don't) and didn't even take my driver, so teeing off was not pretty. Even on the Par 3's I had issues because I don't hit my irons with tees, so that threw me off mentally even though I set the ball really low.

I pulled out my driver to decide whether I'd be using my old blade (more like hunk of metal, not the designed blades you see now) putter or the Heavy Putter once I got there, and only hit the 3 wood once. I tried a tee on the first couple holes, then went right to hitting off the deck as I seemed to be getting better contact with my 3H without a tee. Granted I still had my hard slice regardless, but at least I managed to hit it since I haven't worked with tees all that often. On the par 3's, I also hit off the deck with my short irons. It just felt more natural to me. It's hard to practice with the same type of conditions, tee or not (though it matters less if you're using a tee) when the range I usually go to has you in a short rough (i.e. "normal" grass) versus the closely-mown teebox grass.

[newtogolf]

Playing a course is definitely harder than range mats. Most ranges near me offer only mats, so only real grass I get to hit off of is in my backyard with plastic balls which don't offer much feedback. Sad part is that right now I can hit my 3i longer and straighter than my 3w, so definitely need to spend some time on the woods.

[boogielicious]

I would recommend doing a few practice rounds where you put the ball back on the fairway after your tee shots. Write down the approximate distances from your tee shots and then your iron shots onto the green. You will get a feel for your distances for each club. This will really help later with club selection for shot. The range can help with this as well. However, I find it difficult to tell at the range the exact distance, because your observing from 150 yards away and the balls are rock hard.

Knowing your distances can really help lower your scores.

[Shripe]

I would recommend doing a few practice rounds where you put the ball back on the fairway after your tee shots. Write down the approximate distances from your tee shots and then your iron shots onto the green. You will get a feel for your distances for each club. This will really help later with club selection for shot. The range can help with this as well. However, I find it difficult to tell at the range the exact distance, because your observing from 150 yards away and the balls are rock hard.

At least from the last round, I was mostly spot-on in terms of distance assumption. The only time I royally screwed myself was when I knocked a 7 past the green on the final hole (geez, I was scared that ball was going to bounce up to the clubhouse!) with one of my best swings of the day. It was uphill, so I figured in more club, but took too much, or hit it too well :P