Effect of Playing Same Course on Score?

[Big_M]

What effect do you think playing the same course over and over again has on your score? It seems like it would easily take a few strokes off your handicap if you played the same course half the time or more.

[TourSpoon]

Well you would have what is commonly referred to as "Local Knowledge". Knowing where to miss, how far to carry and especially how to read the greens should add up to a better score.

[redi630]

I said 3-4 strokes per round but I think it depends on how difficult the course is. The more forgiving it is, the less "local knowledge" matters. On a tougher course, strategy and ball placement becomes more important.

[Big_M]

And just for the record... I have only been in Toledo for 3 years, and I've played nearly every decent course within a 45 mile radius. I play a few tracks regularly, but not really enough where I have "seen it all" with one exception. Two of the courses I play regularly I would say my local knowledge saves me 1-2 strokes. The strokes I'm saved on these courses are from simply knowing whether I can drive through a fairway, etc. Things that someone with a GPS or rangefinder may know the first time they play the course (hopefully the upcomming year my iGolf will save me a few suprises as I play new course in the Charlotte area) But, the third course, the one I play the most (probably 1/4 the time... 15-20 rounds a year)... I have it figured out. It has mostly small greens, often with bunkers on the side, and often sloped from front to back (back being higher). I have found the bunkers on the sides of the smaller greens to be fairly penal, therefore I usually under club as missing in the front of the bunkers or in the rough near the front of the green is a much easier shot, allowing me to get up and down very regularly. I have also found the best places "miss" in other locations and play appropriately. There is also a confidence factor.

I will be curious to find out if my handicap spikes a bit when I first move to Charlotte as I am the type person who wants to try all the courses before I start playing any one track more regularly. I have been steadily improving having come down about 8-9 strokes in the last two years, hopefully it won't hold me up too long.

[Quinn07]

I voted for 4 or more strokes. I feel that it helps dramatically. Not only do you know where you should miss it, you probably have a more at home feeling as well. Look at Torrey Pines this year. I mean Tiger has the ability to dominate anywhere but they say it gives him a huge advantage, so i would say that it would provide the average golfer a great advantage as well.

[allin]

I expect it depends on your ablility. A less skilled player won't be helped by the knowledge as much because they can't execute the shot anyway. Better players pick up some from green knowledge, club selection, and knowing where to miss. Their recovery skills already help them save a lot of misses so maybe only one or two holes per round the make a little bit longer birdie put or something. I actually tend to underperform on my home course. I probably put pressure on myself, take more risk etc., that I don't on other courses.

[boothyuk123]

Without doubt, it is a definite benefit/advantage to have 'local knowledge' of the course you are playing. All you have to do is think about your home course, you have a better chance 'probably' of shooting a lower score there against an equivalent standard of golf course that you are not familiar with. I think again it really depends on your standard though, I know that for me personally I need to know what a course is like, where I can place the ball in the correct spots and which areas of the course I need to avoid. May seem obvious but without that local knowledge it is not always easy to know what is going on. I think this is particularly relevant to courses that have a lot of 'blind shots' - it is essential that you know what is in the distance so you can select the most appropriate club for the shot in hand

For me, definitely 3-4 shot difference if you know the course very well!

[Stuart]

I said 4 or more. But I'm guessing. I can only imagine it would.

[HackinSB]

I'd think it would save you 3-4. You would know what clubs to use, when bunkers come into play if you try to strech a drive, that kind of stuff.

It helps to know the greens too. Where a ridge or dip might be. Where not to land.

[Fourputt]

In my experience, I may pick up a couple of strokes on my home course that I might not get on an equivalent course that I am less familiar with. It's hard to relate because difficulty can vary so widely too, but I can play most courses from the regular men's tees (not the tips) and score in the mid to high 80's. A harder course I might even get into the low 90's on an average day....

... and I don't even want to talk about playing a strange course on a bad day.

[lamebums]

What effect do you think playing the same course over and over again has on your score? It seems like it would easily take a few strokes off your handicap if you played the same course half the time or more.

Not much. Maybe 1 stroke. When you know the place you're more likely to know where to take additional risk and pay for it in strokes. Or you're more likely to develop a mental block about that one hole that keeps giving you fits. You'll score better on the other holes but give them back on the one that gets you every time.

[Big_M]

Not much. Maybe 1 stroke. When you know the place you're more likely to know where to take additional risk and pay for it in strokes. Or you're more likely to develop a mental block about that one hole that keeps giving you fits. You'll score better on the other holes but give them back on the one that gets you every time.

Never thought of the whole "mental block" thing for certain holes... on the courses I play now I don't really have any issues like that. I do know what you're talking about though as back when I played in high school I had a nemesis hole and it spoiled my round more than once. I like to think my mental game has improved enough to make this a moot issue.

I do have a bit of a problem with a particular course though... only played it three times, but all three were pretty ugly. Last time I was doing well until my wife realized she had lost her wedge, then my game fell apart.

[Dr_Fu_Manchu]

A few of my friends and I were discussing this and we concluded that the answer is around 6.

The question is how many strokes do you think the average/member or country club golfer gains from playing the same course over and over vs. the player that plays a rotation of 15-20 courses on his handicap.

For instance, I do not belong to any clubs and have an abundance of course with in an hour radius. Therefore, I don't play the same course but a few times a year and often might be playing it for the first time. But I have a friend who only plays one course and shoots low 80's every time out, but when he plays with my group he has trouble breaking 90 and often doesn't.

What do you think, does a familiarity with the course improve you score or should you shoot the same at new courses?

[rwfastrax]

Knowing the course you're on equates to confidence. In club selection and reading greens. I'd say 6 strokes would be pretty accurate. I play the same course pretty much every week and know it like the back of my hand. My course management is pretty much down to a science there.

[Big_M]

here's a thread I started on the subject a long time ago...

I basically concluded that it depends on the course and golfer... but easily 1-3 strokes and up to 5 or 6.

[right handed phil mickelson]

I agree. I shoot at or under par at my home course, because I play it 5/7 days of the week. On other courses though, I shoot more around high 70's. Which is why my handicap is stuck at 5 :)

[Mr. M]

The higher the handicap, the better the advantage. For Right-Handed Phil, it's a 5-7 stroke advantage. But he's a 5 handicap. For someone who shoots, say, in the low 100's, I can see course familiarity making a difference of up to10-12 shots.

[Wazzu8]

Depends, the course I play 90% of the time, has a much harder rating and slope than the courses around it.

This past week, I hit my irons like absolute crap, my short game was money and I shot a +6 on the front.

I think I only shot +6 on the front of my home course once or twice.