tips on how to play specific golf courses

In this post, we shared 15 tips to help you play well on a new golf course:

• Ask the pro shop staff what to expect.
• Grab a course info packet from the pro shop.
• Get a good warmup session.
• Remember your rangefinder.
• Pay attention to your playing partners.
• Practice a go-to shot.
• Ease into your round.
• Focus on solid contact.
• Swallow your pride and tee it forward.

Full Answer

What is the best way to learn to play golf?

Group lessons, like PGA's Get Golf Ready, are very affordable (even free in may places) and relaxed. Many municipal and public courses have similar programs, so look around for them. If you are learning on your own, that's okay.

Do you know the basic rules of golf?

It is also not a bad idea to know a few of golf’s basic rules: Familiarize yourself with the official way to drop a ball, to take relief from an unplayable lie, what to do if your ball is out of bounds and what to do if you hit your ball into a hazard. 1. Nail the basic fundamentals 2. Understand how the ball gets into the air 3.

How do you focus on the short game on the golf course?

DO: Get your lead shoulder under your chin on the backswing and finish with your face, chest and hips and facing the target. DON’T: Stay flat-footed through impact. DO: Concentrate on the short game by chipping and putting before focusing on long irons (3-iron, 4-iron, etc.) and your hybrids, fairway woods and driver.

How to improve your course strategy for golf?

10 Ways To Improve Your Course Strategy For Golf 1. Know Your Distances 2. Know your Shot Dispersion 3. Know The Good and Bad Misses 4. Get The Ball Into The “Scoring zone” 5. Know How Lie Affects Distance 6. Know Your Favorite Wedge Yardage 7. Know The Holes Where A Bogey Is An Acceptable Score 8. Know When To Take Your Medicine

How do you plan a golf course strategy?

10 strategy tips for golfers who know nothing about course...Give it a rip. Longer drives convert to lower scores. ... Have a 'trusty' go-to longer club. ... Lay up to your favorite yardage. ... Play the percentages into the green. ... Stress-free putting. ... Respect the downhill. ... Lean to hit knockdowns. ... Small strokes around the green.More items...•

How do you study golf courses?

One of the best course management tips I would give any golfer is to process your information before your round, and go in with a plan. You can take a look at a lot of these yardages and make decisions on what clubs you will play off the tee, and know some important distances to trouble and hazards around the course.

How do you think your around a golf course?

Thinking Your Way Around the Golf Courseyardage tee to green.carry distance to fairway.determine distance to the front of bunkers as well as carry distance.determine distance to the front of water hazards as well as carry distance.is there out of bounds on either side of the fairway, or behind the green.More items...•

Does golf have strategy?

One of the best golf strategy tips and tricks is to find the fall line. So, as you approach your ball, take a look at the green and try to pick where the dead straight putt is. Once you have found the straight putt, you have the line to which everything will want to break – this is the fall line.

How do you approach a new golf course?

Playing a New Golf Course – 10 Rules to Shoot Lower ScoresCreate a Game Plan for the Course. ... Get Your Golf GPS Ready. ... Get There 30-60 Minutes Early. ... Find Help Before Teeing Off. ... Tee It Forward. ... Have a Strategy For Every Shot. ... Aim For The Middle of the Green. ... Stay Patient During The Round.More items...

How do I get better at golf management?

Step One – Create a strategic plan before you play golfTip #1 – Use a course guide or better still Google earth. ... Tip #2 – Knowing your club distance and dispersion. ... Tip #3 – Know your bad shots. ... Tip #4 – Plan your strategy by working from the green backwards. ... Tip #5 – Stick with your plan.More items...•

How do you have a good round?

A round means playing all 18 holes on a golf course. Telling someone to have a great round is just another way of offering a golfer good luck by telling them you hope they play well.

How can I play golf smarter?

Stop Wasting Strokes with These 5 Ways to Play Smarter GolfAn Important Note on Playing Smart Golf.#1 – Don't Assume Driver.#2 – Read the Slope – On Every Shot.#3 – Each Hole is a New Challenge.#4 – Ignore the Flag (Sort of)#5 – Play Your Game.

How do you play a difficult golf course?

Ten Keys To Tackling A Tough Golf CourseLet go of good or bad expectations. ... Stick to “fairways and greens.” ... Play the percentages. ... Know how far you carry your average shots and club accordingly. ... Play with your “trusted swing.” ... Focus upon tempo, balance, and hitting the sweet spot. ... Master the par-3's.More items...•

What is proper golf etiquette?

Golfers should avoid distracting fellow golfers. Golfers should not run during play, but instead walk quickly but lightly during play and remain stationary while others play their shots. Players should be still and remain silent during a fellow player's pre-shot routine and subsequent shot.

How can I improve my golf up and down?

0:364:59HOW TO GET UP AND DOWN - GOLF (2 SIMPLE DRILLS FOR ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFast so put the pressure on my putting. Now see if i can hold this pat.MoreFast so put the pressure on my putting. Now see if i can hold this pat.

How do you break 80 in golf?

If you want to break 80, the best thing you can do is improve your ball striking. Keep your tee shots in play, and make sure you hit a ton of greens. This will pretty much guarantee you will be breaking 80 most of the time. You're probably thinking to yourself at this point, “yea, easier said that done!”

What does it mean when someone comes up short in golf?

When someone else comes up short, it might be an indication that the shot will play longer than it seems, or vice-versa.

Is Wired2Golf.com an affiliate?

Wired2golf.com is a member of Amazon Associates and other affiliate programs . As such, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases through links on this site at no extra cost to you. This helps us continue to create more great golf content!

Is the greens on a new golf course faster than the home course?

Greens can vary significantly from the golf course to golf course. Depending on the type of grass, climate, moisture, and other factors, the greens at the new course you play could be much slower or faster than your home course.

Is it good to have honors on the tee box?

Having the honors on the tee box is great, however, sometimes it’s helpful to watch your playing partners hit their shot first. This is especially true if you play with these people regularly and you know how far they hit their clubs.

How far apart are tee times on golf courses?

Golf courses can't offer "grace periods" like restaurant reservations. Tee times are typically 6-to-10 minutes apart and when the group ahead of you has teed off, the starter expects you to be ready to jump on the tee. Arriving at the course for a tee time 15 minutes early is about as close as I cut it.

How many clubs do you need to play golf?

A set (or half set) of clubs that includes a couple woods, various irons, a wedge and putter. Rules stipulate you can have 14, but you'll be fine at first with seven. Or, just bring a putter, wedge and wood.

What does it mean to play golf at Twilight?

Playing golf at twilight probably means fewer golfers on the course. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor. If you are a beginner, chances are you are going to feel a little nervous your first time to the course and you may be wary about playing with new people.

How many sets of tees are there in golf?

Most courses have between three and five sets of tees. If it's your first time, you should feel no shame in playing from the forward tees and working back as you feel comfortable. Don't be afraid to play from the shortest set of tees on your first trip to the course. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor.

What is the job of a ranger in golf?

Their job, if done properly, is to keep an eye on the players and make sure there are no bottlenecks on the course.

Can you drive a golf cart on the green?

A few golden rules when driving a golf carts: Avoid driving on the tee or green or in bunkers, as well as in native areas. It's best to drive as little as possible in the fairways or turf in general. Be mindful of holes that are "cart path only" (usually, all par 3s are cart path only).

Is golf dangerous?

The golf course can be a dangerous place if negligence is at hand. If you think someone is in harms way before you swing, ask them to move. (This goes for playing partners, maintenance workers or nearby pedestrians). Be sure no one is standing behind you, either.

How many yards does GolfPad track?

Even without subscribing, GolfPad will give you distances to the front, middle, and back of the green, and distances to the 200-, 150-, and 100-yard markers, as well as track your major stats. GolfPad also has the option of turning off the club suggestions so you could use it in tournament play if the tournament allows it.

Is a laser rangefinder good for golf?

They are both very good, too. As with a lot of things in golf, it is a matter of preference and you should experiment with various apps or standalone units before you commit to one. When you are on the course, and if you have one, I highly recommend you use your laser rangefinder to shoot more than the flag.

What to do if you are not playing your best golf?

If you are not playing your best, choose less aggressive clubs or ways around your golf course to help regain confidence and get going again. It is about making adjustments throughout your round and good golfers are doing this all the time, you might just not realize it. 10.

How to get lower scores in golf?

This is because they’re being more efficient and making smart decisions. You can, too. Here’s how: 1. Give it a rip. Longer drives convert to lower scores.

Why are first putts so aggressive?

The lower your handicap, the more aggressive first putts can be because of the ability to make the longer return putt when the ball does not go into the hole. 6. Respect the downhill. In putting, our eyes often register the distance well but are less efficient with the tilt of the green.

What is a good goal in downhill putts?

A good goal in your downhill putts can is just to get the ball close or a percentage of the way as gravity will take care of a lot of the distance on its own. 7. Lean to hit knockdowns. The days that your swing is working well and you hit most of your shots solidly are certainly a lot of fun.

What are the leading indicators of successful golf?

By aiming for the larger part of the green, should you miss the ball, you are more likely to still be on the green. 5. Stress-free putting . Total putts is one of the leading indicators of successful golf as it reflect putting prowess but also other parts of the game as well.

How to play right down the middle of the fairway?

Swinging slowly and carefully in an effort to play right down the middle of the fairway is overrated. Be willing to swing with speed and momentum assuming you can maintain your balance to take advantage of shorter distances into your target and green. 2. Have a ‘trusty’ go-to longer club.

How to build confidence in golf?

A relatively consistent club that you can trust, which will help you build confidence throughout your round. 3. Lay up to your favorite yardage. Most golfers have approach distances they prefer and other distances they do not. This can always be a helpful part of your course management.

When you look at the scorecard before a round, what should you do?

When you look at the scorecard before a round, take note of the lower stroke index holes. If you know that the average score on a particular hole is likely to be over par, then take a more conservative strategy on those holes. Lowering your expectations will take some pressure off you on those harder holes.

What is improved course strategy?

An improved course strategy for golf is about getting more from what you already have, which is essentially what a better mental game of golf is all about. In this article we’ll take a look at 10 ways you can improve your course strategy for golf, and lower your scoring average.

What is the Will Robin scoring method?

This system helps golfers better understand their game and formulate a strategy to limit mistakes and maximize scoring potential. It also helps each player figure out exactly what they need to work on during practice.

Do you have to score badly on a B or C golf game?

On those days that you have your B or C game (which happens to every player from time to time), it doesn’t mean that you have to score badly. Those rounds where you aren’t as in control of the golf ball are not the time to be taking on risky shots.

How to grip a golf club properly?

DO: Learn how to grip the club properly.#N#DON’T: Try to keep your head “down and still” through impact. Let it follow through with the rest of your body .#N#DO: Bend from your hip s.#N#DON’T: Bend from your knees.#N#DO: Get your lead shoulder under your chin on the backswing and finish with your face , chest and hips and facing the target.#N#DON’T: Stay flat-footed through impact.#N#DO: Concentrate on the short game by chipping and putting before focusing on long irons (3-iron, 4-iron, etc.) and your hybrids, fairway woods and driver.

Who said golf is the greatest game ever invented?

In the immortal words of Arnold Palmer: “Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening—and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.”.

Do you take range balls to the golf course?

Always be ready to hit your shot when it’s your turn. DON’T: Take range balls to the golf course. Many are limited-flight models, so it’s just not worth it. DO: Take the time to learn basic rules and etiquette.

Is golf the greatest game in the world?

Getty Images. Golf is the greatest game in the world—just ask anyone who plays! But getting started as a beginner can be a daunting—and often intimidating—prospect. To help you (or someone you know) take the plunge, here’s a definitive list of dos and don’ts for the aspiring player.

What do you need to know about golf?

It is also not a bad idea to know a few of golf’s basic rules: Familiarize yourself with the official way to drop a ball, to take relief from an unplayable lie, what to do if your ball is out of bounds and what to do if you hit your ball into a hazard.

How to putt golf?

A good, basic putting posture is to bow from your hips, have your eyes over the ball and your arms hanging below your shoulders. After that, remember that your back stroke length controls distance .

How many golf balls should I have in my bag?

Beginner golfers need to be prepared with the necessary tools that you’ll use on the course. You should plan on having six to 12 golf balls in your bag, a golf glove (if you wear one) and tees and a ball marker in your pocket and ready to go. Being ready to go when it’s your turn to hit is an important part of golf.

What is the hardest shot to hit in golf?

Sand shots are some of the hardest for beginner golfers. And like we talked about earlier: Remember that to hit the ball up, you need to hit the ground. This means overriding any instinct you have to lifting the ball up, and commit to hitting the sand instead.

How to get a ball in the air?

The basic concept is that in order to get the ball in the air, you need to hit the ground. Get into good posture, bending from the hips, and feel like your extending both arms into the ground during your swing, like you’re throwing a ball (as you see me demonstrating below).

Do you need to hit a chip to play golf?

Be able to hit a basic golf chip. As a beginner, you need to be able to hit a basic chip, This shot doesn’t need to be perfect and as a newer golfer, I would not expect you to have perfect distance control. Your goal is to have a go-to shot when you’re close to the green.

Can you use a hybrid golf club over a fairway wood?

Once you tee off and your ball is on the ground in the fairway, new golfers may have a comfort level with one club over the other — you may prefer your hybrid over a fairway wood, for instance.