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how would you get ready for a really hard course?

bogey_russ

bogey_russ

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this thanksgiving ill be spending at my brothers house in manassas virginia and we will be playing generals ridge golf course
this golf course is one of the top 5 most difficult courses in the washington dc metro area
ive played it only once before and needless to say i didnt break 100
this course i would categorize as a mountain course... lots and lots of severe elevation changes
the only flat lies on the whole course is on the teeboxes
my home course and the courses i play routinely are here at the beach (which is relatively flat) are completely different from the mountain courses so its impossible to actually duplicate/practice shots

anyone have any ideas besides going to the course and playing until i get used to it (aint gonna happen since im driving all day tomorrow and we're playing thanksgiving)

did i mention my brothers an i teeing it up is like a family death match? we're ultra competitive hahaha

oh yeah... its my brothers home course... its literally 3 houses away:arrogant:
 
I wouldn't do anything different, play your game and the course. Trying to make changes could open Pandoras box on the course. I may spend a little time working on sidehill lies just to prepare yourself for those.



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Say you ate too much turkey?
Hope that it thunderstorms?

Seriously though, try to pretend that you're at your home course hitting easy shot after easy shot.
 
Just keep the ball in play. Even if that means teeing off with a fairway wood or an iron. Don't feel you have to make par on every hole. Make up your own score card and perhaps make bogey your personal par and on the very difficult holes make double your personal par. If you have to lay up on the par threes. Take the big numbers out of play!

Oh yes...have fun and Happy Thanksgiving!
 
SW FLA said:
I wouldn't do anything different, play your game and the course. Trying to make changes could open Pandoras box on the course. I may spend a little time working on sidehill lies just to prepare yourself for those.



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I totally agree with this.. just relax and play your game and do the best you can. Dont let the course psych you out. Playsmart golf and shoot the best you can. Remembr you are playing against the course and not your brother. If you are cool and relaxed even in the face of tough shots it mighteven throw him off his game.
 
You've played this course before, so you might not need to or want to do this suggestion.

Before I go play a foreign course, I look up their website and see if I can find a layout with tips on how to play each hole. Some nicer courses have this. I then start planning out how I would ideally want to play the hole, and do that for all 18. I try to make mental notes of things I might not know about on each hole based off the hole maps on the website. I'll also have google maps open, showing me each hole and what general area I'll be in after hitting whatever club from wherever. (the little ruler in Google maps is freakin awesome).

If there are any blind shots, you can use google maps to give you a fairly good estimate of what distance you would need to carry to clear, go around, etc.
 
I'll say what I always say, but it applies even more if you have elevated tee shots. Pick very specific targets and swing at them. Don't try to just hit the ball in the fairway, try to hit the ball in a specific part of the fairway. Don't just try to hit the ball on the green, try to hit the ball to a specific part of the green. Hard courses require more exact placement of the ball, and being really "careful" can cause more problems than it prevents.

IMHPLO

Kevin
 
Esox said:
I'll say what I always say, but it applies even more if you have elevated tee shots. Pick very specific targets and swing at them. Don't try to just hit the ball in the fairway, try to hit the ball in a specific part of the fairway. Don't just try to hit the ball on the green, try to hit the ball to a specific part of the green. Hard courses require more exact placement of the ball, and being really "careful" can cause more problems than it prevents.

IMHPLO

Kevin
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This is very good advice, I notice when I start getting lax with my shots I start playing alot more poorly.
 
i mostly play mountain courses so i am pretty use to having balls above/below my feet. just trust that the slope will move your ball accordingly, don't try to fight it, just trust it. if the ball's above your feet, aim a little right and expect the slope to work the ball to your left, because it will. vice versa if it's below your feet.

esox makes some great points as well. don't obsess over the slopes in the fairways and greens, pick that target out that way beyond it and fire at it.

enjoy your round with your family dude.
 
Take it one shot at a time & have fun!!!
 
I wonder if you will see 'Merica guy! Haha, dude just have fun. Pick a place you want to hit the ball and see it going there. I dont play many mountain courses but when I do, I just try to not think about what my score is haha.
 
thanks guys... great advice! especially when a certain par 5 i have to tee off with an 8i and i dont hit it very far


couldbeu said:
I would just pick out a $$ outfit so I at least looked good...
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lmao... gotta look good for the holiday pics!

junior lefty said:
Say you ate too much turkey?
Hope that it thunderstorms?
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i hope it doesnt t-storm spending the whole day couped up in a house with my whole fam is brutal hahaha
and im definitely ODing on turkey!
Yoccos1981 said:
I wonder if you will see 'Merica guy! Haha, dude just have fun. Pick a place you want to hit the ball and see it going there. I dont play many mountain courses but when I do, I just try to not think about what my score is haha.
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if that guy follows me up there i promise i wont yell fore hahaha
 
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