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Are You A Course Planner?

If its a THP event or a bucket list course maybe a little bit.

Most course though, im more of a keep it in front of me. One hole at a time.

However my last round I was questioning if maybe I should have gone less club off the tee or on my second shot into a par 5 to have a certain number shot into the green.
 
I’ll pull up a course in Shotscope My Strategy if I’m not super familiar with it. Plug in expected wind speed and direction. See what’s what.
 
Sometimes. My tee shots don't always cooperate though.
 
These days it's more to just understand the layout and know where trouble is and what certain carries are.

Plans and punched in the mouth and all of that.
 
I like to see videos and hole flyovers and aerial lsyouts etc because it is fun and gets me excited. But I don’t actually plan or put together a strategy. And when it is game time if I had any preconceived notions they are all forgotten. Just hit it straight.
 
Yeah I definitely scout and try to have a plan if it's at all important to me. 99% of the time it doesn't really matter because I never really know what game I'll have that day.
 
Event type trips yes, like for THP or the buddies Ryder Cup, but if a more casual round, even a travel one not as much.

That said, the Shot Scope My Strategy makes it so easy I’ve found myself clicking around local tracks to plan them
 
When Shotscope came out with their new MyStrategy feature it made it easy, I will usually just give the course a quick glance but once we start playing its just try to keep it in play.
 
Not really much of a planner usually just a show up an play type. However I have scoped out some courses for golf trips and THP experiences just to get a view of the courses and what to expect.
 
I should be studying a certain course, but I know I'll forget so I'm waiting till closer to the time.

I know my home courses so well I just hope my swing and club selection works.
 
I will give the course a look but not go too crazy with planning. I used to do the planning with a yardage book and everything but that would go bad. If I go that route I start trying to steer the ball and hit perfect shots. I play better when I play relaxed and free but focused.
 
JB said:
Do you think about where your upcoming rounds are? Map them out? Visualize?
Or are you more of a "keep it in play and lets go"
Click to expand...
I played the course many times in my mind before I step on that first tee.
 
For events I plan or big rounds but it’s always the everyone has a plan till they get hit in the mouth adage then it’s a free for all.
 
I used to and it really didn't help me in any way. I just show up and play now. I do like to look at courses on the forum, but more out of curiosity and because I like looking at golf courses.
 
I review a little ahead of time but once I'm there, just try keep the ball in play
 
For an event yes. When we played RTJ for the Quest Cup I looked over and had a strategy. Even discussed it with teammate at hotel. For everyday golf in in the wing it camp. Tee it high and let it fly.
 
I just try to keep it in play and go. I could go and plan everything but I doubt I would be able to play to that plan
 
JB said:
Do you think about where your upcoming rounds are? Map them out? Visualize?
Or are you more of a "keep it in play and lets go"
Click to expand...
Absolutely a planner. Love seeing flyovers, videos from folks that previously played. If it’s a course I played before, I visualize each hole to game plan how I want to go after it - where to be aggressive, where to take my lumps
 
I really don’t plan, I’d rather just get there and go
 
I look but any time I’m playing a new course I it’s keep it in play.
 
No i have not ever planned a round out. I just go play and make decisions as i go.
 
Definitely a planner. Sometimes I deviate from my initial plan because it's hard to judge angles, slopes, and elevation changes without actually being there, but I always have a general plan for every hole I play at a new course.
 
I will look if it is a larger course on a resort (Briggs kinda style) but not on regular courses.
 
Yeah for a few courses I’ve used the Decade golf approach before playing them for first time. Look at google earth and plot out where driver would go (distance and dispersion) and pick a target that gives best chance of avoiding trouble. Very similar to the ShotScope MyStrategy.
 
Ill look at the wind direction, force, recent precipitation and come up with a game plan on my way to the course. I have even been known to call the club ahead of time on windy days to see which pin position was in play so I could make any adjustments to the bag mix needed to maximize my odds on the "go" holes for the wind that day. But usually I have 17 or 18 clubs in the truck and load the proper ones after seeing the sand, rough around the greens and pin card. Of course its usually the wedges that change the most, different bounces and grinds, but the faiways and mid/long iron and recently hybrids get swapped, lower trajectory clubs for windy days. Higher trajectory for firm conditions etc.... 7I thru AW never change. But there is a definite game plan in mind before I step on the first tee. Of course it never all works as planned. LOL
 
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