Jimmyboy
lookin' for results!
So, do you believe playing a hard course on a regular basis would make you a better player than if you played an easy course.
What are your thoughts?
What are your thoughts?
Hard vs. Easy debate
Chesnutt
Liv'in the Dream...
I'm 2 years in to this game. My home course is one of the tougher ones in the area and I feel it has helped me. I can't just tee the ball up and hit, I have to think about staying out of trouble. That being said, some days it just beats me up and I go home a bit frustrated.
My home course is very difficult and I would have to say it has made me a better player. I have to do a lot more thinking around the course. I can't get away with shots I could get away with on other courses. I really have to focus on every shot.
johnblah
New member
I play a easy course from the whites and I score a 95(ick) then I play one of the harder courses around here from the blues and im in the low 90's high 80's. I know playing the harder longer course does make my game better because it forces you on a regular basis to make the or try the more challenging shots Or on the other hand it may also force you to make the Smarter shots so one bad shot does not turn into 3-4 bad shots. Helps the learning of when to go for it (Hooking around a tree or a long shot from deep rough) or when to just chip it into the fairway into a realistic playable shot so save par or even bogey.
RxGus
Argyle Warrior
I would say that I have always tended to play more difficult courses and never thought twice about it. I have grown accustomed to shooting 89-91 but my handicap is still ~15. What I do notice is that when I play a "weaker" courses I can shoot VERY well so playing though courses must be doing something for me.
- Moderator
- #7
My course is pretty tough, but there are a lot of wide fairways.. I find my biggest issue when going elsewhere is keeping my driver straight, because I rarely have less than 50 yards side to side to work with.
I think certain courses make you a better player in certain ways..
I think certain courses make you a better player in certain ways..
if you regularly play hard courses, you can still enjoy an easy course from time to time
if you regularly play easy courses, hard courses will frustrate the heck out of you
although, sometimes the hardest hole on any given day could be a 100 yd par 3 with no trouble and a big green.. it's a funny game like that.. some days hard courses are easy, and some days easy courses are hard
if you regularly play easy courses, hard courses will frustrate the heck out of you
although, sometimes the hardest hole on any given day could be a 100 yd par 3 with no trouble and a big green.. it's a funny game like that.. some days hard courses are easy, and some days easy courses are hard
bpipe95
The big stick rules!
Personally I have found that variation is the best thing for my game.
Even if I play the same course I will rotate tee's, it creates different situations requiring shots with different clubs.
It also helps with getting bored, if you play the same course often.
Even if I play the same course I will rotate tee's, it creates different situations requiring shots with different clubs.
It also helps with getting bored, if you play the same course often.
jmingt
New member
Hard courses help a ton. My home course is very sloped, pretty short, and full of streams, lakes, carrys.
Honestly, I would never have cared about course management without playing that course. Over 18 holes, I think there's only like ~4 holes you can hit driver and with very questionable gain........but with trouble all around the green you really have to play to your most comfortable approach distance etc etc etc.
Honestly, I would never have cared about course management without playing that course. Over 18 holes, I think there's only like ~4 holes you can hit driver and with very questionable gain........but with trouble all around the green you really have to play to your most comfortable approach distance etc etc etc.
the_paulo
Euro target practice
Depends very much on the state of your game. If you're just getting to grips with the game, a very tough course can discourage you to the point where you want to give up.
I played my first couple of years on a very difficult course, and my game suffered due to the fact that I didn't have the chance to play my way out of trouble. Moved on to playing a variety of courses, and this helped a lot. Showed me that you didn't get beat down by every wayward shot every day.
Sure, now that I'm quite confident with my game, I enjoy the challenge of playing tight fairways and unusual shots, but I don't know if I'd have got to that standard playing every day on a punishing track.
I played my first couple of years on a very difficult course, and my game suffered due to the fact that I didn't have the chance to play my way out of trouble. Moved on to playing a variety of courses, and this helped a lot. Showed me that you didn't get beat down by every wayward shot every day.
Sure, now that I'm quite confident with my game, I enjoy the challenge of playing tight fairways and unusual shots, but I don't know if I'd have got to that standard playing every day on a punishing track.
TwoSolitudes
Swingin' for the fences
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It's funny, I have scored very well (for me) on some 'hard courses' and done poorly on 'easy ones' and vice versa. I like courses that offer a bit of a challenge- but not ones that punish you too much.
For example, there is one course here that is trying to increase its difficulty rating. So what they have done is make some patches of rough on the middle of the fairways. The idea is fine, but they have made the patches so thick and rough that if you get a ball in there it is unplayable. And these are scattered all over the course now. To me that is stupid- and takes the enjoyment out of the game.
On the other hand, there is a course here that is super flat and wide open. You can shoot a tee shot onto another fairway and still easily make a par. To me that is no better than a driving range. I would rather play a tricky par three.
I guess rather than easy or hard, I look for courses that are interesting and make you play a variety of different shots.
For example, there is one course here that is trying to increase its difficulty rating. So what they have done is make some patches of rough on the middle of the fairways. The idea is fine, but they have made the patches so thick and rough that if you get a ball in there it is unplayable. And these are scattered all over the course now. To me that is stupid- and takes the enjoyment out of the game.
On the other hand, there is a course here that is super flat and wide open. You can shoot a tee shot onto another fairway and still easily make a par. To me that is no better than a driving range. I would rather play a tricky par three.
I guess rather than easy or hard, I look for courses that are interesting and make you play a variety of different shots.
Do you think it's because you don't focus as much on your shots on easier courses?
Flagg
New member
My home course is probably middle of the road in terms of challenge level, and I think that is the way I like it. I remember when I was still struggling/flirting with breaking 100 for the first time my father took me to play a game with his boss at his home course which I had never played before. I smoke it for a 90. It was one of the most fun and memorable games I ever played, but it was only the lower level of difficulty that made me shatter my previous best game by 10 strokes. Although I wouldn't say I enjoy playing an easier course any less, I just don't get an added thrill any more when I score really well those circumstances. But at the same time, its not very fun getting beat up on a really tough course.
- Moderator
- #15
I agree with this, but I do have a scenario where I would disagree; If the course has a lot of blind shots, or hazards that aren't visible from the tee. I've played a few like that, and all they are is just massively frustrating.. Unless you have someone there who's played it before and can warn you of trouble!
JPsuff
Banned
Everybody has a comfort zone as far as course length and difficulty is concerned. My comfort zone is a course length of about 6,700 yards, give or take a hundred yards.
I like to stick with that distance overall but from time to time I will push myself on longer courses (7,000 plus) but I wouldn't be comfortable on a steady diet of them. I love the challenge of a really long course with a steep slope rating, but if I played them all the time I'd probably get frustrated because my game can't sustain that distance every time out and after a while I just end up beating myself up.
When my game is shaky, I like to drop down to a course length in the low 6,000 yard range to get back to basics and work out whatever problems I may be having. But I get bored with such courses quickly and if I stay with them for too long I tend to not take them as seriously as I should and that only creates a lot of bad habits and leads to more problems.
So overall I'd say that I play my best when I'm in my "element" (+/- 6,700 yds.) and when I push harder from time to time, while saving the "short courses" for maintenance and fixes.
-JP
I like to stick with that distance overall but from time to time I will push myself on longer courses (7,000 plus) but I wouldn't be comfortable on a steady diet of them. I love the challenge of a really long course with a steep slope rating, but if I played them all the time I'd probably get frustrated because my game can't sustain that distance every time out and after a while I just end up beating myself up.
When my game is shaky, I like to drop down to a course length in the low 6,000 yard range to get back to basics and work out whatever problems I may be having. But I get bored with such courses quickly and if I stay with them for too long I tend to not take them as seriously as I should and that only creates a lot of bad habits and leads to more problems.
So overall I'd say that I play my best when I'm in my "element" (+/- 6,700 yds.) and when I push harder from time to time, while saving the "short courses" for maintenance and fixes.
-JP
TwoSolitudes
Swingin' for the fences
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Could be.... never thought about that
StLCardsFan
Well-known member
I think it is better for the lesser player to learn and improve on the easier courses. As they improve, they will have more confidence to try out harder courses. As a player advances they almost need to play harder courses so they can see different things and know the game can always be more difficult. As a better player, you need to challenge yourself more. It also can get boring to play the easy course becuase there is never a challenge. I grew up on an easy nine hole course. There were some guys who could put up really good scores. They were awful when they would play elsewhere though. They never learned how to adapt to different courses since they played the same thing every day.
I also think that in many cases harder=better, from the course conditioning perspective. Sometimes a course can be harder, but also eaiser since it is better maintained. It is easier to play with lush fairways and perfect bunkers. The course itself might be a tougher layout with more obstacles and hazards, but for some it might be easier to play becuase there are fewer variables that come into play.
I also think that sometimes you get very hard courses that are hard just for the sake of being hard. There is no imagination, they are not well maintained, and just stupid. Stuff like 90º doglegs, long par 4's that are too narrow with OB on both sides, par 3's off a 100 foot cliff. These things might make a course hard, but not in the proper way. I'm all for difficulty, but it has to be within reason, not just to see how dumb it can be.
I also think that in many cases harder=better, from the course conditioning perspective. Sometimes a course can be harder, but also eaiser since it is better maintained. It is easier to play with lush fairways and perfect bunkers. The course itself might be a tougher layout with more obstacles and hazards, but for some it might be easier to play becuase there are fewer variables that come into play.
I also think that sometimes you get very hard courses that are hard just for the sake of being hard. There is no imagination, they are not well maintained, and just stupid. Stuff like 90º doglegs, long par 4's that are too narrow with OB on both sides, par 3's off a 100 foot cliff. These things might make a course hard, but not in the proper way. I'm all for difficulty, but it has to be within reason, not just to see how dumb it can be.
N
NFender
Guest
My experience has been that playing harder courses makes me a better player. For me, the biggest benefits are strategy and short game execution; difficult course just force me to concentrate more on course management and shotmaking around the greens, and those are skills that carry over to any course.
- Admin
- #20
People also need to put some things in perspective. What is hard for some is not for others. Distance plays a huge rule in how courses are rated (despite what they want to say in some cases) and it makes the game very different for different golfers.
the_paulo
Euro target practice
royalwulff
New member
I like to mix up the courses I play when possible. On my home course i will mix up the tees I play from for different shots required on the same hole. Then I lke to go play other courses just for some variety and to keep me thinking.
- Staff
- #23
I've learned a lot from playing on an easier course this year. There are lots of opportunites to lose balls there, but there is also many spots that aren't game killers if you miss. I've learned how to hit punch shots, out of many kinds of rough, uphill, downhill, etc. At the same time, it's given me confidence that I can still score ok after a dicey shot. One thing is that I've been able to actually work on hitting the ball consistently without having to worry about water, ob, ect on every shot. That has been huge for me.
That said, I've been trying to play more difficult courses because I know that I can't get away with not-so-good shots forever. Especially in FL lol.
That said, I've been trying to play more difficult courses because I know that I can't get away with not-so-good shots forever. Especially in FL lol.
JPsuff
Banned
Man, you can say that again!
We used to play a muni which was located on the north shore and which was extremely hilly. The course from the tips barely reached 6,000 yards but if you missed a shot by just a couple of yards, you were looking at rough that was a half a foot deep and often faced what sometimes seemed to be a nearly vertical second shot.
On the other hand, I've played courses that were around 7,000 yards long that were flat as pancakes and relatively hazard-free and were a piece of cake to play by comparison. So yes, length alone doesn't always make a course tough.
-JP
bogey_russ
outside operations
hard/easy is all in the eyes of the player
my brothers home course is generals ridge gc in manassas 6651 yrds 73.6/143 from the tips
its top 5 most difficult in dc norva and he scores mid 80's
its the definition of mountain target golf course with lots of blind shots
but when he comes to my home course red wing lake in vb 7200 yds 73.7/128
he has alot of trouble
i guess its just too wide open and flat that he gets greedy... plus it isnt a short course by any means... heck one of the par 3's is 230 with a forced carry over water and a trap on the front
for me a course that is unfamiliar regardless of slope/rating is going to be a difficult course... a really "hard" course that i know every inch of tends to be easier
my brothers home course is generals ridge gc in manassas 6651 yrds 73.6/143 from the tips
its top 5 most difficult in dc norva and he scores mid 80's
its the definition of mountain target golf course with lots of blind shots
but when he comes to my home course red wing lake in vb 7200 yds 73.7/128
he has alot of trouble
i guess its just too wide open and flat that he gets greedy... plus it isnt a short course by any means... heck one of the par 3's is 230 with a forced carry over water and a trap on the front
for me a course that is unfamiliar regardless of slope/rating is going to be a difficult course... a really "hard" course that i know every inch of tends to be easier