Playing Strategic Golf: The 3 Parts To Course Management

There are three parts to course management: (1) study the course, (2) make a game plan to play the course, and (3) carry out the game plan. Course management and making a game plan starts in the practice round. Use the practice round to get to know the course.

1. Study the Course
Use your practice round (or if you walk the course) to pick targets off the tees, decide what clubs you will most likely hit from each tee, and calculate the distance to carry fairway and green-side bunkers. This is part of developing your game plan. If you pick smart targets during practice rounds, then you won’t be focused on avoiding trouble areas during the tournament. Pick the best spot to aim your approach shot so you can have the best putt given possible pin positions.

Your experience on the greens is also crucial. Get to know the subtle breaks, speed, slope, grain, and bunkers around each green. If you can, hit several putts from different locations on each green-uphill, downhill, and across the green. Watch the ball as it rolls and notice the subtle breaks in the green.

2. Make a Game Plan
A game plan is a strategy you use to play each hole, which guides the decisions you make on the course. This should fit your style of play, ability level, and strengths. A process-focused game plan helps you focus on playing each hole and each shot, one at a time, to the best of your ability. It’s a good idea to decide on a game plan ahead because the pressure of tournament play can cause you to make poor decisions.

The design of each hole influence the targets you select for tee shots and approach shots, and the clubs you hit off the tees. Calculate the distances to hit the “fat” part of each fairway to stay short of bunkers and consider the best angle to hit an approach shot from. Also, decide when you can reach par fives in two and when to lay up. Know where to aim your shots into the green and what areas to avoid. You don’t want to obsess about where NOT to hit it, but this is needed to plan shots and pick smart targets.

3. Stick to the Game Plan
Now it’s time to implement your plan. Play the golf course based on your pre-set plan. Tournament pressure often can cause the brain to misfire. The game plan often gets thrown away when emotions are elevated, frustration dominates your mind, or overconfidence takes control. Don’t let the frustration of an early double bogey causes you to throw out the game plan and gamble.

Remember to be flexible with your plan though because a course will play differently from the practice round to tournament day. The course conditions, such as changes in wind direction, weather changes, firmness of the greens, and positions of the pins, will most likely change during the tournament. Stick to your game plan but also take advantage of your play when firing on all cylinders.