Whether you’re just getting into golf or you’re a veteran, odds are pretty good you’ve been ignoring your course management skills. Course management is an intangible concept and can be tricky to learn. It’s easy enough to put time in at the range or drop a few putts, but actually focusing in on the tools you need to maximize your game can often feel too time consuming and complicated. However, there are some easy ways to beef up your course management skills and knowledge.
Do Your Homework – Golfers have very little time between the moment they arrive at and hit their ball and it’s important to be able to make strategic decisions in that short time frame. In turn, preparation is key. Nearly every course you will play will have a scorecard and layout available online. Before you head out to play, take about fifteen minutes to assess the course; what shots you might need to play, whether the fairways are narrow or wide, the size of the greens, and at what yardage you plan to play the course. Then, the next time you go out to the range use imagery to simulate your round and “play” the course. Also, if you really want to dig in, grab a yardage book from the pro shop or sign up for a yearly Strackaline membership so you have access to every course layout and green structure. The more you are able to prepare, the more empowered you’ll feel to make smart decisions on the course.
Talk It Out & Pick a Focus– It can be really helpful to talk about course management and shot strategy with your swing coach during a playing lesson or with your playing partners. Some golfers will have similar strategies, but often someone has a different idea that can be helpful for the entire group. This type of dyad learning can assist in making future course management decisions that are smarter and will likely result in lower scores. Also, when practicing and focusing in on course management skills, it can be overwhelming to think of course management generally. It’s important to break down the game into segments (i.e., tee shots, approach shots, Par 5 strategy, etc.) and master each segment individually as your game improves. Solely focusing on course management for individual parts of the game can help keep course management in perspective and can assist in more fun practice and play.
Play From the Inside Out – At the end of the day, everyone plays golf differently. Some enjoy the slower pace of the game, like to lay up on par 5s, and play it safe overall. Some like to walk fast, make decisions quickly, and go all out for the entirety of the round. And others fall somewhere in between. It’s important you look into your own golf personality and lean into your tendencies. You may have heard the phrase, “there are no pictures on the scorecard” and this means that it doesn’t matter how you get the ball from tee to green and it’s best to operate from the inside out rather than being affected by outside factors such as the course or your playing partners. Just play your game.