Course management advice

[Bonehead]

I played an event on the weekend on a great layout at a beautiful golf course - with a lot of OB to contend with. I went out of bounds 7 times in round 1 and 6 times in round 2. I have decided it is time to learn more about this "course management" stuff I keep hearing about.

BTW, for what it's worth, my second round was 880-rated and I came third in MA50. The winner of MA2 shot +12 for two rounds. It was a tough course - and a lot of people did a poor job of managing it.

I think a reasonable definition of course management is "reacting to the challenges of the course with the best of your current reliable capabilities". How does that sound? Got a preferred definition?

Course challenges include the layout and conditions on the day. Preparing to react to the challenges includes practice rounds, walking the course, detailed execution plans for each hole, etc. What do you like to do to prepare for an event? How do you handle playing a new course blind?

The best of your current reliable capabilities is the arsenal of shots and discs you are comfortable with and can execute successfully most of the time. You can let these emerge over months and years of playing, or deliberately cultivate with disciplined practice. Which type of player are you? What are your go-to shots?

I've been playing for two years. I play once or twice a week and try to get out a couple times a week to practice drives, approaches, putting, or some combination. I haven't been particularly methodical about practice. Until now, my "course management" has been pretty naive - basically just standing on the teepad debating whether to try and throw max distance or something shorter and safer.

Please share your thoughts, tips, advice, personal routines, etc. Apologies if this thread duplicates any that already exist - I searched but didn't find much. I hope my suggestions and questions will start a useful discussion. Thanks for reading.

I changed my whole way of approaching tournaments this past Fall and it changed my results...a LOT. I'm 61 and an OG, but distance is getting harder to come by every year. I play for PAR and let the birdies "happen" on the easier holes. If you can't put a tee shot within C1 on a particular hole with regularity, DON'T try to park the shot. Find the "damn, I can't get up and down from here" spots and AVOID them. Frequently this means using a slower disc that won't fade hard and skip off the fairway. I'd be willing to bet that your 7-speed shots are more on line and maybe only 30-50 feet shorter than your drivers. Dial in your approach shots from 200 feet in and then try to hit your best landing zone to utilize those shots. I will still bogie holes, but removing the doubles and triples dramatically changed my scoring. Feel free to look me up if you have any specific questions. I'm easy to find. (#6977)

 

[HyooMac]

If I go for it and end up in the water, I'm making the same second shot over the water any way plus a stroke and hope to retrieve my disc.

PLUS you're standing there, trying to make a recovery while looking at the water you just hit...

 

[yossarian]

I changed my whole way of approaching tournaments this past Fall and it changed my results...a LOT.

I checked out your ratings history and it definitely send to be working for you, congrats! I'm 55, been playing two years. I'm still improving and increasing my distance - but now that I can throw 300 feet more often the errors just get bigger! Spending time with my 7-speeds is good advice. My 11 speed understable Wave has become a crutch. I lost it at the tournament, must be a sign.

 

[Bonehead]

I checked out your ratings history and it definitely send to be working for you, congrats! I'm 55, been playing two years. I'm still improving and increasing my distance - but now that I can throw 300 feet more often the errors just get bigger! Spending time with my 7-speeds is good advice. My 11 speed understable Wave has become a crutch. I lost it at the tournament, must be a sign.

Yep, if you lose a disc, maybe it wasn't the right disc anyway. I throw the IT, but I've been hyzer-flipping for 40 years. Try the Hawkeye. It's remarkably stable for a 7-speed. I just bought 5 of each to give away to new players or people that ask questions when I'm doing field work at the park. I also don't throw ANY drivers that are max weight. Most of my discs are between 163-168. That helps you get SPEED, so the disc will do what it's supposed to.

 

[yossarian]

Yep, if you lose a disc, maybe it wasn't the right disc anyway. I throw the IT, but I've been hyzer-flipping for 40 years. Try the Hawkeye. It's remarkably stable for a 7-speed. I just bought 5 of each to give away to new players or people that ask questions when I'm doing field work at the park.

I do have another very similar Wave but I'm going to mix things up and use more of my bag. In field practice I recently got a 6-speed Relay to just shy of 300', so I shouldn't have to pull out the Wave every time I want distance. Awesome that you have discs to give away, that's a nice idea.

 

[Bonehead]

I do have another very similar Wave but I'm going to mix things up and use more of my bag. In field practice I recently got a 6-speed Relay to just shy of 300', so I shouldn't have to pull out the Wave every time I want distance. Awesome that you have discs to give away, that's a nice idea.

I give away at least 2 a month. That way I don't feel "guilty" for buying new crap. I'm getting ready for an MA50 A-tier in Auburn, CA tmrw and just now realized I can't find my go-to roller. It is...(was) an original amoeba-stamped Stingray and it's gonna be HARD to replace. Unfortunately, it was red and I'm colorblind. I think I left it in the grass at the park last week. I may cry later tonight.

 

[sidewinder22]

Post #6:

Craig's Corner

Hi everybody, craigg here. This thread is meant to be a repository for all the technique tips that folks have to offer to help people develop various facets of their game. I’m going to start by extracting all the best stuff from another thread – the 970+ rated advice thread up in the General...

www.dgcoursereview.com

 

[yossarian]

Trevor Staub has some good tips here ...

1. Disc down to hit the fairway.
2. Lay up an unlikely putt, especially if facing likely long comeback.
3. Throw your preferred throws.
4. Scramble out of the woods by any means necessary. Find the gap, get creative and hit it.
5. Throw your favourite discs, the ones you know best.
6. Avoid out of bounds at all costs.
7. Throw lower lines to minimize error.

 

[itlnstln]

I definitely try to play a course before a tournament and develop a game plan. My starting point for strategy is play for par and let the birdies happen like others have mentioned.

I struggle with focus and confidence in tournaments, even with a developed and practiced game plan. When that happens, I know I can carve courses with my trusty MD3, and I'll start throwing that on almost every shot. For some reason, I get into a better head space throwing that disc, and my body follows. Or thumbers. Deadly confident and accurate throwing thumbers. Worked well when I first started playing DG in Texas. It's a little harder to get good overhand lines here in the PNW with the tall trees.

Get proficient throwing a variety of shots, especially forehand and backhand. Even if you develop your less dominant shot for short approaches or getting out of jail, it opens up a TON of options both in your game plan and when things don't go according to plan. There was a time when I rarely threw forehands, but now I almost always default to a forehand approach with a Razor Claw since I'm facing the basket and the RC is super reliable. I'm also getting off the tee very well with a power forehand these days. With both of those tools, rounds have gotten a LOT easier since I have more available tools in the bag and gives me more options when putting together my game plan

Also, just in general, disc selection is key. I see a lot of players throwing fairways and distance drivers on ~250 - 300' holes. Perhaps that disc can get you there, but the stability and skip potential might take you way off line and into the schule. I'd rather be 50' short and in the middle throwing a mid that doesn't skip. Conversely, you can be Ohn Scoggins and throw only Destroyers, but I can almost guarantee none of us are Ohn Scoggins

 

[coupe]

When short on prep time and unable to get in a practice round, I find walking the course backwards offers a unique view of each hole. I find this can really highlight potential landing zones for tee shots. I honestly don't do this often, but I am always surprised at the value I get, when I do.

I used walk courses backwards when I was younger, but these days if I tried it, I'm gonna trip on a root or fallen branch or something and fall on my ass.