How to Pick A Golf Course to Fit Your Game
By P.J. Chass
There are thousands of golf courses around the world, and they come in a vast array of sizes and styles. Courses can be dotted with bunkers, framed by trees, routed over hills and valleys, or bordered by lakes and rivers. Some bring out the biggest strengths of your game, while others only highlight your most glaring weaknesses. With so many variables from course to course, choosing one to play may seem just as daunting as the game itself. Understanding your skills and abilities can help you find the courses that best fit your game and elevate your performance.
Instructions
Difficulty: Easy
Determine whether you are prepared to play 18 holes. Some new players head straight for full-length, 18-hole courses without first honing their skills on beginner courses. If you are a new or inexperienced player, a nine-hole round is likely your best option. Nine-hole courses are generally easier and more forgiving, and you can practice without the pressure often found at a busy 18-hole facility. An "executive" nine-hole course has short holes and is designed for fast play. Some nine-hole courses contain only par-3 holes. Skilled players typically view a nine-hole round as practice and find 18 holes more enjoyable and competitive.
Look up the course and slope ratings on the course website or scorecard. These figures allow players of different skill levels to assess a course's difficulty. If you are a scratch or low-handicap golfer, pay attention to the course rating, which is the average number of strokes expected from a scratch golfer from each set of tees. The slope rating indicates how difficult a particular course will be for a bogey golfer. Slope ranges from 55 to 155, but an average difficulty rating is 113. Both ratings vary depending on the characteristics of the course.
Scout the course's terrain and hazards. Read through the course website or examine aerial imagery to get an impression of the type of course and the nature of the land. Courses that feature forced carries and intrusive hazards may be too advanced for high-handicappers. Narrow or tree-lined fairways demand accuracy. Open, links-style courses often sport heavy rough, strategically placed bunkers and undulating greens.
If you are a power hitter who loves to swing the driver and play for distance, look for long courses with wide fairways, open rough and large greens. The spacious landing areas on this type of course allow you to swing away without fear of getting caught up in trees or hazards. Hitting into the rough still leaves you with a shot at the green, and the generously sized putting surfaces are easy to find and receptive to shots from all angles.
If your performance depends on shot-making and accuracy, your game is better suited for shorter courses with dog-leg holes, fairway hazards, smaller greens and a mix of risk-vs.-reward shots. Your ability to pick a target and hit it will enable you to navigate around this type of course effortlessly and dodge trouble spots a playing partner or competitor may not be able to avoid.
About The Author
P.J. Chass has been freelance writing since 1997. His work has appeared in "The Daily Orange," "The Fischler Report," MSGNetwork.com and in several New York community newspapers. In 2008, he created Golf On Long Island, a website dedicated to public golf in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Chass graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.
