While it is good to have your own golf club, where you play golf regularly, it is great to have the opportunity to play a different golf course sometimes.
However, playing a new course has its own challenges and as you have never played there before, everything will be new to you and this can be daunting.
Today, we have some great tips which help you when playing a new golf course.
Firstly, check the website of the golf course you will be playing and look at the holes. Is there a lot of water? Are the fairways narrow? This type of information will see you arrive knowing what to expect and not being in shock when the second hole requires a tee shot over water.
If you have a decent mobile device, you should download the GPS for the golf course and this will help you plan your distances and shots.
When you arrive at the golf club, walk into the pro-shop and do not be afraid to ask the person behind the desk for some advice. Ask them how the course is playing and if they have any information they can offer you before you tee off.
This could be anything from the speed of the greens to a section of the course which gets a lot wetter than others. Any piece of information helps before setting off on a round at a golf course you have never played before.
Always get on the practice green when playing a new golf course. You should try and do this before every round at your regular golf club but it is even more important when playing a new course. Practice some long putts to get a feel for how hard you must hit them when on the course. Also play some short putts and make note of how the grain impacts on the ball.
You must be prepared to play some types of shots which you are not used to when playing your regular golf course.
This could be anything from playing out of deep bunkers instead of shallow ones or having to play high lob shots instead of low bump and runs. See this is a great opportunity to practice the type of shots you never usually get to play and do not be too hard on yourself if you do not hit them all perfectly.
If you are usually hard on yourself when playing golf, try and take a conservative approach on the first hole. If you can come away from the first hole when playing a new course with a bogey or better, it’s not a bad start. If you walk away with a double or triple bogey you will immediately be on the back foot and taking a dislike to the golf course.
Finally, try and play with someone who knows the course. If there is a small group about to tee off before or after you, do not be afraid to ask if you can join them. Not only will you have the benefit of their local expertise but you will also make some new friends and return to the new golf course again in the future.
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