Golf Course management & Your handicap
: June 30th, 2009 
: MAN 
: Comments Off It’s a Sunday morning in the Pro Shop at my Golf Course and I am giving out scorecards for the weekly tournament, when in walks Jim, a club member grumbling about his luck on the golf course. What’s wrong i asked and he replied that they should destroy the 13th hole. I can never make a par there he says, it always destroys my scorecard along with a few other holes I could mention
I knew Jim to have a mid to high golf handicap so I asked him exactly what it was he was playing off these days I play off a 17 handicap he said. just to let you know The 13th Hole at Winterfield golf course is a 368yd par 4 with a stroke index of 2. So I asked Jim what do you think your par is? It’s a par 4 Kevin you know it is, he replied. It is for me I said, but what’s your par? He looked at me with a vacant stare so I proceeded to put him out of his misery.
Your par for that hole is 5 not 4, with your handicap you can have a 5 and still come away with a nett 4. So every time you stand on that tee and think about making a par 4 you are making it harder for yourself. Now if you stood on the thirteenth tee and said to yourself it’s a par 5 how would you feel then? I am sure you would be more relaxed and think, that’s not difficult I can do that, and that is precisely how you should tackle every hole you play.
And that’s the problem most mid to high handicap golfers have, they are not playing their own game they are trying to play scratch golf. This is where good course management and mental approach comes in to play.
What you should do is make out a your own personal scorecard relative to your handicap. With Jim’s handicap there is only one hole on the course that he is expected to par and that is stroke index 18 the easiest hole on the golf course. If your golf course has a par of 70 and your handicap is 15 then your par for the course is 85. I hope you get my drift here because it’s an important part of managing your game.
I know it goes against the grain but it will make each hole seem easier and let you play with and relax. Instead of getting out the driver on these tough longer holes and then messing up because you feel you must try to get a par, take golf clubs you are more confident with. Now you have your new mental approach with regard to par you will be surprised at how much easier it is to play each individual hole A par 4 on the course where you have a stroke means 3 strokes to reach the green and 2 putts. Think this way and you will be pleasantly surprised how many times you make an actual par, which in your case means … Net Birdie ….
I finished off by telling Jim to think about your approach to the golf course now! Standing on par 3’s that now become par 4’s .. How much easier is that on the mind? With a nod of thanks and a gleam in his eye Jim left the shop and set off to the bar to join his friends and enjoy a well-earned drink.
This fantastic game of golf is difficult enough without putting undue pressure on yourself. Your course management will improve by thinking correctly and your course management will get better as well as your enjoyment of the game. Look at every hole on your golf course in a new light. Draw up your own personal scorecard.. NOW !!
