Golf Course Management

By Brandon Guile

Students constantly ask me about proper golf course management. Questions such as "How do I decide when to go for it and when to lay up?", "What if I'm in between clubs?" and "What club should I hit off the tee?" are just a few common questions from a myriad of possible situations that arise in every given round. This is understandable. Golf is like a game of chess, taking into account many factors and requiring moves (shots) to be made based on the criteria and situation at hand. Some of the factors you must analyze include your strengths, your weaknesses, the shot that is required, where you sit score-wise or where you are compared to your competitors, current playing conditions, the lie the ball is in and your reward versus risk for making/missing a particular shot. What every golfer needs is to develop a management plan; specifically, a plan that is easy to execute and helps you make sound decisions during your round.

In building a course management strategy there are three components to take into consideration for every shot. First, we rate the target position:

Green Light: Go! Attack the shot! Examples: Unprotected green or easy-to-hit fairway
Yellow Light: Exercise caution. Examples: Moderately difficult pin placement, moderately guarded green
Red Light: Play it safe. Examples: Heavily guarded green, tough pin placement or any difficult driving holes

Secondly, we rate our overall game on that given day as either A, B, or C. How we are playing that day during the round up to this given shot will help you decide this rating:

A: You're playing better than usual.
B: Average performance.
C: You're performing poorly (playing for damage control).

Lastly, we rate the club we've selected for the specific shot as 1, 2, or 3:

1: This is a club you're confident with!
2: You're moderately comforatable with this club.
3: Use of this club is one of your weaknesses.

Here's an example to show you how this course management system works:

Let's say you are having an average game (B). You are faced with a 100-yard shot to a pin in the back of a 2-tiered green on the upper tier. You are typically not a very good short game player and have trouble with distance control. There is trouble long, and bunkers on both the left and right side of the green. There is no trouble into the green. This is a 2-B-2 situation. The pin is in a yellow light (2) position, we are playing average (B), and we only feel moderately comfortable with our short game iron (2) that's been selected, because of our distance control. Remember, we always divide greens visually into either 3 or 4 sections. For simplicity we'll work with 3 sections. If the pin is in the back section, we want to aim for the middle. If we hit it long, we could end up close but should be protected from the trouble further back. If we are accurate, we'll be in position for a birdie opportunity; if we're short, we should be just on and have a good chance for a 2-putt par. If our short iron play is strong, our rating would go to a 2-B-1 and we would be more likely to go after the flag. If everything is going well, the pin is in an easy position, and we feel confident with the club in hand then the rating becomes 1-A-1. This is the ultimate goal: a state of perfect permission and a "flow of GO" signal to your brain, also known as being in the zone. A 3-C-3 rating means "Warning", and you'll need to be protective and play it safe. In this situation, change it to a 3-C-1 rating by changing clubs to a club you feel confident with, even if it means possibly sacrificing yardage or position. Remember, if you play the 3-C-3 shot, more often than not, you'll pay the price with your score! Continually strive to improve each club and work them through practice to the "1" stage. You have no control over the targets, except how you approach and manage them. As for how you're playing on any given day, you can improve your performance by visiting your local CPGA Professional and working on your game under his or her guidance and supervision.

This course management method has to be a strictly personalized and subjective rating system for your game and your game only. Just because Tiger can hit a 210-yard bunker shot over the water to a tight pin under the toughest of situations doesn't mean you should, even on an "A" day. Play your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Just because you made one great shot in a similar situation with this particular club in a previous round, don't assume it's just going to happen again. Take what today's round has to offer and plan accordingly. Don't fool yourself into trying that low-percentage shot. Low percentage shots add up to double bogies (or worse!) in a hurry. This is why record-keeping of your statistics is so important. Statistics don't lie about your game. Check out www.elessons4sports.com to try an online stats management program and start recording your stats today. It will provide insight into where your strengths and weaknesses are and where to dedicate your practice time.

By incorporating this rating system and recording your successes and failures with each shot you will quickly become a manager of your game and I guarantee you will see improvement and watch your scores drop!

The Brent Morrison Golf Academy is located at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort, 1025 Qualicum Road, Qualicum Beach, B.C. V9K 1M5. (250) 752-8786. For more information on instruction programs for adults and juniors, contact the Academy office.

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