Playing the Same Course All the Time

[Sean2]

[quote name='Tcann32' timestamp='1443456070' post='12378382']
[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1443453283' post='12378140'][quote name='Tcann32' timestamp='1443443931' post='12377324']
I seem to start out the year playing at the same course for the first month or so, then tapering off to playing it a little less often, then going back to it at the end of the season, mainly because of proximity to my home and the loss of day light.

The one I played most often in the beginning of the year sounds allot like yours Sean. Lots of trouble, and it's a links course with farm fields surrounding it for miles, so any amount of wind seems to be amplified. The fairways aren't generally that wide, and you can hit through many of them. A straight forward tee shot is rare, and thankfully I never try to hit the ball straight lol. The greens are tough as well. You really need to position yourself or you can end up with some very difficult putts. There's one green where the play is 10 yards right and short of the green or you won't be holding the green.

Playing this course makes some courses seem easier. There's another local course that would probably destroy my game if I played most of my rounds at it. It's possible to have a bad round there, but if you play half decent, it's pretty simple and easy to shoot below your cap, and you really wouldn't learn much if you only played there.
[/quote]

T, many of us wonder what are handicaps would be if we played some of the courses in our area instead of the one we play. Most of us agree it would be lower. For example, there is one municipal I play once in a while. I keep track of shots that would be OB or in a hazard on my home course, but are just fine on this course. It's usually anywhere from 4 to 6 shots.[/quote]

I would prefer to play a more difficult course most of the time honestly. It's nice to almost feel trained on a more difficult course, then when you get someplace with flatter greens and wider fairways, you can just swing away. Sometimes I laugh to myself at a bad shot on an easier course as I can't believe I got away with the swing when I know that anything like that would've been long gone on a normal day at the home track.

My lowest scores this year have been at courses I've only played once or twice.

I can see how it would be advantageous to play some courses more frequently, and how it would hurt your game to primarily play at others.
[/quote]

The point is though...you need to play other courses to take advantage of learning/playing the more challenging course. :-)

[Sean2]

[quote name='cbbaron' timestamp='1443456361' post='12378412']
[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1443453283' post='12378140']
[quote name='Tcann32' timestamp='1443443931' post='12377324']
I seem to start out the year playing at the same course for the first month or so, then tapering off to playing it a little less often, then going back to it at the end of the season, mainly because of proximity to my home and the loss of day light.

The one I played most often in the beginning of the year sounds allot like yours Sean. Lots of trouble, and it's a links course with farm fields surrounding it for miles, so any amount of wind seems to be amplified. The fairways aren't generally that wide, and you can hit through many of them. A straight forward tee shot is rare, and thankfully I never try to hit the ball straight lol. The greens are tough as well. You really need to position yourself or you can end up with some very difficult putts. There's one green where the play is 10 yards right and short of the green or you won't be holding the green.

Playing this course makes some courses seem easier. There's another local course that would probably destroy my game if I played most of my rounds at it. It's possible to have a bad round there, but if you play half decent, it's pretty simple and easy to shoot below your cap, and you really wouldn't learn much if you only played there.
[/quote]

T, many of us wonder what are handicaps would be if we played some of the courses in our area instead of the one we play. Most of us agree it would be lower. For example, there is one municipal I play once in a while. I keep track of shots that would be OB or in a hazard on my home course, but are just fine on this course. It's usually anywhere from 4 to 6 shots.
[/quote]One guess Braintree
[/quote]

DW actually. I haven't played Braintree in a couple of years. It seems every time I went there the round took 5+ hours.

[Sean2]

[quote name='raynorfan1' timestamp='1443457544' post='12378502']
[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1443453283' post='12378140']
T, many of us wonder what are handicaps would be if we played some of the courses in our area instead of the one we play. Most of us agree it would be lower. For example, there is one municipal I play once in a while. I keep track of shots that would be OB or in a hazard on my home course, but are just fine on this course. It's usually anywhere from 4 to 6 shots.
[/quote]

Then sort of by definition, the course is under-rated / under-sloped. The course I mostly play is tough - I've never really sniffed breaking 80 from the blues - but when I go to a local muni, the same score is within reach. The rating system is such that it does a reasonable job of adjusting.
[/quote]

It's simply a difficult course, albeit a short one. The municipal on the other hand is wide open. I think the slope there is 113, if I remember correctly, or maybe 116.

[Sean2]

[quote name='WiscoGolfAddict' timestamp='1443458276' post='12378562']
[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1443392451' post='12375064']
I play the same course about 99.7% of the time (membership fee includes unlimited green fees, unlimited range balls, and use of all the practice facilities). It is a short course. However, it is LITTERED with hazards. Essentially, you put the ball in the fairway or the ball is either OB or in a hazard. Actually, you can put the ball in the fairway and still end up in a hazard (for example...just a bit too much draw, or fade and if you catch the left center or right center of the fairway on a few holes and good-bye). There is very little rough to speak of. No trees to punch out from. And certainly no other fairways to hit from.

On the one hand I feel like I put myself at a disadvantage since I play the same course all the time, on the other hand, when I do go to another course the fairways seem a mile wide, and if a shot does go a little awry it is usually still playable unlike my course. However, at my course I play the same clubs all the time, unlike other courses where I have to mix it up a little bit. That, and it is nice to see some different scenery from time to time.

What about you folks? Do you find yourself playing a variety of courses, or do you pretty much play the same course all the time?
[/quote]


The year before I joined a country club, I played 126 rounds at 52 different golf courses, and was worried I would get sick of playing the same course all the time. It's been 3 years and I still sneak out to my club every chance I can, and miss it when I'm not there. Now I only play other courses if it's on a trip or a new course that I want/need to review for my site.

What I've found, and I've talked with several other younger guys at my club about this, is that if you play a really well manicured course regularly - and especially one that's tree-lined (or has other hazards) and puts an emphasis on accurate tee shots and tough approaches - it makes you so much better of a player at other courses that are not as restrictive off the tee. Links courses, especially (other than Erin Hills, or others where the fescue might as well be water), where I can spray my tee shots a little I've started scoring awesome on! I think it's great.
[/quote]

It DOES make it more fun, doesn't it? On the other hand, on my home course, if I am just a wee bit off that day, ouch!

[mantan]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1443494304' post='12381956']
[quote name='raynorfan1' timestamp='1443457544' post='12378502']
[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1443453283' post='12378140']
T, many of us wonder what are handicaps would be if we played some of the courses in our area instead of the one we play. Most of us agree it would be lower. For example, there is one municipal I play once in a while. I keep track of shots that would be OB or in a hazard on my home course, but are just fine on this course. It's usually anywhere from 4 to 6 shots.
[/quote]

Then sort of by definition, the course is under-rated / under-sloped. The course I mostly play is tough - I've never really sniffed breaking 80 from the blues - but when I go to a local muni, the same score is within reach. The rating system is such that it does a reasonable job of adjusting.
[/quote]

It's simply a difficult course, albeit a short one. The municipal on the other hand is wide open. I think the slope there is 113, if I remember correctly, or maybe 116.
[/quote]

116 slope?? Wow. That's a super easy course. Of the 30+ courses I've played in the metroplex, there is only one I can think of with a slope that low. And it's pretty much acknowledged as a beginner type course. (Though it's always in really good shape and fun to play when you want/need a confidence boost and a low score.)

Most of the other courses have a slope somewhere between 125-135 from the tee boxes around 6,200-6,600 yards.

[WiscoGolfAddict]

[quote name='Argonne69' timestamp='1443447849' post='12377628']
I'm a Traveling Wilbury. I've played 82 rounds this year on close to 60 different courses. Nearly 40 of them have been first visits. Last year was basically the same. I played my 300th different course this past August. In the Chicago area, I've played close to 120 different courses.

I can't fathom playing the same course week in and week out. My course management has gotten quite good, as one has to play conservatively on unfamiliar terrain.
[/quote]



Wow, that's awesome - what are your top 5 within an hour of Chicago?

For me: Cog Hill No. 4 Dubsdread, ThunderHawk, Harborside... Shepherd's Crook is fun. I honestly haven't played many public courses in the Chicago area. Do you find it true that the public courses in Illinios are a bit of a letdown (on the whole) when compared to the incredible private clubs they have there, or in comparison to the public courses in Wisconsin?

[Argonne69]

[quote name='WiscoGolfAddict' timestamp='1443560696' post='12386234']
[quote name='Argonne69' timestamp='1443447849' post='12377628']
I'm a Traveling Wilbury. I've played 82 rounds this year on close to 60 different courses. Nearly 40 of them have been first visits. Last year was basically the same. I played my 300th different course this past August. In the Chicago area, I've played close to 120 different courses.

I can't fathom playing the same course week in and week out. My course management has gotten quite good, as one has to play conservatively on unfamiliar terrain.
[/quote]

Wow, that's awesome - what are your top 5 within an hour of Chicago?

For me: Cog Hill No. 4 Dubsdread, ThunderHawk, Harborside... Shepherd's Crook is fun. I honestly haven't played many public courses in the Chicago area. Do you find it true that the public courses in Illinios are a bit of a letdown (on the whole) when compared to the incredible private clubs they have there, or in comparison to the public courses in Wisconsin?
[/quote]

Yes, Dubs is the top of the list. I like Blackstone, Prairie Landing, Highlands of Elgin, Bowes Creek, and The Glen Club.

I wouldn't call the public courses in Chicago a letdown, but they are not spectacular. We have lots of very good courses, but few great courses. OK, when you compare them to the private courses, they're a letdown. Sigh.

Yes, Wisconsin has some very fine public courses (e.g. Whistling Straits, Erin Hills, University Ridge, The Bull, Wild Rock). 'Really puts Chicago to shame. I'd say the same thing about Michigan. The nice thing is that the Wisconsin/Michigan courses are reachable from Chicago.

[Boricua Golf]

Well, I have been spoiled for the last 6 years, I lived in Hawaii (Army) and there are plenty courses around to choose from and the go from inexpensive (Military walking for only 22-24 dollars) to really expensive (230 per round) and with beautiful views, I played about 75% of the time in one course (Navy Marine), I had a goal, play every course the pros play (when they are in Hawaii, Waialae, kapalua, Kapolei and Ko'Olina) and those that are seen on TV, which I was able to do, now that I am back in the US Mainland (VA), I tend to play the same course as well (Quantico GC), it is inexpensive as well (military) and not too bad, I have played other courses here, but for what they charge you would expect a very nice track, I mean they are nice but very similar (slope, greens and fairways), oh well I guess I have to get used to them...