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By
Jeff Thomsen, PGA Professional
04.06.2004
11:13 am (ET)
Unfortunately most golfers (especially the "recreational" golfer) have no plan for their round. Would a pilot take off from Los Angeles going to New York City and just head "east" hoping to get there? Of course not! The pilot follows a precise flight plan along airways from point to point. Good golf also requires a plan.
Tour Professionals know exactly how they intend to play a hole. They also know how far they hit a shot (controlled by trajectory). Their plan is determined after a practice round (familiarity) and close observation of the golf course as they play. It consists of knowing where bunkers are, turns in dogleg holes, size and length of greens, and contours and slope of each green.
Augusta National, where the Masters is played, is a "don't" course in many ways. Specifically, hitting to a certain spot on the green, away from trouble or toward a certain slope, with the intention of bringing the ball back toward the pin or to putt from a flatter or easier spot -- even if it is further away from the hole -- is the optimal goal. The "don't" means, "Do not hit it here because it is better in a lot of cases to hit away from the pin."
This is course management. It includes hitting toward a specific "mower" stripe in the fairway, aiming at the edge of a bunker beside the green, aiming at the CBS tower behind the green, or laying up on a three-shot par-5 in order to hit a familiar and confident shot from a specific yardage (say 75 yards). If you do not have a plan, it is less likely that you will have a good score. Hit and hope is why many scores soar over 100; this, plus lack of instruction, means you are a less-able golfer than you could be with a little assistance. Take a 9-hole playing lesson from a good golfer and instructor. This gives you a chance to control the game and lower your score.
A good fly fisherman stands back from the stream and surveys it before he enters to fish. He determines where the fish are and how to cast to them. The fish are there but it requires a specific plan and approach to catch them. I have played par-5's by hitting an iron off the tee after determining that it is a three-shot hole. Hitting the iron allows me to control the game and the eventual score.
Copyright 2004 by PGA.com. All rights reserved.
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