Is Your Head on a Par With Your Swing?

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By James Langmead

How many times have you selected an option on the golf course where you ignore the signs, go for it anyway and are therefore not surprised with a poor result?

Why do you pull the Driver out when you know you’ve ended up in the rough with it all day? Remember when you found the Fairway Bunker, yet you knew one club less would have left you with a little further to the green but playing from the Fairway.

Poor decisions, such as these, will be punishing you every round. In fact, if you are an average handicap golfer you will probably find that, with better Course Management, you could reduce the score on your medal rounds by up to 8 shots.

Good Course Management isn’t just about knowing when to go with the Hybrid off the Tee or when you can risk putting that little bit of extra effort into ripping a Driver down the middle.

Do you have a concise Pre-shot Routine that allows you to analyze the distance, wind direction, hazards, lie, stance and target? Do you review alternate shots, looking for the low risk strategy and comparing it with the potential rewards of the high-roller shot.

Then, are you confident with Club Selection knowing how far you hit each club in different conditions?

Ask yourself these questions and finally consider how much effort do you put into your course management. If, like most golfers, it is a very under-developed aspect of your game, then take some time to change that. Improving your course management will take shots off your scorecard. And if you feel you want some pointers, then call me and we’ll set up a playing lesson which focuses not just on your technique but how you get the ball round the course.

Ask your local PGA Golf Professional for help with course management.

James Langmead is a PGA Qualified Golf Professional and former Callaway Club fitter of the year. Visit his UK site, The Golf Shop Online.

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