Can a golf course naturally suit your game?

Just something I've been thinking about since the Masters.

Why? Well for years we've been hearing about how players with a natural draw are more suited to Augusta!

What if you flip that on its head and say actually that course sets up for a natural fader of the ball. Sound strange? Well its not really because in the last decade we've had 5 Masters victories that have gone to left handed players using a fade off the majority of tees with exception of the 18th. The reason I think this is down to the fact a fade is a more controllable shot thus in my mind and based on recent years I think Augusta naturally suits a left hander playing a fade.

So that got me to thinking do the courses we play as Amateurs naturally suit our games I've played many courses over the years and some no matter how often I play them or how well I hit the ball I simply just don't seem to perform at my best when playing. Yet others I can hit the ball like a complete tool and always score well at one that springs to mind in my local area is Kingshill where no matter if my games off I seem to play well at as lots of holes suit my shape off the tee. Likewise another course near to where I live at West Malling shapes the opposite way and from thinking back I can only remember a couple of decent rounds.

Now I know the answer is to simply say learn how to shape the ball the other way, well I'm happy to work the ball but its just seems that those with the shots that come from natural shape seem to be where the scores come more naturally rather than having to work to them together.

Just wondered if anyone else had similar experiences of courses they just seem to be able to play and not play. I think I finally get the McIlroy/Westwood comments about how certain courses naturally suit their eye.

Sorry if I've waffled but the more Sky are showing reruns of this years Masters the more its been on my mind.

Mav, could it not be said that it still suits a right hander hitting a draw. Surely their shot shape would be the same as the left handed fader. I understand what you say about being able to controlling a fade more easily and that probably helped those winning lefties as they got the best of both worlds; the shape and the control.

I play at a tricked up, short and tight par 70 course. When my ball striking is on I can score quite well; low 80s maybe high 70s. My really low rounds have been when my short game has been good too; mid to low 70s. Slightly off line shots can get severely penalised meaning you can be three of the tee without really hitting a bad shot.

If I go to somewhere that is longer but with a bit more room, my offline shots don't seem to be penalised as much and I tend to score better (under handicap) although I haven't played any better than normal, if that makes sense.

Those 4500 yard long golf courses with no bunkers or water and bucket sized holes naturally suit my game!

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:If I go to somewhere that is longer but with a bit more room, my offline shots don't seem to be penalised as much and I tend to score better (under handicap) although I haven't played any better than normal, if that makes sense.

I think what you are trying to tell us Grumps, is that you are a bandit!

Grumps of course you are right about a right hander hitting a natural draw. However it seems not many pro's these days are favouring that as a natural shape. With the exception of Rory many of the games big names are now favouring a fade or so they seem to say in the press.

My reasoning behind ANGC is merely as you highlight the fade being more controllable for longer periods e.g 72holes in the case there less chance for want of a better term "the big miss".

Re: your other point about other longer courses being easier for you to score on your less than good days compared to your home course. I totally get what you mean, by way of having more room despite the length it keeps you in play much more than it would at your tighter yet shorter course. Which of course means your playing approaches from less hazardous positions giving you more scoring opportunities.

I had similar issues when I moved from littlestone where the best way to play was to more often hit shots that held into the wind to give best chance to moving to parkland where I was able to let loose a bit more and fly iron shots at flags took me a while to get used to doing that regularly, got the same thing again when we move. I have played 2 rounds at my new home course in the states and have to say I felt comfortable straight away as it seems to suit my shape and game and that's what really started me thinking about this then seeing the Masters kind made me look deeper.












P.s I think Blues right your secretly but not openly admitting to being an El Bandito

Don't know what the pair of you are suggesting. I'm no bandit although I'd like to kid myself that I was massaging the handicap in my last few rounds. Messing up on the back nine after great front nines but the reality is I got out of the moment, fucked up, and then chased it to no avail.

The real kicker is at my course mediocre shots are penalised a lot more severely than elsewhere. For example if I catch one just like me, a little chunky, then more often than not it's a reload. At another place it would be a longer shot than anticipated and maybe one more if not in the right position.

Anyway, that's why this slope thing comes into play. The longer course is easier than mine so my course handicap isn't adjusted too much from my index.

My own course is generally fairly straight, but those that are doglegs favour the draw slightly

As someone who couldn't draw a pair of curtains, that makes it tougher for me but really the doglegs only favour the draw marginally

The problem is that the first two holes are the biggest doglegs and both are right to left which makes it a very tough start for me. If I can get through those first two holes without suffering too much I know I can put a good score together

At my home course it is best to drive down the left on 12 out of 15 holes (excluding the par 3's). So very definitely favours a draw. Only 4 dogleg left holes, none severe, but generally better line in from the left. BUT there is more trouble down the left and generally safer down the right ! He who dares Rodney

I think certain courses can suit your game, some in an obvious way (like mentioned above is terms of favouring a draw (or a fade)). Short tight courses favour the short but straight hitter while long & wide suit the boomer.

Sometimes it's much more subtle than that though and sometimes a course just inexplicably suits the eye or suits someone who plays a certain course management strategy. I played several courses that I feel really comfortable on and always fel I'm going to score well on but in no way could 2 of them be described as even remotely similar. I'm thinking Dundonald in Ayrshire and Burford in Oxfordshire (which I'm playing tomorow). Dundonald is long but fairly generous off the tee so it's mostly grip it and rip it off the tee but think about where you need to place your approach. Burford on the other hand is mostly tight and treelined and demands a completely different approach. The fact that both seem to really suit my game therefore confuses me...other than the fact that I must have an adaptable game.

as a rule i generally don't like hitting my driver around a links course but much more comfortable with it when playing tree lined parkland or heathland. may sound a little bizarre but i put it down to spatial perception; a preference of hitting into a 'volume' than into a 'void'; where a clearly defined perimeter is set by the edge of the trees, with the height of the trees creating a volume to play into. at a links course the perimeter is obviously still there, but there is generally less vertical definition to the holes - hence hitting into a void. that said i'd say my driving isn't that strong an element of my game - and my irons, wedges and putting are generally hotter at the links.

I actually prefer hitting driver on links courses!

The more open feel gives me confidence to swing freely, whereas sometimes I am guilty of trying to steer the ball down a tight tree lined fairway, even though both fairways may be of equal width.

Also my driver stays lower and rolls more than any other club in the bag.

I suppose also I don't mind too much being in the first cut of rough on a links course. On a parkland course, coming out the rough I might be blocked out by a tree and I lose spin control so might not be able to hold the ball on the green. On a links course I am probably running it in anyway, so less spin isn't such a problem.

Mav - oddly enough I've always played well at Kings Hill as well. Best round I ever had there though was when we had a total eclipse of the sun (must have been in 1999 I think). It was very eerie standing there on the 7th tee as it got dark and cold and the birds stopped singing.

I do agree with you - there are certain courses I always play well, other I never seem to be able to conquer. It might be all in the mind ...

Mav i get your point but i dont think PMick and Bubba are really faders... they tend to change shape from one tee to the next.
and also they are both wild off the tee!

I definitely feel alot more comfortabe opening my shoulders on a links course with the driver for some reason. i suffer from trying to steer the ball down a tight tree lined fairway and end up turning it over

Congratulations hend...12.53pm and yours is the first post of the day! I guess that everybody must have their boss looking over their shoulder at the moment!

haha... mine is out of the office!

I blame venice personally, he takes a break from the Fantasy League and we have got nothing else to talk about!