6 Golf Course Management and Strategy Tips
The best golfers in the world have a certain swagger when they’re out on the golf course. They’re calm, collected, and focused. From putts to approach shots, they look effortless. And while natural talent and training are major contributors to their success, successful golfers possess expert decision-making — something that makes each shot that much easier.
Perhaps a bit surprising to the amateur linksman, you don’t need a PGA Tour skill level to attain this intangible quality. All you need to do is focus on golf course management and strategy. If you’re practicing every day and failing to see results, these aspects might just be the source of your frustration and the obstacle to your success.
But by following a few tips on golf course management and strategy, you can learn how to become more efficient and make better choices out on the course. Here’s how to do it.
What Is Golf Course Management and Strategy?
Golf course management and strategy refers to your approach to every swing, shot, and hole on the golf course. It’s a well-rounded, panoptic plan for reaching and achieving those long-desired outcomes of your golf game.
It’s deciding to lay up a safe shot rather than a risky one; two-putting instead of smashing a long putt off the green; hitting the center of the fairway instead of trying to hug the light rough.
It’s about awareness rather than fundamentals and playing the percentages to the point of risk aversion. It’s all-encompassing, yet lies firmly outside of your practice on the driving range or putting green.
More simply put, golf course management and strategy are your keys to lower scores and playing better golf — and all without worrying about your golf swing or technique. It’s the mental game that separates good shots and bad shots; the victorious from the struggling.
The Individual Approach
One interesting facet of golf course management and strategy is that it’s unique to each individual player. Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and abilities is tantamount to your successful application of its tenets.
The ancient Greeks didn’t play golf, but the great Greek philosophers can act as a muse on the course. Maybe a quote from Socrates can put it all in perspective: “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” That’s just the idea that you’ll need to apply when you’re out on the course.
6 Tips To Improve Your Golf Course Management and Strategy
Now that you understand the individualistic nature and the basic ideas of golf course management and strategy, you’re ready to think about the strategy tips that can translate to your best golf. Again, each tip is different and may not apply directly to your game depending on your experience and skill level. But the more ideas you explore, the better you can tailor them to your course management strategy. Let’s get started.
1. Approach the Fairway and Green With Care
Your first instinct as an amateur golfer is to hit your tee shot or approach shot straight toward the pin. Sometimes, there’s no shame in that idea. In other instances, these approaches don’t always translate to a great lie or shot idea. So instead of aiming for the flag like you would in a game of Golden Tee, aim somewhere that gives you a greater safety net.
For example, a dog leg may mean that the pin is behind some trees. But instead of trying to hit over the forest, use a bit of distance control and the right club to set up your second shot.
The same goes for the green. If you want to improve your overall short game and lower your putting distances, read the green. While the middle of the green may seem like the obvious choice, hitting a chip shot to avoid significant slopes or uphill putts can create a favorable next shot — no matter what type of grass is on the green.
2. Avoid Hazards at All Costs
It may go without saying, but hazards are the proverbial thorn in the side of all high handicappers. As such, you need to take every precaution to avoid a greenside or fairway bunker, the out-of-bounds area, or the water.
This may mean a slight adjustment to your golf course strategy. Club selection, the power in your swing, and overall shot selection trump any other aspect of your approach. Confidence will also play a part in hazard avoidance. If you’re leery about trying to hit over a pond or bunker, err on the side of caution.
3. Play To Your Shot Strengths
After a few rounds of golf, you probably have a decent idea of your best shot. The shot itself doesn’t matter. Whether you’re hitting mondo yardage off the tee, dropping chips onto the center of the green, or using your Texas wedge to your personal satisfaction, knowing your shot strength is pivotal.
But it isn’t the shot itself that’s the entirety of this golf course management and strategy tip. It’s knowing how to get to this shot. If you’re solid with irons off the fairway, take care on your tee shot to line up the next shot. Or if you’re looking for an easy birdie putt and you’re great with a lob or wedge, plan two or more shots ahead to make it happen.
4. Maintain Your Swing
A swing doesn’t necessarily equate to golf course management strategy, but you still need to follow your practice routine to hit the best shot possible. This simply means that you want to swing aggressively and use your full swing whether you’re hitting from the tee box or hitting an iron from the fairway.
The idea is straightforward — use GPS or a rangefinder to determine the distance you want to hit. Then, choose a club that you can swing with full intensity — albeit without overswinging.
This goes hand in hand with club selection. For example, let’s say your desired location is 150 yards away. You can hit a 7-iron about 160 yards, but your 8-iron goes about 145 yards. Instead of easing off your 7-iron stroke to hit for less yardage, select your 8-iron at full swing for your shot. This will help you avoid ruining your technique while also steering you away from a shot that goes over the green or the fairway.
5. Tap-In Putting
If you want to avoid going all Happy Gilmore on the course, you want to make sure the golf ball isn’t too good for its home — or at least as Adam Sandler would say. The idea behind this isn’t just working on your putting or buying an expensive putter. It’s easing off the aggression.
Sure, the feeling of sinking a 100-foot putt is indescribable. But it’s a low-percentage shot that even the pros rarely make. Unless you’re on the 18th green in a one-stroke tournament, it’s probably the best option.
That’s when you should use the idea of tap-in putting — or so we’re going to call it here. Tap-in putting is the overarching idea that an aggressive putt can push your ball straight through the green or lead to three putts — two aspects that ruin the scores of amateur golfers.
Instead of going for the long shot, play more conservatively. If you’re putting from mid-range or long-distance, think about your putt as a finesse shot. If it goes in, great. But if it doesn’t you’re still close to a tap-in or a putt of only a few feet.
This idea can shave strokes off your game and help you avoid bogeys or the dreaded double bogey, all while allowing you to concentrate fully on your putting technique.
6. Use Technology
Golf’s exponential growth — as much as a 12% increase in 2022 alone — has led to a number of technological advancements in the game. Designed to improve golf course management and strategy as well as technique, apps, GPS tools, rangefinders, and shot-tracer software are invaluable resources and easily accessible.
While lessons and practice are integral to your success, experimenting and practicing with apps and other accessories can help you decide what golf club to use based on distance and wind and improve your golf shots in a general sense. The pros are already using technology to shave a few strokes off the scorecard, so you have no reason not to follow suit.
Manage Your Mind and the Rest Will Follow
As much as golf requires a steady hand, finesse, and technique, your mental state is equally as crucial. Practice on the green and at the driving range doesn’t necessarily mean a low handicap or score. You need to train your mind to maintain calmness and apply what you learned.
The steps outlined above can undoubtedly give you the upper hand on the course, but when panic sets in, take a step back. Take a deep breath, remember your technique, and have confidence in your approach. With the right mix of physical and mental preparedness, you can drastically improve your golf course management and strategy. At that point, you’re one step closer to breaking 90 — and more importantly — having fun while you do it.
