Course management is a skill which very few golfers have perfected. Most golfers do not think strategically when they play, which is a recipe for disaster. Every round must have a plan, or attack strategy. Before your round, decide what you want to get out of the round. If you are playing a fun game with some friends, good course management might not be so important. However, if you are playing a money game, or a serious round of golf, good course management skills will benefit you throughout the round. Here are some tips on good course management:
It is important to go with the design of the fairway. Average golfers have one shot shape, and they use it on every hole. It is nearly impossible to hit the fairway on a dogleg right hole if you play a draw (for righties), and vice versa. If you do not know how to play both a draw and a fade, I strongly suggest that you try and learn. It is very valuable to be able to cut the ball on a dogleg right, and draw it on a dogleg left. By doing this, you greatly increase your chances of hitting the fairway, and you will achieve more distance because the ball will run down the fairway.
Great golfers have the ability to control the amount of spin they put on the ball, especially with their short irons. To spin the ball, or stop it quickly on the green, there are several things you can do. The first and most important thing you can do to generate spin is to hit the ball cleanly. If the ball is struch flush with a wedge or a 9 iron, it will have a lot of spin on it. If you find that you are hitting the ball cleanly and it is still rolling off the backs of greens, there are a few things that you can try. Try putting the ball back in your stance, and hit down on the ball. Make sure that you take your divot after you hit the ball. By doing this, you pinch the ball against the ground with your club, and the ball is forced to roll up along the grooves of your club. The grooves bite the ball, and consequently, the ball spins backwards. It is also true that the greater the swing speed, the more spin the ball has. Try hitting one club less than you normally would, and swing harder. This is very dangerous because most peoples swings fall apart when tehy try to swing hard. If you can control a hard swing, try swinging extra hard with one club less than you would normally use. This should spin the ball, and it will alow you to shoot for more pins. More advanced players want to be able to take spin off of their shots when they have to. For example, if they are playing into a strong wind, they would want to hit the ball below the wind, with as little spin as possible so that the ball does not balloon up into the air. Take one club more than you would normally take in the situation. Grip down about an inch on the club, and put the ball back in your stance. When you hit the ball, use a 3/4 swing, as opposed to a full swing. The ball should fly low with little spin. Knowing hit to control the amount of spin you put on your golf ball can help you shoot lower scores.