Golf is all about consistency – it seems to be the number one goal among all types of players. If you normally shoot in the 80s, you want to avoid the 90s. If you’re a scratch golfer, you get accustomed to shooting in the 70s (remember, handicap is potential… not your average score).
But does your game hold up if you go to a different course? Too many golfers are only good on their home course and struggle when playing new courses.
While it’s normal to score slightly better at your course, you don’t want a huge differential. Keep reading to learn X strategies to help your game “travel” well to other courses.
How to Build a Golf Game That “Travels” Well
To clarify, we’re not talking about traveling with golf clubs but instead, making sure you have a golf game that holds up at any venue. Simply put… we’re answering the question on how to make your handicap travel.
Whether you’re playing a new country club, taking a trip to a bucket list course, or trying out a new local course, here are some strategies to help your game travel well.
Key Takeaways
- To play your best at all sorts of courses – not just your home club – you need to work on all parts of your game.
- The first step is having the right equipment, so all 14 clubs are helping your game.
- Then you need to know your distances, have a go-to stock shot, and a solid short game.
- Plus, have a good warm up routine and mental strategies so you don’t get off to a bad start when playing a new golf course.
1. Play the Right Equipment
The first rule to help your game travel to the golf course is to make sure you have the right equipment for all types of course… not just your home course. Too many golfers have a random club (or two) that doesn’t get used often. But for your game to travel well, you want to make sure all 14 clubs serve a specific purpose.
This is why it’s a good idea to do a custom fitting with a professional fitter. They can help you with distance gaps, change your lie angle, tweak lofts, and recommend new clubs. It’s a small investment in your game but can make a huge difference in building more consistency.
2. Know Your Distances
Once you have the right clubs for your swing, the second rule to help your game travel is to know your distances. If you play the same country club or golf course a lot, it’s easy to just think, “On this par 3 I always hit 7-iron.”
But to play your best on any golf course, you need a clear distance chart for every club in the bag. In practice with a launch monitor, spend time getting clear on how far you hit every club in the bag (carry distance). This way you can pull the right club at any course and have confidence in the carry number.
It’s a good idea to keep these distances in a yardage book holder or a note on your phone. Plus, you can also use Arccos Golf and other apps to learn more about how far you hit each club in the bag.
3. Have a Go-To Shot
One of the biggest golf myths is that you need to hit draws and fades to play your best.
It sounds good in theory, but it’s just not going to happen for 99.99% of golfers (even pros). If you watch the best golfer in the world, you’ll notice they hit one shot – a fade or draw – an overwhelming majority of the time.
When you have one shot shape it’s easier to pick targets, avoid the dreaded double cross, and avoid playing golf swing. Stop trying to hit fades and draws during the round based on pin positions and doglegs.
Instead, hit the shot that comes most natural to you 99% of the time.
This will help your tee box strategy and approach shot strategy so you can have confidence at the course. Learn more about the debate in fade vs. draws here.
4. Do Your Homework
If you’re planning on taking a trip or want to set yourself up for the best round possible, do some research. Visit the course website, buy a yardage book, and download the course on a handheld GPS or golf watch. Or, call the pro shop to see if they have GPS in the carts so you have a game plan for each hole.
When you have more information on the course, it will help you avoid penalty areas and out of bounds. Otherwise, it’s easy to not trust your swing, especially when playing a narrow golf course or one with lots of trouble off the tee.
Here’s a full article we’ve written on playing a new golf course for the first time.
5. Spend More Time on The Putting Green
Playing a new golf course is fun, but it can make for a long day if you struggle on the greens. This is one of the hardest things to acclimate too when playing a new course. Which is why I recommend getting there earlier than normal for a solid warm up.
But make sure to spend even more time than normal on the putting green. Hit a lot of 30-40 footers and dial in your speed control. The sooner you figure out the slope, speed, and grain, the sooner you can adapt on the course. Otherwise, you might struggle until mid-round to get the speed and already sacrifice some strokes.
6. Practice Course Management
Another way to build a consistent golf game is to learn proper course management skills. Understanding proper tee box strategy and approach shot strategy will help you score lower every single round. Don’t forget, golf is a thinking game as much as it is trying to build the perfect swing.
Here are seven course management tips that will help you on every golf course:
- Putt from the fringe 90% (or more) of the time.
- Stop laying up if there isn’t trouble by the green.
- Have a consistent routine (more on that coming up).
- Club on approach shots to avoid trouble short of the green.
- Favor the middle of the green, especially outside 150 yards.
- Play one shot shape off the tee and into the greens for smaller misses.
- Tee up your golf ball on the same side as trouble to open up the other side of the hole.
7. Build a Versatile Short Game
Regardless of how good you get, missing greens is part of golf. Which is why you need a versatile short game to help you save pars and bogeys (or maybe sneak in some birdies on par 5’s).
A good short game can rescue you during the round, especially when playing new courses. To help your game travel, spend plenty of time on short game practice so you can scramble like a pro.
Make sure you spend enough time on the basics like bumps n runs and greenside bunker shots. Learn more about the most common short game mistakes here.
8. Have a Warm-Up Routine
Building a solid game from tee to green is 70% of the battle, but you need a warm-up routine too. When you show up to the course with a clear plan of action, it’ll help you get comfortable playing a new golf course.
Learn more about warm up routines here.
9. Stick to Your Pre-Shot Routine
Another tip to help your game travel to a new golf course is to have a consistent pre-shot routine.
When you have a good routine, it’s easy to walk into every shot with more confidence – regardless of the course. If you don’t have a routine, it’s easy to doubt yourself, club selection, and target.
A reliable pre-shot routine can help you stay focused and play consistent every round. It’s one of the few habits of all great players, and one you can develop. A good routine will force you to pick targets, analyze the shot, and take practice swings to get yourself prepared.
Learn more about creating a pre-shot routine here.
10. Learn From Every Round
The final thing to help your game travel is to learn from all your rounds – both “home” and “away” ones. This is why it’s so important to track your statistics regularly and figure out your strokes gained in different categories.
When you track your stats and write in a golf journal, you can learn more about your game. This makes it easier to work on your weaknesses in practice and
Learn more about analyzing your golf statistics next.
My Experience
I’ve been a member at a country club several times in my life and think there are a lot of pros but some cons too. Playing the same course repeatedly makes it easy to mentally “check out” and go through the motions. Which can make it hard to play your best on a new course.
If you do play the same course a lot, mix it up. Play different tee boxes, tee it forward to learn how to go low, and try to hit different clubs off the tee so you have new approach shots. This will help you stay mentally engaged and add some variety.
But don’t be afraid to venture out sometimes and play new courses. This way you can meet new people, learn more about your game, and build a more consistent game.
Final Thoughts
Playing a new golf course is fun, exciting, and sometimes daunting (especially if it’s a tournament). However, when you follow these tips and practice consistently, you will have a more consistent game.
Don’t forget to read this guide on having the right mental attitude too. A strong mental game will help you stay positive, embrace the challenge, and have more confidence during the round.
