ShareThisBy RICK MARTINO
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Many golfers regularly play what they consider to be their home course. However, when they play courses away from home, they often wonder, "Why do I play better on my home course?"
They also try to understand what local knowledge of a course means, and how much is it worth? Local knowledge encompasses several aspects: The insight in knowing the proper distance that your shots must carry to reach your target.
It is the advantage of proper club selection from previous experiences. Less often you will find yourself doubting yourself if you are choosing between clubs for your shot.
You also have the understanding of how greens roll and the best way to read them, which is a tremendous leg up when putting.
Players with local knowledge also are aware of the type and weight of the sand in the bunkers for the proper execution of a sand save.
7Home course players also have the added advantage of the memories of their good shots and the experience of rounds played previously at the facility.
There is also a comfort zone from knowing that you've been there before.
Going to a New Course Like any other corner of Earth, golf courses are living, growing and ever-evolving acres of real estate. With the forces of Mother Nature, they are constantly changing.
Yet, golfers who regularly play their home course will quickly adapt to these nuances and be able to take advantage of these beneficial factors for play. So, it is not surprising that many golfers often play their best rounds right at home.
One equalizer is when a new course is opened or renovated. This is best illustrated with this week's grand debut of the new Wanamaker Course at The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
"The new changes this year [to The PGA Golf Club] allow all the players to be in the same boat _ without any advantages of having played it before," said Jim White, a PGA Master Professional at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb.
So, players of similar skill levels will find that everyone is experiencing a fun and exciting new learning curve. This adds to the player's challenge, enjoyment and love for the course and the game.
And when you come back to your old friends at The PGA Golf Club, the Wanamaker and Ryder Courses will present all players with new challenges, as they learn the lay of the land on the new courses.
Similarly, when Tour players are unfamiliar with a course or haven't played it in a long time, they turn to the club's PGA Professional for guidance.
In fact, the last two PGA Champions did just that. Last August, Tiger Woods gathered extensive course layout advice from Medinah Country Club's PGA head professional Mike Scully. Medinah had undergone an extensive makeover by Rees Jones, and Woods was eager to listen to a PGA Pro who knew the course intimately.
Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson was the only player to "pick the brain" of Baltusrol Country Club head pro Doug Steffen prior to the 2005 PGA Championship. From that conversation, Mickelson developed a cut shot off his driver that enabled him to control his tee shots and masterfully play Baltusrol.
Bottom line is if you have the opportunity to speak with a club's pro or have a partner who is rich in knowledge about his or her home course, by all means ask for their guidance and insight.
So, once you uncover these new challenges, you can develop your own home course advantage.
To find a PGA Professional for your home or away course, log on to www.playgolfamerica.com. If you are interested in playing the newly renovated Wanamaker and Ryder Courses at The PGA Golf Club, visit either www.pgavillage.com or call (800) 800-GOLF.
(Rick Martino is the director of instruction for the PGA of America and teaches at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. He can be reached at (800) 800-GOLF or pgalearningcenter@pgahq.com.)
