Watched partner shoot a 73......

[Anthony]

at his home course so I have to put an asterick by the score;). tied his best ever (he is about a 10 handicap I think). Not a long hitter, so there were no on in two and 2-putt birdie par 5's or 320 yard par 4's that you drop by the green (actually 1).... Made us play from the tips (only 6,700) at one of the venerable old Toronto courses.

But watching I just wonder how much is a home course advantage worth. I showed up and went to the putting green for 5 minutes and thought I had the speed and was reading them okay. Get on the course, proceed to have maybe my best striking day ever, including fairway woods that I used fairly often, but come to reading and speeds of the actual green and I was terrible. he is cozying putts up, making pretty up and downs, saving those 5 footers.....

I remember Lee Trevino once saying that never play someone at their home course because they know every inch...... Play them at a neutral site and then you can really critique their game.

Really enjoy watching someone shoot a great round.

[MannyR]

Where were you playing? 73 is awesome anywhere!

[Anthony]

Where were you playing? 73 is awesome anywhere!

Islington.... And as said he is probably a 10 handicap, so it was special... He had some wobbles, but was something to watch. He also only made one 30 footer... The rest were just nicely cozied up shots/putts. He had 3 birdies, 4 bogeys.

[trunckslammer1]

Islington.... And as said he is probably a 10 handicap, so it was special... He had some wobbles, but was something to watch. He also only made one 30 footer... The rest were just nicely cozied up shots/putts. He had 3 birdies, 4 bogeys.

I know the golf course well. At all these older courses the greens are where local knowledge is a premium. Weston is the same way. No overly long but tight and you just cannot afford to spray the driver.

[beeker]

I remember Lee Trevino once saying that never play someone at their home course because they know every inch...... Play them at a neutral site and then you can really critique their game.

Ain't that the truth....I played Lookout Point in Fonthill with a member and while we weren't playing for $, he was playing great, always getting into good position and sinking many of what I thought were some really tough putts

I've really enjoyed playing with people who regularly shoot in the 70s as they can make the game look so easy..

[goshawk]

Beeker, it IS an easy game. We make it difficult sometimes by trying "hero" shots trying to save par instead of taking the bogey and run to the next hole.
A couple of years ago, I was playing with a group of friends who were all high single digit hdcp and it was a pleasure watching their course management. Not one of them could hit a drive past about 220, but they all hit them in the fairway about 80% of the time. A typical hole: 400 yard par 4, drive into the fairway, 200 yard approach with a 3-wood close to the green, chip & 1-putt=par. They all did it all day long!

[Grass Roots Tour]

I have to say that it took me many many tries, and years, to learn to shoot a number representative of my current handicap at "away" courses.

Another level beyond that is scoring at your handicap level in tournament at an "away" course. I'm not sure I will say I'm there yet but I'm definately working on it. We'll see tomorrow, I'm sure.


BTW, 73 is a great score anywhere that par is 72 IMHO.

[Anthony]

I have to say that it took me many many tries, and years, to learn to shoot a number representative of my current handicap at "away" courses.

Another level beyond that is scoring at your handicap level in tournament at an "away" course. I'm not sure I will say I'm there yet but I'm definately working on it. We'll see tomorrow, I'm sure.


BTW, 73 is a great score anywhere that par is 72 IMHO.

I really enjoyed watching it..... But those greens drove me nuts as I was very close to having a career day too if I could have made some putts, had an up and down or two, and avoided a ridiculous # of three putts.... But that is golf!!!!

[Leftyhacker]

It's an interesting question/observation.

I tend to think it can also be symbolic of the kind of course you play. I play an older Stanley Thomson course - small, speedy, slopey greens and think I have a very goood short game. I feel like my handicap travels well because of my short game.

One of my buddies - who is a scratch player incidently at his home track - is just that... a 'homer'. He's a long ball hitter who takes apart his fairly long track with ease. However, get him over to our course or even off his course for that matter and suddenly the differentials are going way up. Can he shoot 71 or 72 at an away course ? Sure -- just doesn't ever seem to happen that way....

Lefty