I had a chance to play a couple of courses in Ohio over the weekend. My siblings and I flew in to surprise my father for his 60th birthday, so my way of staying out of sight for the few days leading up to the party was to play some golf.
The first track I tackled was a great course in Pickerington, OH called Turnberry Golf Course. I almost didn't play because the day started out with rain. I wanted to play in the morning because the party was at night and I did not want to be rushed. Around noon I decided to get out there figuring that it would not be busy due to the weather. I was glad I decided to play.
The course was in great condition despite the steady drizzle which remained for the entire round. This course demands an accurate drive off of every tee. A lot of the fairways are narrow, some with over hanging trees just off the tee boxes which force you to play a draw or a fade to keep it out of the branches. A nice(or not so nice) touch were the mounds of fescue grass that were strategically placed on different locations of the course. It almost gave it a links style feel while retaining the features of more traditional courses. I managed to stay out of them, but a ball hit into this "rough" would most certainly be lost. The following day I played Sharon Woods Golf Course which is a part of the Hamilton County Park District in Cincinnati, OH. This course was a lot different from the courses I am used to playing in South Florida. The main difference was the severe elevation changes. Good course management is a must on this style of course. There were many times I would hit great shots only to discover that my next shot was in the fairway but on a steep uphill or downhill lie. Now I truly understand why the pros and their caddies really pay attention to every detail of a course. Laying up to the proper place on a hole makes all the differences if you want to score low.
This week I will be working on hitting shots from and uphill lie. I faced a few shots that I had no idea how to play simply because I had never been in that position before. All of the top players practice trouble shots. They put themselves in difficult spots so that when it happens during a round they are prepared because they have "been there and done that."
It's time to start practicing a variety of shots from a variety of lies. Phil Mickelson pulled off one of the greatest shots in Masters history from the woods this past April. I can almost guarantee that at some point he had practiced that or a similar type shot before.
Practice the conventional as well as the unconventional. Preparation and knowledge in all areas breeds success. Have a good one and always hit your target.
I'm just trying to get better at the game I love. This blog is kind of a journal of my progress. I will share all the tips, drills, exercises, and experiences that I am using to improve. Hopefully they will help you too.
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Thanks for visiting and for the nice compliment Lydia. Stop by anytime.