Playing Games

[John Graham]

I've decided to start a thread to discuss different games you can do on the course for practicing the game. Some of these games will involve score and others may involve points. I will add games regularly. If you haven't tried these games or used a little imagination to change up a round of golf, you'll notice a little more interest when you try them. It won't be the same ole regular round at your home course.

Here's the first one:

Worst ball: Basically, a worst ball is a reverse scramble. Each player hits two balls off the tee. Goes to worst and repeats. In order for the score to be counted, the player must make both putts.

This game is designed to challenge your consistency and decision making. How often can you hit two shots in a row the way you want? Is it really worth it to try that shot out of the trees?

I like this game because many times that second shot has a little added pressure on it to simulate tournament conditions. The more experience you have dealing with pressure the better you will become at handling it.

[Richie3Jack]

I have a friend who is a HS golf coach and we were talking about golf a few months ago and bouncing ideas off each other.

I was thinking that he should take his better players and make a 'Big Break' game that they can play occasionally. What I mean by that is I would pick a spot on each hole from where their 1st shot would be from. Instead of teeing off the tee, I may pick about halfway down the hole behind some trees and leave them with a shot that they could go for by hitting a great shot around the trees, but the 'smarter play' would be hitting the shot to a yardage that they would feel comfortably hitting a full wedge from. I think for a golf team it would be a good exercise for scrambling and course management purposes.

For individual games, sometimes I'll take one less club off the tee than I normally hit. So if I usually hit a driver on a hole, I will hit a 3-wood off the deck instead. If I usually tee off with a 3-hybrid, then I'll use a 4-iron. If it's a par-3 I'll do the same unless there's water up front. Again, getting me used to some scrambling, course management and hitting longer clubs with my approach shots.




3JACK

[John Graham]

Here's a game to practice shots between clubs.

Odd numbered holes use odd numbered clubs only.

Even numbered holes use even numbered clubs only.

For this drill:

The driver is an even.

5 wood is an even.

Sand wedge is an odd.

Lob wedge is an even.

This is a great game for controlling your ball flight. Distance control and ball flight and tightly linked and you need to be able to control both.

[John Graham]

The title says it all.

For this game, you need to hit every shot on each side with a particular ball flight. Play golf like normal but add a penalty stroke each time the ball curves in the opposite direction than you were supposed.

Fun game, hard to score well. As you look at the scores and stats from each side it may become more clear which shot you have more control over.

[John Graham]

This is a game about ball flight control. For iron shots into the green, try and hit the lowest shot you can into the green. Great practice for windy days and see if it helps get closer to back pins.

If you are on the course, you only have two options. You are playing or you are practicing. Most just goof around. Treat all playing the same and all practice the same.