Best of luck to you! If it were me, I would look at the one part of the game that I hate.... "course management". Pick your shots, and play smart. You know you can't over power the course, so don't try to. Try to pick a good miss. Fire at pins you feel comfortable and aim at the middle of the green when you don't.

Play YOUR game. You got what you got. Don't worry about what others do or have. Keep your expectations reasonable. And work on your short game as much as possible between now and the event.

Glad you're playing a course you've always wanted to play. I think that is a great strategy. There are going to be other players who are in the same predicament you are. Work on the short game and have fun and good luck! You want to let us on what course you are playing?

I think you'll be surprised. The biggest thing is that you'll be hitting longer clubs into the green and they may not hold, so yes, I would say you're on the right track to focus on your work around the green.

No practice round really stinks!

Good luck and have fun!

Short game & putting all the way...practice your game from 100 yards & in and if you get paired with some boomers, ignore them and play your game!!!

+1

I would go about it by practicing ball striking with hybrids or longer irons you will probably have a good portion of 200 yard approach shots and if you can get those on the green or nearby you will have a lot more par and birdie putts.

Of course it won’t hurt to keep the wedges sharp either to chip nice and close for the one put.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

Good plan. It does not matter how, it only matters how many!

With gratitude for the opportunity to play somewhere new and excited for the challenge of mixing up the tools and techniques you already have and applying them in a new way.

And...driver, 3w, hybrid, gap, putt, putt.

Enjoy the ride.

I'm with you there Speedy. I am a short hitter and love short, strategic courses. I get to a long Par 4 and over-swing most of the time. Same problem when i play with a few friends that are long hitters. That said, i have had some success occasionally when my wedge game is on because i end up short of fairway bunkers and short of trouble around the greens. Just relax and enjoy as best you can.

Thank you all for your tips/comments. Truly appreciate it.

I have played this course through charity tournaments, paid an arm and leg but all worth it. I also caddied there during the 2012 US Junior Amateur championship. Did 8 rounds carrying the bag so I know the course pretty well. I don't think much has changed since then.

Here is the course I'm playing, Golf Club of New England located in Stratham, NH. It was designed by the late Arnold Palmer. It's very private, less then a 100 members and won't even tell you the fees.. Ridiculous for a course only being opened from like May to October..

http://www.golfclubne.com/


I may arrive early and work on my short game and putting. Their range is amazing. Can't wait to play it. Just gonna go and have some fun... Thanks again everyone!

Hit lots of fairways, even if you are short. DO NOT try to push the distance of your approach shots. Play to your favorite yardage and get up and down from there. Avoid the big numbers and above all have fun!

Good Luck!!

I would start by getting the terms "yikes" and "Oh Boy" out of your head. This course is 7,000 yards for everybody. Being a long hitter, I know that far does not equal straight, so don't be intimidated by the yardage alone. The advantage may not be that much, especially if the course is tight. Hit your tee ball into play, then measure your next shot and pick your club. That may be a few more hybrids than you are used to, but that's fine. If you can't get home in regulation, pick the spot were your chances of an up and down are best. You are not likely to have your "career round", so don't have any expectations. There will be bogeys, so prepare your mind for them and move on when they happen. And while you are out there, enjoy the course.

Play to your own strength- your own game. Since you know the course well, play and position to your yardage or your advantage.

Working and sharpening your short game is a great idea.

Best of all, enjoy your round(s) one shot at a time.

#1 go out and have fun.

#2 play your game, you have all the shots you need - just need to believe in yourself

#3 see #1

TH

Speedy, the advice everyone has been giving you is spot on. As a (very) senior, I do not have the length I once had nor can I keep up with the boomers I often play with. Yet I continue to play match play events against these guys. I've learned to just play my game and hope I have a very good day around the greens, getting up and down. When you have a chance, go for it, but mainly stay out of trouble and keep the big numbers off the card.

Manage the course and hit to numbers you are comfortable/familar with. Stay within your comfort zone regarding distances. Should not have a problem with the par 5s, have a plan of attack for the par 4s. Sometimes a bogey is a good score. Best of luck.

Best of luck Speedy! Always enjoy your post. You have a fan here. No worries. Enjoy the day and enjoy the course.
Play Well,
Steve S.

Trust your Scotty and your Pro V1s. Everybody outhits me, and I often am hitting hybrids or fairways woods, if I can get there at all. However, from 100 yards in you need to get up and down more times than you don't. Sounds like it will be a fun day.

What would Sutton do?

Speedy, I've played that course quite a few times. More important than length is position off the tee. The greens are always perfect so those 10-12 footers are pretty easy to make.

You are right, the course has not changed since it way built. I suspect that they will put you off the blue tees, with some of them put back a bit.

The 5 pars are very manageable, it is the 3 pars that could get interesting.