Sand Hills Preparation

[Tim Bert]

What one (or two) elements of the game could a 14 handicapper focus on for a six month period of time in order to maximize playing potential at Sand Hills?

The mid-teens handicapper in question would have limited time to play and/or practice due to a demanding work and family schedule, so please spare the obvious answers such as play 5 times a week or practice every day.

For those of you that have played the course - what one shot did you leave wishing you had practiced prior to your visit?

[A_Clay_Man]

Any uphill short shot. Be it with a fairwood putted for the over spin, a putter or a low iron. Getting a feel for the need to have the momentum to reach a certain point, and then allowing gravity to put on the brakes. Get proficient at that and you will have an adequate chance at recovery from the turf.

 In the sand, I'd make sure I knew how to explode the ball out. Comprehnde?

[Mike Hendren]

Practice smiling, relaxing and applying Chapstick.  The golf will take care of itself.

Lunch soon?

Mike
790-5153 (work)

[Paul Payne]

Tim,

I feel that Sand hills for the most part is very generous off the tee. There is usually plenty of landing area. You may not be on the correct side of the fairway but landing on it is not the problem.

I think the trickiest part of SH are the green compexes. The greens have a LOT of undulatiuon and are usually very fast. The approach shots can sometimes require a ground approach vs a high soft landing. Even when you land what you think was a proper shot you can roll off the back or side of the green very easily. Those are obvious things to consider.

THE ONE area I would look at most however is; If you sum all of this up you will find that you will often be relying on some sort of chip or wedge to get up and down. Either of these two shots will probably involve a fair amount of break to get to the hole.

My recommendation would be to work on shots from around the edge of the green and up to 10 yards off with a lot of break or imagination. This shot will save your butt.

[Jordan Wall]

From the looks of the course profile, practice fairway bunker shots  

[Tom Huckaby]

I've been VERY VERY VERY lucky to make two trips to the greatest course on this planet.

Once, I played great - was well-prepared, no ailments, hit very few bad shots the whole time there.  It was fantastic.

The other time, I played awful - had no time to prepare, was suffering several ailments - hit some shots as bad as I had since I was 10 years old.  It was fantastic.

The point here is that Mr. Hendren's advice is to be taken very much to heart.  The quality of one's golf should be far from the focus at that wonderful place.

But I know, one does want to play to his abilities at famous courses.  I'm just hear to say it really doesn't matter.  But if you can't accept that, well....

Work on chips and pitches off firm and fast ground.  If you can't find any nearby, practice on dirt.  Try to go up and over things and like Paul says, try to allow for a lot of break.  The more adept at those you get, the less surprised you will be at Sand Hills.

TH

[Brian Phillips]

What one (or two) elements of the game could a 14 handicapper focus on for a six month period of time in order to maximize playing potential at Sand Hills?

Absolutely NOTHING...

Learn to enjoy the game as much as possible and just relax, soak it all in and do not care one bit about his game.

Enjoy the company he is with and mellow out.

That is what Sand Hills is....mellow....

To me it was the most relaxing golf course in the world when I played it....mellow yellow, 18 holes.....few beers, a hamburger at Ben's Porch...watch the sunset go down...heaven...

Brian

[Bob_Huntley]

Years ago Chi Chi Rodriguez admitted to take a valium before one round in a championship, of which he was no admirer. He said it was by far the pleasantest round of his career, even though he shot close to ninety.

Approach Sand Hills the same way, the score is quite unimportant. I remember playing like crap but nothing could stop me from having the time of my life there.

Bob

[Kelly Blake Moran]

I slightly disagree with the just lay back and have fun attitude.  I would practice and play as much as you can to make sure you are sharp when the time arrives.  I think playing poorly can take away from the experience no matter how good the course is.  Good luck.

[Tom Huckaby]

I slightly disagree with the just lay back and have fun attitude.  I would practice and play as much as you can to make sure you are sharp when the time arrives.  I think playing poorly can take away from the experience no matter how good the course is.  Good luck.

Kelly:  at most places, that's true.  It's hard to have that much fun if you are playing lower than your abilities.

But I am hear to tell you that my post above is 100% sincere.  I've experienced both.  Both trips were fantastic.  Sand Hills is just that kind of place.

But again, if that is too much to expect, practice off of firm and fast ground.  The main point that I see is that if one places TOO GREAT of an empasis on quality of play, one could ruin it.  That goes for all great courses - but especially for Sand Hills.

TH

[Kelly Blake Moran]

I played there once and did not play particularly well one day, and pretty well the other so it is hard for me to judge.  One thing I think happens is that the great courses generally bring out your best game because you are so pumped up, and I plyed some really good golf there, but in general I take my game too personally and if I am playing badly it just ruins the whole experinece.  At Hideen Creek I played probably the worst round I have played in 20 years unfortunately in front of the owner, Mucci, and Lapper, and absolute embarrassment and it ruined my day.  I might have driven off the Ben Franklin bridge on the way home if I could.  It was bad.

[Tom Huckaby]

OK Kelly, so I see you get this.  I had a similar experience to your Hidden Creek round at Yale GC in front of some GCA stalwarts and on the drive south I too felt like I could easily go a bridge too far.    But then I just blamed it on one of the world's greatest hangovers, and all was well.

Interesting, at great courses some people get pumped up and rise to the occassion, others impose too much self-pressure and gag, others do a little of both like you and me.

I do think the main thing is to remove all self-pressure if you can.  I know its very easy to sit here and say, but just don't let one's play effect the experience one way or the other!  Laugh off bad shots, as none of us do this for a living - none of us practice nearly enough, so why the hell should we expect to play all that well?

And at great courses, where just seeing them, walking them, being on them is such a great experience, well... it's just tough to let quality of play either make or break the day.  The day ought to be already made.

And again, it's NEVER more true than at Sand Hills.  Just being there is such a freakin' joy, I'd have to have anyone lessen that due to bad play.  Oh a little of that is inevitable, and it's not like I was sitting there applauding the horrid shots I hit last June, but I made a very conscious effort not to let it matter one way or the other.  And although it lead to internet mention of a certain CRUSHING, well... that just adds to the legend.  The trip was mind-bogglingly great even with the crappy play.

But one does need to work to make that happen.  

[Bob_Huntley]

I played there once and did not play particularly well one day, and pretty well the other so it is hard for me to judge.  One thing I think happens is that the great courses generally bring out your best game because you are so pumped up, and I plyed some really good golf there, but in general I take my game too personally and if I am playing badly it just ruins the whole experinece.  At Hideen Creek I played probably the worst round I have played in 20 years unfortunately in front of the owner, Mucci, and Lapper, and absolute embarrassment and it ruined my day.  I might have driven off the Ben Franklin bridge on the way home if I could.  It was bad.

Kelly,

You must be a very young man, a very good golfer and a perfectionist. Get to my age and finishing the round is a joy itself, no matter what the score.

Bob

[RJ_Daley]

Most folks play multiple rounds at SH, usually spaced by a stop on Ben's porch.  I'd get in proper shape to walk at least the first round of the day and just try to walk to your ball seeing as much as you can of the design layout.  

I'd follow all the advice above about learning to hit the low shot from either the FW or off the tee, incase you get the big wind day.  The sooner you get it running on the ground, the better in most cases.  But, there is always the exception.  Do not play back tees, no matter if your companions do because they are good players or egotistical.  When practicing at your range, learn and be satisfied to hit a low straight tee ball choking up, and staying through your swing, stinger style.  You don't need to hit the tee ball more than 180-90 to carry any rough off the tee, even though it looks longer.  Then take a 5-6-7 iron and practice hitting shots out of longish wispy rough.  You can often advance your ball from SH rough by getting through the swing.  I disagree with explosion from sand shots.  Not always at SH.  Picking it clean with enough loft is better IMHO.  Practice putting 5-10ft on the fastest surface you can find, even on bare floor.  

Or better yet, if you are around the day before your SH day, play a round at Wild Horse for a tune-up.  And, spend lots of time on their putting green and short game area.  It is the best (better than SH's) for learning that kind of speed and break.

Play the opening SH round walking for giggles and grins, don't even think about your score, or don't keep one.  Then have a nice burger and brew, and if you are out of gas, take a cart, or if you are young walk again taking your pencil and card on the subsequent round.  If you are really motivated, take your camera only at the third round and get some memory pics in the hero light.

[Paul Payne]

I have to agree about letting yourself kust soak in the atmosphere, it is special. When I first saw the course I had that same feeling as when I was a kid on Christmas morning. You just can't describe it.

Between our first and second rounds we would get a burger grilled up by "cowboy Bob" at the porch with a beer. That is one of the best simple pleasures I have had.

We played 45 holes a day and only stopped because the sun went down (it was late September).

Just savor the experience.

[Patrick_Mucci_Jr]

Tim Bert,

These bozo's, with the exception of Kelly Blake Moran, are all wet.

What is this nonsense ?

"Soak in the essence of golf"
Enjoy the aura of the experience.
"See, see the ball, be, be the ball.
What unadulterated hogwash.

If I want to see great sites and soak up the atmosphere, head to South Beach.

"Golf" is a game.  It has a purpose.

Get the ball from point A to point B in the fewest number of strokes possible.

If you COULD work on just one shot that would improve your score at Sand Hills that would seem to indicate that the golf course was one dimensional ...... it isn't.

Don't work on any one shot, work on your tempo.
Work on a wider stance on all of your shots, including putting (wind).  Work on your alignment.

Don't listen to Jordan Wall.
Don't practice getting out of bunkers, practice not getting into them in the first place.

Don't listen to these bozo's

Go there with the intent of playing to, or better than your handicap.

Be especially vigilant when it comes to course management.

If you want to sightsee, and I suggest you do.
Go back and look at every hole from the back tees, the double diamonds, where they exist.
Walk up the hill to the old abandoned 17th tee.

But, if you want to play well.
Be fearless, but smart, off the tee, calculating with your approaches and delicate around the greens, and try to score as well as you can.

The land, the sky, the sights are all going to be there irrespective of what you score, so, take dead aim, because nothing beats being there and scoring well.

Any bozo, like all of the ones who previously posted, are B.S ing you into thinking that it's okay to go there and play like a turkey.  That the sights and experience are the main attractions.  They're not.   It's the golf course.

So go there like a competitor, focus on the golf course, not the surroundings and the that cattle that Huckaby fell in love with, and you'll be the better for it.

And, if you should hit your ball near a barbed wire fence, and a solid brown steer with offset horns and a red bandana comes over and asks if you know how to reach Tom Huckaby, pretend you never heard the name.  They stopped writing to each other a month ago and "Big Buster" hasn't gotten over it yet.

[Bob_Huntley]

Pat,

I've got a job for you writing for Saturday Night Live.

Bob

[Tom Huckaby]

Concur with Mr. Huntley.  

As completely misguided as you remain, that was great stuff.  But fear not, some day you too will achieve the enlightened state in which the game remains fun regardless of one's score that day.  I have great hopes for you.

 

GO BUCKEYES!

[Tom Huckaby]

PS to Tim - if you want competitive success, listen to Mucci.  if you want to achieve maximum fun, well listen to him also but listen to me MORE.

TH

[Patrick_Mucci_Jr]

Because never has such a falsehood been uttered than this:

"nothing beats being there and scoring well."

If you think just being there, or being there and playing poorly beats being there and playing well, then you've got a screw loose.

Or, you were so enamored with "Big Buster" that you couldn't think straight.[/color]

Sorry my friend.  I played like a dog the round with you, Sweeney and Gene, and I dare say I enjoyed that one a lot more than other rounds in which I played to the best of my abilities.

I recall you playing fairly well.  I thought that Mike and Gene had a rough go of it.  The reason you enjoyed that round is that you got to see Mike Sweeney in his Notre Dame finest and that you were with me, the highlight of any golfing day.

Bob Huntley and I have a question for you.

Why won't you accept "Big Buster's" collect phone calls ?[/color]

[RJ_Daley]

OK, the best preparation for going up to Sand Hills, is to rent a DVD of the movie, "City Slickers" and substitute the experience of Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby and Daniel Sterm for your buddies and instead of a dude cattle drive, you'rr going to be playing golf. If there is a more analogous experience between a movie and a  golf excursion, I can't think of any.  

Go up to old Tom at Ben's porch and ask him what the secret of playing Sand Hills is; and hopefully he'll tell you that it is "just one thing".  

That one thing is different for everybody.  To Mucci it is winning, conquering the course.  To Huck it is being out there in inspiration land completely different from his home environment, playing golf with your buddies.  Personally, I'd say it is something in between...

[Tom Huckaby]

Oh well, you caught that before I could delete it.  Damn.

Tell Big Buster I'm fickle, and we have cattle here in CA as well.

As for said match, I'm glad you think I played well that day.  We'll have to play again some day, when I actually do.  Chucking 50 yard wedge shots isn't my standard game, nor is three-jacking from 20 feet.

 

But yes, your presence did add to the enjoyment.  As much as I'd LOVE to deny that, well... I can't.  

In any case, again you twist my words.  You should be a politician.

I never said being there and playing poorly beats being there and playing well EVERY TIME.  Playing poorly does get old.  What I am saying is one CAN achieve an enlightenment in which one's enjoyment level isn't determined by one's level of play.  Rounds played poorly CAN be great fun.

Of course I expect you to understand this as much as I expected you to get that scenery does matter looking out from a golf course.  You haven't hit a bad shot in the last 40 years, nor have you noticed there's an ocean next to Pebble Beach.  We seem to play a different game... and like you surely don't want mine, well as skilled as you are, no thanks but I also don't want yours.

Funny how happy each of us are playing the game though, no?  Chalk it up as one of the mysteries of golf.

 

TH

ps to Dick - the treal truth is Mucci and I are each more toward the middle than it would seem to anyone... our difference is I'll admit it.  

[Paul Payne]

Pat,

Gotta' let that sphincter go a little there buddy.

One of the best ways I could think of for ruining a great weekend golf trip is to get all "...hurry up before I get cranky over my next shot..." about it.

If that is the kind of uptight you get out on the course I bet you'd be fun in match play.

[ed_getka]

Tim,
   If you do squeeze in some practice find someplace firm and fast. Take RJ's advice and putt in your bathtub if necessary.
Don't plan on practicing at SH as the range is for minimal practicing as the open ground has to be handpicked. Do practice on the excellent Himalayas like practice green near Ben's porch. Given the number of holes you will play there I would focus more on being fit, and play your way into your game if you have more than one day at SH. Stopping off at Wild Horse the day before is the best warm up for SH I can think of. Have fun, I know you will, its my favorite course in the world.

[Patrick_Mucci_Jr]

One of the best ways I could think of for ruining a great weekend golf trip is to get all "...hurry up before I get cranky over my next shot..." about it.

Who gets cranky ?
How do you gleen that from any of my posts on Sand Hills ?[/color]

If that is the kind of uptight you get out on the course I bet you'd be fun in match play.

Since we don't know each other, we're on equal footing.
And as such, I'd venture to say that I'm alot more fun to play with, and against, then you, by multiples.

But, don't take my word for it, just ask Ran and the rest of the fellows on our trip to Sand Hills.[/color]