Can course/architecture knowledge have a negative impact on how you play?

[SteveOgulukian]

Let me explain....

A friend of mine has no care or appreciation of architecture  (not that there's anything wrong with that) and just enjoys playing 18 holes and having a few (i.e. many) beers on the course.  If I asked him the describe the 18th at Pebble or the 13th at Augusta his response would probably be "is that the par 3?"  He plays a lot of golf and plays off an 18 index.

He played Shinnecock last summer and when I asked him what he thought, he said the course was easier than he expected and that he shot an 88.  I was shocked.  However, the more I think about it, I keep feeling that because he went in 'blind' he may have been at an advantage.

I've never played Shinnecock but if I do and I find myself on the 11th tee, I know I'll have a ton of thoughts going through my head knowing how penal the hole is.  All these thoughts surely have an effect and can cause tightness and a bad swing.  However, someone playing the course for the first time with no prior knowledge of the hole just looks at the green, picks a club, and swings freely. 

It makes me wonder if going in blind can be an advantage.

I think a lot depends on the caliber of player we are talking about.  For scratch golfers or tour pros I don't think it would be an advantage.  Guys who can properly execute the shot they have in mind 9 times out of 10 would have an advantage knowing how certain holes play.  However, for the average weekend hacker, part of me thinks the opposite may be the case.

There are so many course profiles on GCA that many of us already know so much about certain courses before we get to play them.  However, does anyone feel going in blind enhances the experience?  Do you purposely avoid reading reviews of a course that you're about to play for this reason?

Curious to see what everyone's thoughts are on this.

[Jaeger Kovich]

My golf game clearly suffers because I barely concentrate on anything but the golf course. I can play maybe 1-2 rounds a year, normally in a tournament type event, where I really make an effort to shut that stuff out and focus on trying to win.

[archie_struthers]

 


Its not so much the knowledge but rather the activity in the brain that causes playing dysfunction. This is why very few hyper type a personalities tend to be great golfers. Tiger Woods is probably the exception to this  rule, but his constant drilling with his father no doubt helped build the "shield" needed to perform at an exceptional level. 


For this reason the pre shot routine is so critical. Consistent repetition can inure one to the activity , dim the lights a little . It allows for the sublimation of the conscious mind, which produces good results , particularly under pressure.


As to knowledge of architecture it can be a hindrance . if you don't understand or recognize a potential subtlety that an architect uses to protect against scoring you won't unconsciously shy away from it and most likely swing freely. However when you understand where to hit it and can eliminate the negative , you have the best chance of scoring.  Jack Nicklaus did this better than anyone .

[Ron Farris]

As of late.....meaning the last 5 years I have been told numerous times to simply "not comment on the design (architecture) of the course during the round.  Just play golf and have fun!"  I mostly comment on negative issues so now I am learning to simply hold my tongue when I play because most courses have what things that bother me........mostly going against the flow of Mother Nature.

[Charlie_Bell]

Course knowledge good. Busy brain bad.

[jeffwarne]

Course knowledge good. Busy brain bad.

What happens if a busy brain is playing that par 3 three thing the Super Seniors are playing in Missouri?
Oh my.........

[Tom_Doak]

Of course.  Even if you manage to eliminate all the negative thoughts, just knowing that a hole ideally calls for a draw or a low runner, when your go-to shot is a high fade, is enough to rattle most golfers.

[Paul Gray]

My golf game clearly suffers because I barely concentrate on anything but the golf course. I can play maybe 1-2 rounds a year, normally in a tournament type event, where I really make an effort to shut that stuff out and focus on trying to win.

Perfectly put.

[Peter Pallotta]

Well, from personal experience, the old motto is absolutely true: a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, especially if it is book (and gca.com) knowledge instead of the practical kind that can be actualized, as least once in a while, somewhere on planet Earth....

[A.G._Crockett]

Steve,
I think that we've all experienced a particular hole, or even a stretch of holes, "getting in our head" because we know the difficulties involved from playing the course a number of times.  In that one regard, the player who comes to a hole with no "scar tissue" from past problems and with no negative thoughts may be blissfully ignorant and benefit from that.  One that one hole...

But there is NO substitute for knowing where to hit the golf ball and where not to, or knowing that on the 9th putts break AWAY from the water, or that on 12 you are better off missing the green short than being above the hole or that on 16 its better to miss right than to miss left, and on and on an on.  When golfers lament that their handicap doesn't travel well, this is a lot of what they are talking about, even if they don't realize it.

So on balance, no; knowledge of the course can only help.

[BCrosby]

Ignorance can be bliss, but it is also true that the more you know about good golf courses, the more fun they are to play.

In a sort of mirror image of that, Larry Nelson said recently about his win at Oakmont in 1983 that the the course was so penal/intimidating that he decided after the first couple of holes on Thursday to play with his eyes shut. Apparently he would simply align himself to the middle of the fw or green, close his eyes and swing.

I am not sure what it says about a golf course if tuning out its architectural features is a good way to play it.

Bob   

[Tom Allen]

I think so too.  For example, I might go up to a par three that has a huge mound on the right.  I know that the mound was designed to feed balls to the hole, because I know what the architect was thinking (or, at least I think I do).  I then shoot for the hill, instead of the green, wanting to execute that shot that looks bad, but turns out perfect.

In my case, my shot always stays on the hill, making things worse. 

[Thomas Dai]

Not sure going in blind enhances the experience as anticipation is very important aspect. What going in blind does for me though is force me to concentrate a bit more rather than vere towards the complacency that can occur on a course you already know.
Atb