Originally Posted by
mpare
Apart from the suggestions that were already made, here are a few more specific suggestions:
1. Course management:
(a) If you're in trouble, don't play the heroic shot. Play the one that will give you the most reasonable chance at bogey.
(b) If you have a hole that gives you trouble off the tee, play the club in which you have the most confidence even if that means that - on a par four or a par three - you won't reach the green in regulations. A sure bogey and possible one putt par is a lot better than an iffy par and a more likely double or triple.
(c) Assuming you have reasonable length off the tee, then on a par five where you are unlikely to reach the green in two, play the safe shot off the tee that best assures you'll hit the fairway. I recall one year while playing in the NS Mid-Amateur that on one long par five I hit 5 iron off the tee every day. Why? Because I knew the ball would be in the fairway on a level lie and that the second shot would easily put me within 100 yards from the hole. I played the hole in under par. Caution is oftentimes helpful.
(d) Try to hit your chips or putts so that the next shot gives you the easiest uphill putt to the cup. This is often said, but little done. Using this strategy can save you more strokes than you can imagine and you don't have to be a putting or chipping genius to execute it.