Mini Post: Home Course Advantage –
By Wayne Halm –
How much is Home Course Advantage worth? I’ve had some recent experience with this and I think it’s worth quite a lot – it is also quite dangerous.
For years Kauai Lagoons was my home course and I played there a couple of times a week. I got to know the course and more interestingly I got to know the shots. Now I realize that I wasn’t figuring out which clubs to use, I was just remembering which worked in the past. The danger of that came home to me when Kauai Lagoons started renovations.
I’ve joined a local golf group and have been playing less familiar courses. First time out I made a bunch of really poor choices and got spanked badly. The second time was better but still painful. The third time I was at least “in the hunt” as I started figuring out what shots I needed. Slowly I’m getting back to “playing golf” rather than just remembering.
It is easy to slip into the comfort zone provided by Home Course Advantage. Has it happened to you?
Playing in the golf group has helped with my 2016 goal of playing golf with 100 people I haven’t met. So far I’ve played with some great guys; Wendell Ishida, Larry Marugame, Milton Ouaka, and Ron Young. Also I’ve played with a couple of wonderful women, Wendy Akita and Gussie Schumacher. They are numbers 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34. Want to be in that number?
Come play golf with me.
Return to Golfing on Kauai Home Page and read about other rounds played
Golfing on Kauai 
Wayne,
I know exactly what you mean. I recently changed courses and I have to get back to playing golf. I will quickly improve, but the transition is sometimes painful. I am glad things are looking up for you in your weekly matches!
Cheers
Jim
Aloha Jim,
I have enough trouble executing shots, add to that doubts about my club selection, and a disaster results. On the plus side, my driver has been working well – it’s target area is longer. And confidence in my wedge and putter is strong – they are feel shots, look at where you want the ball to go and let you muscles put it there. But my tempo with the irons is still all over the place – just plain doubt. I’m not hitting many greens, but it will get better.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Aloha from the mainland, Wayne!
I know what you mean by Home Course Advantage, and I know getting too confident with that knowledge can come back to bite you!
Congrats on finding a group. That bunch just got “funner!”
I’ll see you in January!
Tell Coach Sally we said, “Hi!”
Aloha Dan,
I’m enjoying playing with the group. Sally comes out and walks the courses with me, at first I worried that she would distract the other golfers. Then after the round last week I overheard a guy tell another, “That guy that comes with Sally birdied the second hole.” Guess I now know where I stand.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Hey Sally! Tell that guy that come with you, “Nice birdie!”
Aloha Wayne,
I know exactly what you mean buddy. Although our home course is a great layout and always a stern challenge, there are some par 4’s where I couldn’t even tell you the yardage, I just know it’s a “driver hole” or “3 wood hole” and I know where to aim with that club, as opposed to thinking about what yardage I’m hitting to.
Golfing new courses is good for the game and the soul, just like golfing with new people.
Looking forward to playing some new courses on Kauai later this year
Cheers!
Josh
Aloha Josh,
Yeah buddy, I am also looking forward to your visit. I hope to have re-figured out how far, in yards, each of my clubs go by then – if not, we’ll laugh at them.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne.
Hi Wayne.
Home course advantage is an interesting thing. I often find that I sometimes do better at new courses because I don’t know the potential consequences of an “off” shot. Or I’m not thinking about the time I hit it under that tree or in the water. At a home course you really get to know ALL of the course. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to stand on the tee of a hole that is fresh and new to you and create some good memories.
Beth
Aloha Beth,
I don’t remember your ball going under a tree or in the water, those are usually MY areas of the golf course. Oh wait, on Manele I do remember your drive going into a creek that crossed the fairway – I remember because the creek was nearly 300 yards from the tee. When you get here we will give you lots of opportunities to create good memories.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne