Turning Practice into Lower Scores

From the Desk of BTG —

Apologies for the missing/broken links in Monday’s edition. Even after 2 months, I’m still learning the quirks of the beehiiv newsletter platform. I will/have to be better. Appreciate you all reading.

-BTG

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Good morning all,

Year after year I find myself hitting balls into simulator screens in the winter, only to be equally as rusty hitting off of real grass in the spring. The droning repetition and absence of a true ball flight do not help me improve as much as I’d like. I also like to hit putts in my apartment on a straight mat, only to miss breaking four-footers on the low side for the first 5/6 rounds of the year. Frustrating, but part of living in the northeast.

I see two ways in which you can practice: on the range and on the course. I’m a huge believer that playing a ton of golf holes, not beating thousands of balls on the range, is the key to improving. Yes, the range is excellent for honing your swing feels before and after a round, but it’s impossible to replicate hitting real golf shots to different pins and from different stances. Also, what are the consequences for hitting a bad shot on the range? Hmmm. It’s an excellent place for a lesson, but a good swing is worth nothing if you can shoot low scores.

Shooting low scores (whatever that means for you) requires a different skillset than hitting golf balls. You can have a really good golf swing and flush it on the range, but if that’s all you do? Your scores will never drop. Read those sentences a few times until you understand what I mean.

Scoring is a situational skill and difficult to master. The only way to get good at shooting low scores is to go and shoot low scores. Go play! Hit the low flighted 9 iron from 110 yards to a back pin. Hone in your little teed down cut driver so when you need to hit a fairway you can. Play your buddies for real money if that’s what it takes to feel something, and if you really want to get good, sign up for local amateur tournaments. Nothing will improve your game quicker than a stroke-play medal event.

The range is great for working out kinks, and is best used to improve right after you play. You hit a few balls OB right? Go hit 20 drivers in a row at the range before heading home. I guarantee that session will show the highest return.

In short, the best way to transfer your range game to the course is to play as many holes as you can. Go have fun, play for whatever amount of money you need to keep it interesting, and get really good at getting the ball in the hole. Sounds weird, but it’s a skill.

Perry Maxwell (1879–1952), a Golden Age golf architect, crafted over 70 courses with a style rooted in strategic subtlety and natural harmony. Born in Kentucky, he transitioned from banking to design after being inspired by C.B. Macdonald’s National Golf Links. His Midwest-focused career, centered in Oklahoma, kept him underappreciated compared to peers like Donald Ross.

Maxwell’s designs emphasize natural terrain, with minimal earthmoving to create seamless integration with landscapes. His signature “Maxwell’s rolls”—undulating, contoured greens—challenge precision while rewarding creativity, as seen in Southern Hills Country Club, host to multiple PGA Championships. Prairie Dunes in Kansas showcases his ability to sculpt dramatic layouts from flat prairies, earning top-100 status. Crystal Downs, co-designed with Alister MacKenzie, blends strategic bunkering and flowing fairways, reflecting his collaborative finesse.

Dornick Hills, his first course, features bold elevation changes, like its cliff-top 16th green. Despite his brilliance, Maxwell’s lack of self-promotion and Oklahoma-centric portfolio limited his fame. Recent restorations and his 2012 Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame induction highlight a growing appreciation for his elegant, enduring designs.

If your ball ends up off the green, check for, and fix, your ball mark. It’s a sign of someone with a high golf IQ.

Many new players see their ball off the green quickly assume that the mark made by their ball does not matter anymore. Don’t do that. Let’s care for the course and make ourselves look like we know what we’re doing out there. Thank you.

3 things the pro I learned the game from drilled into me when I was on the cusp of breaking 80 for the first time.

Do those things? You are on your way to easily scoring in the 70s.

Canyata Golf Club in Marshall, Illinois, is a pinnacle of exclusivity, offering a secretive experience shrouded in privacy. Founded in 2005 by Jerry Forsythe, this 7,200-yard, par-72 course, designed by Michael Benkusky, transformed a rural cornfield into a strategic masterpiece. Featuring wide bentgrass fairways, challenging greens, and waterscaped ponds, it has hosted only 5,000 rounds since opening, reflecting its invitation-only access. Recently acquired by Escalante Golf, Canyata maintains its elite status with limited memberships through Icon Golf.

Nestled three hours from Chicago, its remote location ensures seclusion, enhanced by a log cabin clubhouse, practice facilities, and plans for a par-3 course, fish camp, and trails. The course’s firm, fast conditions and strategic design, lauded as a Top 100 course by Golf Digest, appeal to purists seeking architectural excellence. Canyata’s deliberate obscurity, gated entrance, and minimal public presence create a retreat-like atmosphere for the ultra-wealthy. Its ongoing enhancements under new ownership preserve its mystique, making Canyata a premier destination for those craving a private, world-class golf experience in serene isolation.

Thanks for reading, and talk soon,

BTG

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