Settings

The easiest way to see precisely what settings are being used is to check settings during tournament gameplay, and make a note of them.

Almost everything is turned off, including the Scout cam, lie grid and windspeed. The grid for the green remains on, but the Y key cannot be used to check the grid near the hole on longer putts. The aiming reticule for the putter remains usable. You may also find it to be helpful when lining up full shots. For example, before hitting your driver from the tee, you can switch to your putter and use the aiming reticule to help line up your shot, then switch back to your driver.

A few tips you may find useful - (1) for windspeed, play some rounds on any course with the windspeed indicator turned on; play a round with each windspeed category to see the range of speeds within each windspeed category and make a note of them; then pick a windspeed number within that category (e.g., the average) and use that in tournament play for the windspeed category that has been set for a tournament round; (2) for lining up shots on any new and unfamiliar course, play a practice round with full settings and use the Scout cam to line up shots but make a note of landmarks, like bunkers, trees or objects on your shot line that you can use to help line up shots without the Scout cam; a practice round will also help you anticipate the direction and distance of the rollout when the ball lands which can help you avoid rolling into water, and other hazards, or rolling through greens that slant away from you; you will also find the overhead map to be useful to help you line up shots; (3) depending on how much time you have, play practice rounds using each pin setting to find out which pins are going to present problems; because we play some rounds on very firm and very fast, we occasionally encounter a pin where stopping the ball near the hole will be very difficult, if possible at all, and the better play may be to putt or chip to a flat area near the pin from which you might have an easier next putt; (4) as Sam Snead once advised, play for par on every hole; you won't birdie every hole in these conditions, and you can easily bogey a hole or worse by playing too aggressively; you have to manage the course in these conditions so don't always shoot at the pin; (5) like real golf, forget the bad hole (you will have some bad holes), learn how to manage the damage, forget it and move on; golf in these conditions is a war of attrition; it can be frustrating, but don't let the frustration lead to emotional decisions - if you double bogey a hole, you don't have to make it up by trying to eagle the next one; play for par on every hole because you will score better in this format if you avoid the train wrecks instead of trying to pile up birdies.

Everyone has their own thoughts about this format and maybe some will share theirs here; these are a few of mine.

Welcome to the grind!

Hi Olly, you said that you "found your tour via youtube". I was not aware that PLAYPGATOUR had any vids on YouTube - can you give me a link please so that I can take a look? Thanks!

Very good response Charlie, even I picked up a tip or two from what you wrote!