Part 4: Course and Competition

Technique determines what shots you are capable of. Strategy determines which shots you choose. The gap between a player's ball-striking ability and their scoring average is almost always explained by decision-making — not by a lack of physical skill. This part covers course management, the mental game, and playing conditions: the three domains that determine how well a player converts their technique into a score. A 12-handicap who makes good decisions consistently will beat a 10-handicap who makes poor ones more often than the handicaps suggest.