I am going on a trip this weekend to play some courses for the first time. I’m just curious what other golfers have for strategy and expectation when they head out and play new courses.
Play your safe shots. Stay out of trouble. Enjoy the new scenery and have fun. Don’t let your score dictate your mood but let your mood dictate your score.
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Hit what you can see. If someone tries to tempt to you to cut a corner or “hit it just over that bunker and you should be fine according to the map” don’t do it! First time through, play aim and shoot!
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Perfect advice.
I tend to play a little more aggressively off the tee trying to find the fun lines, and to see what the woods are like lol
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Google maps/google earth to get better view of each hole
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Bring your GPS or laser. Swing away. Have fun.
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This article can help you do some reconnaissance work. As for apps, I’ve found that 18Birdies is also another great way to preview a course before you play.
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If you can sit down with scorecards and/or Google Earth Pro to plan things out (and find that to be an enjoyable experience) then that can be great. In general, though, I just try to approach a new course with zero expectations outside of having fun. Take the time to really look around and take in all the differences from your usual tracks.
I tend to read online about the course to get a feel for it. I also play no more than 6000 yrds so it is not overwhelming or beats me up…
I’m paying to play something new, last thing i wanted is to score badly, and start concentrating on scores and not enjoy the new course.
I’m old-fashioned, but I always buy a paper copy of the course yardage book if one is available. This isn’t a substitute for other prep you might do with Google Earth (see @jon 's article references above) but it can certainly remind you of what you’ve researched. The good ones will often have distances based on bunkers and water and other features, but any information on “width” is likely to be less exact. In addition to helping you chart your way around, you can make notes for your next visit, and it makes a nice souvenir.
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Openfacelefty correct again here. While impossible to tell the height of trees that may or may not come in to play, google lets you see everything that is out there. And if you are familiar with the DECADE system at all, you can get really good aim lines off bunkers or other markers.
If there is a severe dog leg, and it looks like “over the trees” is the correct play, have another option in mind just in case the trees are crazy tall, or closer to the tee than they appear.
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I have an irrational fear of not finding the next tee box, LOL. I put the SwingU app on my phone to study the course and layout, and it gives some distances for the possible shot angles.
“again”? you’re too kind!
We have several tee boxes that are right behind a green but are not the next hole. You can usually pick out guests pretty easily when they try to jump in front of you!
Had same issue growing up when I had first loop as a caddie at the course and I’d only seen the first 3 holes before. Had to lay back and let the members go to next hole first, but unfortunately it was a hole I needed to get out ahead of them on.
Read Jon’s article 
posted above Use a yardage app, I prefer golf pad free version, 18 birdies ain’t bad either. Try’n hit fairway, aim center of green, lag to circle of happiness (3’) Enjoy your trip.
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I like to use Google maps to preview the course. I’ll get a yardage book if they have one, or rely on the GPS App on my phone.
Where I struggle the most on new courses is putting. Give yourself some grace for misreads the first several times on a new course.
This. Depending on the course, my plans and lead time I have I may even make myself a yardage book.
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I used to like playing courses blind since you don’t know of all the trouble and just swing. That worked once in a while.
Yep.
Jump on google earth before and jot down a few notes (spend about 15 minutes, zero in on par 5s and dog legs and the harder holes)
I always buy yardage book as well. There’s always holes that look different off the tee and its great to know where bunkers, woods and doglegs actually are when you are standing on tee
Whenever I play a new course now, I try to temper my expectations (I tend to be very competitive). I try to use the course map and yardage book (if they have one in the pro shop) to help with distances and direction.
My laser and GPS get a workout, but for the most part (and this is especially true as I’ve aged), I just try to have a good time with my foursome, take in the new scenery, and appreciate the course for what it is.