Donald Ross’s five best golf courses are Pinehurst No. 2, Seminole Golf Club, The Broadmoor (East & West), Pine Needles, and Scioto Country Club.
These layouts stand out for their strategic design, championship history, and the way they test every part of your game—keep reading to see exactly why each one earns its spot.
What Makes a Donald Ross Course Unique – And Challenging
Donald Ross didn’t design golf courses to overpower players—he designed them to out-think them.
His layouts reward precision, creativity, and patience, offering a style of play that still challenges today’s most skilled golfers in ways modern designs often don’t.
A Legacy of Design That Makes You Think
At the heart of Ross’s design philosophy is the belief that the course itself should be the ultimate teacher.
Rather than dictating one “correct” way to play a hole, Ross layouts offer options—some safer, some riskier—and make you weigh trade-offs before every shot.
You’ll notice that many of his greens are angled relative to the fairway, subtly shaping the best approach route without announcing it.
On top of that, he favored false fronts and turtle-back greens—raised surfaces that repel off-center or overly aggressive shots.
Land a ball just a few feet off your target, and it can easily roll back off the green, down a slope, or into a collection area that demands a delicate recovery.
Unlike flatter, more formulaic layouts, Ross courses use the land as it lies.
He didn’t move massive amounts of earth. Instead, he followed the terrain—letting ridgelines, hollows, and natural slopes define hole flow.
This results in layouts that feel organic but are deceptively strategic, especially around the greens.
Strategy Over Power—Every Time
Ross courses aren’t about distance; they’re about decisions.
They test your ability to:
- Shape shots left-to-right or right-to-left to hold narrow landing zones
- Control spin and trajectory, especially into elevated greens or when attacking from tight lies
- Read contours on and around greens, where slopes often work against your assumptions
- Play the smart miss, knowing that sometimes aiming away from the pin gives you the best chance at par
Distance helps, but it won’t save you if you don’t understand angles or lack short-game precision.
These courses consistently expose poor planning and indecisive execution, even in single-digit handicappers and professionals.
Timeless Architecture from a Different Era
Ross began designing courses in the early 1900s, well before modern bulldozers or computer-generated mapping.
That constraint became his strength.
Working largely with what nature gave him, he created holes that blend into the landscape rather than dominate it.
This approach lends his courses a timeless feel, even as equipment and athleticism have evolved.
What’s remarkable is how well his courses hold up in elite competition.
Events like the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, and U.S. Women’s Open have returned to Ross layouts time and again—not because they’re long, but because they demand intelligence and nerve.
Why Ross Designs Still Matter Today
Modern architects regularly reference Ross’s principles because they’ve proven resilient across generations.
Where some courses have become obsolete with the rise of power golf, Ross’s still force top players to hit specific spots and execute under pressure.
For competitive players, Ross courses are ideal for developing golf IQ.
They push you to play with discipline, think ahead, and constantly adjust.
For course design enthusiasts, they’re living examples of how routing, angles, and natural shaping can create depth without length.
Whether you're playing a public-access Ross like Pine Needles or navigating the private corridors of Seminole, the challenge is never about beating the course—it's about understanding it.
And that’s what makes Donald Ross’s work not just influential, but endlessly rewarding.
Pinehurst No. 2 – Precision and Patience in Southern Pines
Pinehurst No. 2 doesn’t reward aggression—it punishes it.
This course demands patience, control, and a deep understanding of how your ball will react once it hits the ground, especially around the famously unforgiving greens.
Landing is Not the Same as Holding
The defining challenge at Pinehurst No. 2 is the turtle-back green design.
These convex, slightly elevated greens repel golf balls that land even a few feet off target.
A well-struck iron that hits the green without the right amount of spin or trajectory won’t stay—it’ll simply roll off the side or back, leaving a recovery shot from a tightly mown slope or hardpan.
To give yourself a chance at scoring, you need to treat each approach like a surgical shot. Precision is non-negotiable.
The safest play is often to aim for the center or front section of the green, especially if the pin is tucked behind a slope or close to an edge.
Wedge play becomes crucial here—not just distance control, but also spin rates, flight windows, and how the ball behaves once it lands.
Before you go, practice low-trajectory wedge shots that land soft and stop quickly.
The more control you have over spin and landing zones, the more likely you are to “stick” a green rather than just visit it.
Around the Green, Smart Misses Matter
Missing a green isn’t always a disaster—unless you miss on the wrong side.
The areas around the greens at No. 2 are filled with what’s often called “Humpty-hole” topography: random-looking humps, hollows, and shaved-down slopes that kick your ball further away or leave you with an awkward lie.
And not all of them give you a reasonable angle back to the pin.
Ironically, bunkers can sometimes offer a safer recovery than the surrounding slopes.
If you're between going long or short, and one option leaves you in a tightly mown run-off while the other ends up in a greenside trap, the trap may be the smarter choice.
Sand shots at least give you a consistent lie to work with—rare around these greens.
Your prep should include practicing short chips and bump-and-runs off tight lies.
Bring a low-lofted club like an 8-iron into your short game routine.
You’ll need it more than you think.
It Starts from the Tee—But Not with Power
The fairways at Pinehurst No. 2 aren’t always tight, but they are rarely flat.
The slopes and doglegs on many holes place a premium on where you hit it, not how far.
That’s why angle matters more than distance here.
Take the time to study the preferred side of each fairway during your prep—either with a yardage book, flyover, or caddie insight.
Often, one side of the fairway gives you a far better angle into the green, allowing for a lower-stress approach and a higher margin of error on your landing spot.
Club down off the tee if needed. A long iron or hybrid to the correct side of a fairway often beats a driver that leaves you blocked out or forces a carry over a slope.
Walk the Course, Feel the Contours
One of the most overlooked advantages you can give yourself is walking the course—ideally with a local caddie.
Pinehurst No. 2 is a course where understanding subtle slopes and green contours can change how you choose lines, approach angles, and recovery shots.
A good caddie here does more than carry your bag.
They read the course with a kind of intuition built on repetition—where the false fronts begin, which slopes feed the ball toward or away from the hole, and when to play for par instead of chasing a pin.
If possible, book an early morning tee time, bring a caddie, and allow enough time to walk the course without rushing.
It’s one of the few ways to pick up on the nuanced feel of Pinehurst No. 2’s surfaces, especially before the greens firm up as the day goes on.
Preparation You Can’t Skip
Before you step onto the first tee, here’s a condensed prep checklist:
- Practice high-spin wedge shots with short landing zones
- Work on bump-and-run chips from hardpan or tight lies
- Study fairway angles—especially which side gives better approaches
- Build in a walk with a caddie to learn green and fairway contours in real-time
- Target early tee times for better conditions and a more focused round
Pinehurst No. 2 doesn’t beat you with hazards or water—it wears you down through subtlety.
If you’re not paying attention, it’ll quietly turn small mistakes into double bogeys.
But if you approach it with control, precision, and patience, it offers one of the most rewarding rounds of golf you’ll ever play.
Seminole Golf Club – Reading Wind, Ridges, and Risk
Seminole doesn’t overwhelm you with length—it dissects your game with angles, elevation, and relentless wind changes.
Built across natural dune ridges and coastal terrain, this private Donald Ross gem turns course knowledge and ball control into necessities, not luxuries.
The Constant Factor: Wind
Seminole’s defining trait isn’t its routing or bunkering—it’s the wind.
Thanks to its seaside location in Juno Beach, Florida, each hole is exposed to different wind directions, and those conditions can shift rapidly throughout the day.
You’ll face everything from headwinds to crosswinds, sometimes on the same nine.
Because of this, no single ball flight works for the entire round. You’ll need to be comfortable hitting both draws and fades, adjusting trajectory mid-round, and recalibrating club selection even when your distances feel familiar. For example, a 7-iron that normally flies 160 yards might carry 175 with a tailwind or stall at 145 into a stiff breeze.
What separates players at Seminole is their ability to read the wind, not just feel it.
That means planning for where the wind will move the ball, not just how far it’ll carry.
Reviewing a hole-by-hole wind map—or better yet, visiting the course with someone who knows its tendencies—can save you multiple strokes.
Routing Across Ridges: Every Hole Feels Different
Donald Ross leveraged 14 of Seminole’s 18 holes along or across dune ridges, which not only adds vertical movement but also shapes shot options.
Elevation changes here are subtle but meaningful.
A tee shot from a high point into a low fairway might invite a run-out, while the reverse could kill a drive prematurely.
What’s more, elevation and wind often combine to amplify mistakes.
A high fade into a headwind might balloon and stall, while a low draw might run too far down a ridge and into trouble.
Seminole tests how well you understand cause and effect—especially under pressure.
Because of the complex routing, it helps to study flyovers or walkthroughs of each hole before your round.
Try to get a sense of which holes play into the wind, which favor a fade or draw, and how elevation might affect carry versus rollout.
This course rewards the prepared player, not just the skilled one.
Angled Greens and Unforgiving Targets
Seminole’s greens don’t just demand accuracy—they demand the right kind of accuracy.
Many of them are narrow, tilted, and angled in a way that rewards an approach from one side of the fairway and penalizes from the other.
If you miss the fairway on the wrong side, you're often staring down a nearly impossible angle to access a back-right or tucked pin.
Worse, the back of many greens slopes away or falls off completely, so going long can be as punishing as a mishit short.
Precision placement into these greens is non-negotiable.
You can’t rely on bailouts—you need to pick your angles from the tee to ensure a playable second shot.
The best preparation here is to work on shaping mid-irons both directions and dialing in distances for partial swings.
You won’t always have a full shot, but you’ll need to commit to whatever shape gets you the safest line in.
Bunkers with Purpose
The bunkering at Seminole is distinct—Ross didn’t use them just for aesthetics. Instead of long, sweeping bunkers, you’ll find small, isolated traps in strategic spots. These “staccato-style” bunkers often guard the front corners of greens or pinch landing zones off the tee.
They’re placed to make you think twice—not just about where the ball should go, but what happens if you miss.
Avoiding them isn’t just about staying in play—it’s about staying in position to score.
To handle this, plan your tee shots around where you don’t want to end up.
If the fairway narrows at 270 yards with bunkers left and right, a 3-wood or long iron to 245 might be smarter.
The real penalty at Seminole often isn’t the lost stroke—it’s the loss of angle.
Access, Prep, and Playing Smart
Seminole is a private club, and access is limited.
That said, guest play is possible via member invitation or select charity and tournament entries.
If you have an opportunity to play it, treat it like a serious competitive round.
Spend time before your visit reviewing course flyovers, wind charts, and hole-by-hole routing.
Focus your prep on shot shaping, flight control, and precision targeting—especially with irons.
This isn’t a place where you overpower the layout. It’s one where the smarter player wins.
Ultimately, Seminole is Ross at his most demanding: every hole forces a decision, every green tests your judgment, and every shot into the wind makes you pause.
Come in with a plan, and you’ll appreciate just how good this design really is.
Come in unprepared, and it will expose you—fast.
The Broadmoor (East & West) – High Altitude, Higher Expectations
Golf at The Broadmoor is as much about mental recalibration as it is about physical execution.
Located over 6,000 feet above sea level in Colorado Springs, this resort features two contrasting courses—one rooted in Ross tradition, the other layered with modern elements—but both demand adjustments few other courses require.
The Altitude Isn’t Just a Number
At around 6,250 feet of elevation, the thinner air at The Broadmoor causes golf balls to travel significantly farther—roughly 10–15% beyond your sea-level yardages.
That means your usual 8-iron that carries 150 yards might now fly closer to 165.
But this isn’t just a simple math problem.
The higher you hit it, the more exaggerated the effect, so wedge shots and long irons are affected differently.
You also can’t rely on spin the same way.
The ball tends to carry longer, launch higher, and stop shorter due to reduced air resistance and less friction on the greens.
Approach shots that normally hold might skip forward or bounce more than expected.
This change forces a complete recalibration of your yardages and trajectory management—especially into elevated greens or when attacking tucked pins.
One of the best things you can do before your round is spend time on the practice range testing each club. Don’t guess distances.
Write them down or update your yardage book to reflect your adjusted carry numbers at altitude.
Two Courses, Two Different Experiences
The East Course is a pure expression of Ross’s architectural DNA.
It features classic shaping, angled greens, and subtle elevation changes that make positional play critical.
If you stray too far from the intended landing zones, your approach angles become awkward, and you're forced to execute more difficult shots with less margin for error.
The West Course, built later, is more modern in both feel and challenge.
It plays tighter in spots, with more forced carries, steeper elevation changes, and a greater emphasis on power off the tee.
Transitioning from East to West over 18 or 36 holes means you’ll need to adjust your strategy mid-round—shifting from cerebral control to more assertive ball-striking.
If you’re playing both, keep your mindset flexible.
The East rewards calculated play and restraint, while the West asks for confident execution and precise carry numbers.
Strategy Starts Before the First Tee
To give yourself a meaningful edge at The Broadmoor, study the layout in advance.
Digital flyovers, hole guides, or even a GPS-based app can help you understand which holes play downhill, which are uphill, and how elevation changes will affect rollout.
Some downhill holes may seem short but punish over-clubbing, while others deceive with false fronts or tilted greens that don’t hold well.
Your tee strategy should favor controlled placement over aggression.
At altitude, balls don’t just fly farther—they roll more.
Driver can get you into trouble quickly if you don’t account for slopes and runout distances.
Often, a hybrid or fairway wood off the tee is the smarter option, especially on East Course holes that demand a specific angle into the green.
Approaches require similar discipline.
Even if you're left with a short iron, take note of green contours, firmness, and elevation.
Hitting it hole-high doesn’t always give you the best putt—sometimes, aiming short and letting the ball release toward the flag is the safer, smarter play.
Know Before You Go: Resort Access and Scheduling
Unlike more exclusive Ross layouts, The Broadmoor is accessible through its stay-and-play resort packages.
Booking is generally flexible, and the staff is experienced in accommodating players who want to test both courses over a weekend.
Make sure to book early during peak months—summer tends to fill quickly due to the weather and tournament traffic.
Also, consider arriving a day early to adjust to the altitude. It affects more than your ball flight—it can also impact your stamina, focus, and hydration.
Walking 18 holes at elevation without preparing for it can catch up with you, especially if you’re used to sea-level golf.
Finally, don’t overlook your short game.
Chips and pitches behave differently in thinner air, often releasing more than you expect.
Practice touch shots that land soft and roll out longer than usual.
You’ll be glad you did once you find yourself navigating Ross’s contoured green complexes.
Pine Needles – A More Forgiving (But Still Smart) Ross Experience
Pine Needles offers a gentler version of the Pinehurst No. 2 experience, but don't mistake that for easy.
It still demands thoughtful play, especially around the greens, while giving you just enough breathing room to recover and learn as you go.
Ross Shaping, with a Bit More Breathing Room
At first glance, Pine Needles looks and feels like a cousin to Pinehurst No. 2.
That’s no accident—it shares the same crowned green shaping, closely-mown surrounds, and naturally rolling fairways.
But where Pinehurst’s turtle-backs are relentlessly severe, Pine Needles is a bit more inviting.
The slopes around the greens are still active, but they’re less likely to reject solid shots or punish every minor miss.
This makes it an ideal course for sharpening your understanding of Donald Ross’s design philosophy.
You still need to think strategically and control your ball flight, but the course gives you more options—particularly for approach shots that use the ground.
Rather than trying to fly the ball all the way to tight pins, many holes reward a lower, controlled run-up that uses the slopes to your advantage.
Smart Approaches: When Flying It Hurts More Than Helps
A key adjustment for success at Pine Needles is learning when not to go directly at the flag.
Many greens have natural tilt or contouring that favors a ground approach, especially if you’re playing from the correct side of the fairway.
Trying to fly the ball to a back pin with a high spinny wedge may look good in the air but often leads to a bounce over the back or a tricky downhill putt.
Instead, use trajectory as a tool. Keep it low when the greens are firm and take advantage of uphill slopes or backstops.
Practice punch 8-irons or flighted wedges with extra roll-out—the kind of shots that let you land 10 yards short and watch the ball trickle into scoring position.
Because the course is less punitive, it’s also a great place to test these shots under real playing conditions.
You can experiment, make adjustments, and build confidence in your ground game without being penalized for every miscalculation.
Championship Pedigree, Real-World Accessibility
Pine Needles has hosted four U.S. Women’s Opens, which speaks volumes about its ability to test elite players.
The layout holds up under pressure, but it also adapts to different skill levels depending on tee selection.
If you want to see how your game stacks up, consider playing from the back tees—it’s not just about distance, but about how well you manage angles and approach positioning.
One major advantage here is that Pine Needles is a public-access resort.
Tee times are easier to book, and practice facilities are excellent.
That accessibility makes it a practical course to add to your game improvement itinerary, especially if you’re already visiting the Sandhills region.
Many golfers pair a round at Pinehurst No. 2 with one at Pine Needles—either as a warm-up or as a post-challenge recovery round.
That combo lets you apply what you’ve learned about Ross’s green shaping and angles, but with more margin for error.
It’s a smart one-two punch for anyone looking to sharpen their course management.
Practice with Purpose Before You Arrive
To make the most of Pine Needles, focus your pre-trip prep on:
- Learning how to control run-up shots from different lies
- Practicing low-trajectory approaches that land short and release
- Getting comfortable with reading green contours and putting from distance
- Trying bump-and-run chips with everything from wedges to short irons
Because the green surrounds are more forgiving but still closely mown, you'll face plenty of short-game situations that reward creativity over textbook technique.
The more tools you have—flop, chip, putt, punch—the more confident you’ll feel once you’re on site.
Scioto Country Club – Tournament-Tested Ross Routing
Scioto Country Club is a prime example of Donald Ross’s routing brilliance—tight, efficient, and quietly demanding.
It’s not flashy at first glance, but its layout has stood up to five major championships for a reason: everything about it is strategically placed to challenge disciplined golfers and reward thoughtful play.
A Masterclass in Routing and Flow
One of the standout qualities of Scioto is how intuitively it moves from hole to hole.
Ross’s original routing keeps tee boxes close to previous greens, making the walk feel natural and efficient. But that compact footprint doesn’t mean it’s easy.
In fact, the sequencing of holes is where the challenge quietly builds.
Certain tee shots may seem straightforward, only to reveal that your position off the tee has a direct and significant impact on your ability to hold the next green.
This routing demands constant engagement.
You’ll rarely find two holes that feel similar, and that variation keeps you from slipping into a rhythm—by design.
It forces you to reevaluate your strategy from hole to hole, not just based on distance but based on lie, slope, and approach angle.
Bringing a routing map or course guide into your prep routine helps more than usual at Scioto.
Because the course feels tight and fast-paced, knowing what’s coming can help you slow your thinking down and prepare with more intention.
Some of the most common mistakes here come from underestimating what's around the corner.
Bunkers and Slopes with Tournament Teeth
Scioto has hosted major events, including the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, not because of brute force but because of precision.
Ross’s bunkering here is surgical.
You won’t find endless sand just for the sake of it—each bunker is placed to test your course management.
Fairway traps force conservative lines off the tee, while greenside bunkers are often better than the alternative: being on the wrong side of a slope.
The sloped greens are what elevate this challenge into championship territory.
Many putts are downhill or sidehill, and a poor miss around the green often results in a recovery that’s harder than the original shot.
Understanding where not to miss becomes as important as your aiming point.
Short-sided chips are especially punishing, and going long into a back slope can lead to a two-chip scenario if you aren’t careful.
Success here often comes from restraint—choosing the smart miss, hitting to the middle of the green, and resisting the temptation to chase pins unless the angle and distance are perfect.
It’s a course that gives back only when you show respect for its subtleties.
Strategic Yardage Control Is Non-Negotiable
Yardage management is the deciding factor at Scioto.
The course doesn’t stretch to extreme distances, but the subtle elevation shifts and precision-based approach shots mean you need to know your carry distances to the yard.
Even slight misjudgments can leave you in a bunker, on a false edge, or chipping back toward the fairway.
What sets good rounds apart here is the ability to play positional golf.
That might mean laying back to a full wedge rather than pushing up for a half-shot.
Or choosing a 3-wood off the tee because the ideal angle into a green starts from the right rough line at 235, not the centerline at 270.
This is where digital tools or old-school yardage books can really help—Scioto rewards players who manage space wisely.
Access and Preparation
As a private club, Scioto isn’t open to public tee times, but access is possible through a few channels—member guests, regional amateur events, or through local affiliations.
It’s worth the effort. If you’re planning to play, reach out early, inquire about guest policies, and see if there are events or charity rounds where visitors are welcomed.
Prep-wise, study the routing and flyovers to visualize how the course flows.
Focus your practice time on directional wedges, lag putting, and recovery shots from sloped lies.
You won’t always be in ideal positions here, but managing your mistakes and understanding green dynamics will help you avoid big numbers.
Scioto doesn’t shout its difficulty—it reveals it gradually.
The slopes don’t look steep until your ball rolls off the green.
The bunkers don’t look threatening until you’re forced to aim away from a pin.
But for those who value smart golf and clean architecture, few courses offer a better window into Ross’s ability to challenge without overwhelming.
How to Prepare for a Donald Ross Golf Experience
Playing a Donald Ross course isn’t just about showing up with your A-game—it’s about understanding the nuances that make his designs both subtle and demanding.
A little focused preparation goes a long way toward turning frustration into enjoyment and missed greens into manageable recoveries.
Sharpen the Right Parts of Your Game
Ross’s layouts expose weaknesses that don’t always show up elsewhere, especially around the greens and in the approach game.
To prepare, spend less time worrying about distance and more time honing specific skills that translate directly to on-course success.
Start with your short game on hardpan and tight lies.
Many Ross greens are surrounded by shaved slopes and compact turf, making standard flop shots unreliable.
Practice bump-and-runs with mid-irons and low-launch chips that hug the ground.
Get comfortable reading how the ball reacts when it lands on firm turf instead of soft fringe.
Controlled wedge trajectories are just as important.
Whether it’s Pinehurst’s turtle-back greens or Scioto’s sloped edges, you can’t rely on high, spinning shots alone.
You need the ability to flight wedges lower, land them short, and control rollout.
Work on keeping your swing tempo steady and your ball flights consistent, especially from inside 100 yards.
If you’re heading to a course like Seminole, wind management becomes a key part of your prep.
Focus on controlling ball flight with your irons.
Learn to take one extra club and swing easier into the wind, or take less and flight it low when playing downwind.
Practice draws and fades on command—not just for shape, but for holding lines against a cross breeze.
For trips to higher-elevation courses like The Broadmoor, recalibrate your distances in advance.
Expect roughly 10–15% added carry, and test your clubs at altitude if possible. If not, use a launch monitor to project adjusted distances so you’re not guessing mid-round.
Long irons will be affected more than wedges, and rollout will increase off the tee.
Do the Homework: Tools That Build Confidence
Preparation doesn’t stop at the range. Ross’s designs reward players who understand the layout before they swing a club.
Yardage books, hole-by-hole flyovers, and restoration reports offer invaluable insight into how the course is meant to play.
Many Ross layouts have been restored in recent years, with bunkers reshaped and greens expanded to match original blueprints.
These changes can affect angles and green behavior, even if the scorecard yardage remains the same.
Studying these resources ahead of time lets you step onto the first tee with a plan.
You’ll know where to miss, where to play safe, and which holes allow a more aggressive approach.
Walk the Course—With a Caddie, If You Can
Ross designs are built to be walked, and there’s good reason for that.
Walking lets you feel the subtleties of fairway slopes, green tilts, and elevation changes in a way riding carts can’t replicate.
When a caddie is available—especially at courses like Pinehurst or Seminole—it’s worth every penny.
Experienced caddies do more than provide yardages.
They know how the greens break based on pin placement, they know which slopes feed balls toward trouble, and they’ll steer you away from mental traps that don’t show up on a scorecard.
Their knowledge of the terrain is a shortcut to better decision-making—and fewer wasted shots.
Booking and Timing Tips to Maximize the Experience
Getting onto a Ross course depends on the venue.
For resort-access layouts like Pinehurst No. 2, Pine Needles, or The Broadmoor, stay-and-play packages are the most reliable way in.
These courses often bundle lodging, tee times, and practice facilities into a cohesive experience that caters to serious players and groups alike.
For private venues like Seminole and Scioto, your options are more limited.
Member invitations, charity events, or guest play arranged through local tournaments are usually the best paths.
It’s worth calling the club or exploring regional amateur circuits to learn about open-play opportunities.
Regardless of where you’re headed, timing matters.
Donald Ross courses play best when the greens are firm and fast—typically after spring or fall renovations.
That’s when you’ll see the full effect of the shaping, contours, and runoffs that define his architectural intent.
Booking your round during these windows gives you the most authentic version of the course and the challenge it’s meant to present.
Conclusion
Donald Ross courses reward smart, adaptable golf—not just raw skill.
Whether you’re playing the famed greens of Pinehurst No. 2 or navigating wind at Seminole, preparation and strategy always matter.
Study the layout, sharpen your short game, and approach each round with patience to get the most out of the experience.
