A couple of months ago, good friend of the site, Kris McEwen, extended an invitation to me to be the fourth in a group they had traveling up to Green Lake, Wisconsin to play the Golf Courses of Lawsonia. The main course there is a legendary original Langford/Moreau course from 1930. It’s amazing. The second course is a newer, less impressive course called The Woodlands, but it’s still fun and a great property. Anyway, this was to be “a leave the house at 4am, golf all day, get home late at night” adventure. Based on my own experiences, I thought I’d provide some advice on how to prepare for one of these big golf days.
Assess Your Day
The most important part in preparation is knowing what exactly you have ahead of you. Before I do anything, I check the weather forecast the day before I’m set to leave. While most of the basics will remain the same, weather could add or subtract some essentials that you need to bring. Is it going to be really hot? I’ll bring a pair of shoes for each round (well, at least two pairs of shoes to rotate). I’ll also bring a pair of socks for each round. Thank me later. Going to be cool? Throw a quarter zip in the car. Rain that you can still play in? Make sure you have rain gear including multiple pairs of rain gloves. (If you’re playing 36+ holes, rain gloves could be a problem if the rain is steady.)
Take a look at the course you’re playing too. Know what you’re dealing with. If you’re a huge golf gear hoarder like us, you may bring a different club setup than normal. If you’re walking, your push cart might be an absolute must depending the on the size and layout. And don’t forget supplies. Does the clubhouse have food that will work for you? Is there even a clubhouse at all? In the event that something like that may be a problem for you, you can prepare accordingly.
Make a List
I’m not a big list guy, but I support making a list in this case. Golf is full of a lot of small details in order to be best prepared. This makes it just as easy to forget the most basic no-brainer things. Hell, I even wrote a post about being prepared to supply fellow DRH’er Tommy because he ALWAYS forgets something important. Read that post here. But if I’m honest, I’m not immune to similar issues occurring. So in the event I’m driving 3+ hours to golf all day, I really want to make sure I think of and pack everything I’ll need. So I make a list.
That list will include everything from “checking my tee supply is stocked in my bag” to “iPhone cable”. While one can just assume things like golf balls and gloves are standard, there’s nothing worse than having to drop $100 in the pro shop for a dozen balls and a golf glove. (Obviously we’re only buying the premium stuff, we’re huge golf guys.) I’ve gotten to the point where my list won’t just say “golf shoes”, but I’ll specifically write down exactly which pairs of golf shoes I’m bringing. Just write ALL of it down and check it off as you pack.
Final Thoughts – How to Prepare For a Big Golf Day
I admit, many of the things you might forget will be readily available at a decent pro shop. But why spend the extra money if you don’t have to? I mean, forget your shoes and balls when you have 36 holes or more to play, you could be out hundreds of dollars in addition to greens fees AND food and beverage. God forbid lodging too. In my case at Lawsonia, I couldn’t just run home and grab something either. I was 3 hours away from my house! So it’s best just to take a little time and write out a list. Better safe than sorry. Maybe it’s just me, but that’s how I like to prepare for a big day of golf so I’m not pissed at myself for forgetting the basics. Last piece of advice: always prepare for the worst and pack too much in the car.
