Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series where we share improvements, insights and variety from amateur golfers like you — including some of the obstacles and challenges they’ve encountered along the way.

One over par!

Never in my life would I have believed it was possible, but after recently playing a round at the Fairmont Whistler in Canada, I left the course on cloud nine knowing that I was capable of hitting lower than I ever expected.

Here’s a little backstory.

In January, I described Whistler as a dream golf vacation destination and detailed some of the area’s best golf courses. To my surprise, I received an email inviting me to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler this summer for a trip that included rounds of golf and 5-star service.

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Fast forward to last weekend and my family and I packed up the old Jeep Wrangler to make the 4-hour drive from Seattle to the Canadian oasis for the weekend. Not only did the hotel get us a suite with a breathtaking view (our room’s balcony had a 180-degree view of the Blackcomb Mountains), but they also made sure we ate like royalty at each of the on-site restaurants.

Let’s be honest: what could be better than eating a 180g beef fillet after a long day of golf and enjoying a few glasses of first-class red wine? Not much.

But we weren’t here to eat and write restaurant reviews. We came to the Fairmont Whistler for one reason only – to play golf!

We had a busy schedule those two days, but we managed to get through it (yes, that’s sarcasm).

After arriving on Monday morning, I played 9 holes before dinner. My goal was to shoot 40 from the front tees – a challenge set by GOLF Top 100 instructor Scott Munroe and a practice strategy also used by Bryson DeChambeau.

Unfortunately, I missed my target by a small margin and shot a 42. But I birdied the last two holes, so I had some momentum there…or so I thought.

5 things that led to my one-over score on the Fairmont Whistler golf course

Tuesday was a dream for every golf lover: We were taken by bus to the driving range of the Fairmont Whistler, where we were able to practice for a few hours and then have something to eat before playing 18 holes.

I wasn’t hitting the ball very well on the driving range – especially with my driver – which obviously had me worried before playing on 18, but, hey, maybe some food and some time before teeing off would help straighten some things out.

Spoiler alert: At first, that wasn’t the case.

Remember all that momentum I was hoping to get out of Monday’s round? Yes, it evaporated in the thin mountain air as I shot a whopping 54 (!) on the exact same 9 holes I played less than 24 hours earlier. I even shot a damn 10 on one hole after being OB and having to struggle to get out of a nasty greenside bunker. Nasty stuff that only novice golfers can do.

But I pulled myself together and trusted the process. I forced myself to persevere, clear my head and just play loosely.

In a way, that’s why I’m so proud of my one-over score on the back 9 – because I didn’t accept that I “didn’t have it” that day, as some golfers often mistakenly do. So what changed between the terrible front 9 and the remarkable back 9? Here are the five most important things for me.

1. Playing from the front tees

I’m sure there are more than a few golfers out there who question the whole “round of my life” thing because I played from the front tees. But I set a goal to shoot under 40 from the front tees (which is no easy feat anyway), and the fact that I managed to do that by a few strokes makes me pretty happy.

As mentioned above, playing from the front tees may not be a popular move, but for those looking to gain confidence and work on all types of shots, I recommend giving it a try. Plus, the total length from the front tees at the Fairmont Whistler course is still over 5,600 yards, so it’s not so short that you can only use a 7-iron off the tee.

Whether you’ve played some inconsistent rounds lately and need a confidence boost, or you’re looking to start incorporating some swing changes from the range to the course, playing from the front tees is the way to go.

2. Speed ​​with my driver

If I don’t put effort into my setup, I very often swing my driver as if I were trying to hit a moving object like a baseball. This gets me into trouble on the tee shot as the face is open and causes slice shots.

However, during this one-shot-over-par round, I made it a point to slow down. I know this isn’t always recommended by instructors – especially if you’re looking to gain more clubhead speed and distance – but with many holes maxing out at 300 yards, I didn’t have to think about crushing it.

The results speak for themselves: I hit every fairway I used my driver on – I even made it to the green twice.

By focusing on my tempo and maintaining good sequence and balance, I was able to find the center of the clubface much more often.

3. Know (and trust) my carrying distances

There are probably a handful of people reading this who have no idea what their carry lengths are – and I was one of those people before my round at Fairmont Whistler. But after spending two hours on the driving range and doing a bit of practice, I was able to get a feel for every club in my bag.

During this exercise, I tested myself by trying to estimate my distances (since I had access to a launch monitor). In some cases, I was actually spot on, coming within a few yards of the distance my shot traveled.

Understanding (and trusting) how far I could hit the golf ball with each club made a huge difference in my one-over round. Even if I missed a shot, I knew it would travel some distance.

A good example was the 18th hole, a 498-yard par 5.

I used a hybrid tee shot because there was a creek about 250 yards from the tee, but hooked it to the left. Then I tried to reach the green with a 5-wood – which in hindsight was a bit much to ask. I bent the shot and had to hold onto it.

My third shot was from the rough at about 120 yards with a small patch of fescue blocking my club path. Instead of going with a 9 iron, I actually took a 7 iron, grabbed it hard and hit it full on. My ball landed just to the left of the green, giving me a chance to go up and down to save par (which I did).

So get familiar with each club in your bag, hit a few balls with each one, and make sure you’re collecting data so you can have peace of mind on the course. That definitely helped me.

4. Putting speed

Anyone who knows me knows that I like to refer to putting as the great equalizer in golf – which is essentially my way of saying that a hot putter can save a round. In my case, it is actually made my round.

You see, I hit the ball better than I ever have in this one-over round. I hit the fairways with my driver and my approach shots landed either on or off every green, giving me the opportunity to score low.

Given the number of greens in regulation I hit, I was able to focus my attention from trying to make every first putt to save par or bogey to trying to get it just close enough to give myself a makeable second putt for birdie or par. This was unlike any other round I’ve played before.

As a chronic 3-putter, I no longer had to play defensively or with tension in my shot, but could instead calmly hit each putt to within 2-3 feet and hope that I would automatically finish each hole. It worked wonders.

5. Bragging

As a mid-handicap player, it can be difficult to ever feel truly confident on the golf course. Sure, there may be a hole or two where you hit fantastic shots and come away with a birdie, but that’s never the norm for someone who normally plays bogey golf.

But during this round at the Fairmont Whistler golf course, my mindset was completely different.

When I realized I had a chance to get under 40 (which happened after hole 5 when I was two over par), my mindset changed from hope to expectation. I was confident that I would make every shot that was in front of me, regardless of club choice. This made a huge difference and allowed me to trust my process and play without pressure.

You can find more information about the Fairmont Chateau Whistler golf course here!

Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Publisher