I love a course guide or stroke saver. Whenever I go to a new course it is the one item I hope the pro-shop has in stock. They always serve as a good memento of a new experience, and, tucked in the back pocket out on the course, it’s another prop that can makes us feel one step closer to our professional heroes. But are they really all stroke savers? Surely most of us have at some time purchased a course ‘guide’ only to find it littered with universally applicable and, therefore, utterly unilluminating tips. The following (un)sage like wisdom adorns the pages of a number of course guides in my collection. At this hole… …Club selection is important. …Par is always a welcome score. …A solid tee shot is required. Or… …This hole plays its’ yardage. …Course management is essential on this hole. Well thanks for that! Armed with such rare insight, and ‘don’t tee off without it’ advice, there really is no excuse not to go out and shoot a new course record… However, not all guides are so banal. Indeed, there are a multitude of different styles to be found. Below are three examples of quite different approaches to informing the visiting golfer of the challenge, and opportunity, that lies ahead… London Club International – an intimidating list of hazards… (Shall we just walk these?) 8th hole: This classic par 3 will test the nerve. An elevated tee position, a large water hazard and the constant breeze combine to make this hole treacherous. 16th hole: Wind is always a feature on this hole. Left is no option from the tee as the ground drops away from the fairway. A big green that will take the ball off the back edge will also test your putting skills. Tidworth Garrison – mystical, foretelling (‘Say what now?’) 10th hole: The tree on the left performs the role of a bunker because its influence is more comprehensive. (???) 17th hole: Good players can now be aggressive from the tee as there is a future in being bold. (???) Saunton Golf Club (East) – time machine required (…my personal favourite) 8th hole: When playing the 5th hole, check where the flag is on the 8th as this will assist in finding the correct level with your approach. (The 5th hole was 30 minutes ago…!) London Club International, Tidworth Garrison and Saunton East are all excellent courses by the way – and I would highly recommend playing any or all of them if you get the chance. (Check out these links: Home - London Golf Club; HOME :: Homepage (tidworthgolfclub.co.uk); Saunton Golf Club & Course in North Devon | England | UK ) So, course guides, are they useless or useful? Well, I’m buying one whether they actually save me strokes or not, and I’ll tell you why. Done well, really well, a course guide can elevate the days’ golf experience. Nowhere is this truer, (in my humble experience) than at the St Andrews Links courses. (Courses - St Andrews Links: The Home of Golf). The home of golf has set the ‘stroke saver bar’ extremely high, with the Castle Course deserving special mention. Here the visiting golfer is greeted at the starters station with a wallet containing not only a course guide, but a veritable ‘goody bag’ of tees, pencils, markers etc. It makes you feel like a winner before you’ve even hit a ball and truly does help to get the whole experience off to a special start. Do you have a favourite course guide or piece of stroke saver advice?