June 8, 2008 -- Gone are the days when you the winning score at TPC Southwind meant being a double-digit number under par, and often that first digit was crooked. In 1996, John Cook won this tournament, at this golf course, with a score of 258 -- or 26 under par. This year, there was a three-way playoff to determine a winner -- all players at 4-under par.

Justin Leonard has two PGA Tour wins at the TPC Southwind. (Photo: Getty Images)

But golf fans know that the TPC Southwind that Justin Leonard prevailed on this year is a far cry from the TPC Southwind of years past. In 2005, the course underwent extensive renovations to create a more challenging test for the top players in the world, and boy did they get it. But I don't know that any of the players that the course would play this tough. The U.S. Open is supposed to be next week!

And that brings us to this week's "A Lesson Learned." Sometimes, probably often, you are going to find yourself on a golf course that is unfamiliar and often, more difficult that you are used to. If you travel around to play golf, or you take part in a tournament at a course that you aren't familiar with, your mindset should adjust as well. Even if you are birdie machine at your home course, tough conditions mean making some tough decisions. This week's tournament is a great example of this.

Dean Wilson had himself in great shape as he was on the last few holes of his final round. Sitting at 4-under par, his drive found the right rough on the par five 16th hole. There he was, 285 yards out with his ball sitting in the rough. Knowing the course was playing tough all week, he still chose to take a rip for the green. He ended up pulling his shot way left, he got stymied behind a tree, and when his putt finally settled into the cup, he had made a double-bogey on the hole. He managed to par no. 17 but then double bogyed the final hole as well. In three holes, really based on one poor decision, he went from 4 under par (which would have put him in the playoff) to even par and a tie for 13th place.

So what do you do when the conditions are tough or the course is unfamiliar? AVOID THE BIG NUMBER. That mindset will help your score immensely. Don't think of it as defensive golf, think of it as smart golf.

The rule of thumb I suggest is consider every shot available, and know that you have a 75% chance of hitting the shot successfully before trying to execute it. Look for the areas that provide the most room for recovery and don't look at the flagstick on your approach shots, but aim for the large part of the green. The old saying is, you can't win a tournament on the first day, but you sure can lose it. That's especially true if the course is not going to give up a bunch of birdies -- similar to how tough TPC Southwind was playing this week.

Many players enjoy playing aggressive, especially when they go somewhere new. "I didn't come all the way out here to lay up," is a familiar refrain. Well, I hope you didn't come all the way out there to shoot a bunch of triple bogeys either.

This is a perfect segue into this week's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. We all know that the winning score isn't going to be 20 under at a USGA set up, and having a good swing is only half the battle when you undergo a test like the Open. Great players can think their way around the course, put themselves in good positions, grind out par after par (a key in major championships) and make a birdie or two when the opportunity presents itself. I guess that's what makes great players -- great players.

But you can learn from tournaments such as major championships and this week's Stanford St. Jude. When you know the course isn't giving out birdies, don't put yourself in position to take too many doubles or triples either. Smart playing means better scores, and for many people, that means more fun. And that's a lesson we could all use.

Brain Dixon is a PGA Instructor at Windy Hill Golf Academy in Smyrna, GA. Dixon was a two-time All-American at Columbus State University and won the 1989 Division II Men's National Championship. He has played in numerous Tour events including this year's South Georgia Classic. He can be reached via email at golfball384@yahoo.com