Introduced in 2022, The International Series<\/a> is a set of elevated events co-sanctioned by both LIV Golf<\/a> and the Asian Tour. It offers players significant tournament prize funds, the chance to earn world ranking points<\/a> and qualify for Majors, and the opportunity to compete against top-level fields at amazing venues across the globe.<\/p>\n The circuit visits eight different venues in 2026 \u2013 Japan, Singapore, Morocco, India, Hong Kong, China, The Philippines and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n The players must contend with differing climates, grass types, course designs and cultures. As such, it’s a circuit that produces extremely versatile players who are able to cope with changing golfing circumstances.<\/p>\n I was interested to find out more about how the International Series professionals adapt to each new destination.<\/p>\n A Practice Round With Dom Foos<\/p>\n \n The International Series helps players cope with different conditions around the world<\/p>\n (Image credit: Asian Tour)<\/p>\n On one of the practice days at International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco, I followed and spoke with Golf Monthly\u2019s International Series diarist<\/a>, Dom Foos of Germany to get more of an idea what the top players are actually up to when they head out on the course in the days leading up to a tournament.<\/p>\n I have always thought the term “practice round” to be misleading. During the build-up to a tournament, the top professionals are not using their valuable pre-event time on the course practising.<\/p>\n That work has been done on the range and the putting green over hours and days, and weeks in the build-up to whatever event they\u2019re playing in. Dom confirmed that –<\/p>\n \u201cI think the ‘practice round’ is more like a reconnaissance mission,\u201d Dom says. \u201cYou\u2019re right that it\u2019s not about practising out there. It\u2019s about looking at the course and assessing how it will play and what strategies you should employ when the competition starts.\u201d<\/p>\n Watching Dom and his caddie Ken Lowry discussing shots, holes and greens, it was very clear that they\u2019re looking at possible situations, conditions and scenarios that they might encounter when the real action begins.<\/p>\n Wind Conditions<\/p>\n \n Bubba Watson plays a shot. The left-hander is one of the International Series players who is an expert in plotting his way round a golf course.<\/p>\n (Image credit: Asian Tour)<\/p>\n \u201cFirstly, I spend quite a bit of time considering the wind,\u201d says Dom. \u201cWhat is the prevailing direction? What club in what situation with that wind? But also, what about if that wind changes? How will that impact on that shot or that hole? The wind is always a key factor in tournament golf and it\u2019s something you have to prepare for.\u201d<\/p>\n And, on the ground, the players are meticulous in assessing the surfaces, the slopes, the way the ball will react on landing.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it soft? Will the ball hold a green? How does a ball react from the rough?\u201d Dom continues. \u201cThen, at the greens, we have to make an educated guess about where the pins will be placed through the week. We will put a tee down, or a marker of some kind and imagine where we might be playing from to that target.\u201d<\/p>\n Considering The Misses<\/p>\n \n Travis Smyth of Australia working out a good spot to miss the challenging green complexes at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam during the International Series Morocco<\/p>\n (Image credit: Asian Tour)<\/p>\n It\u2019s all about establishing the possibilities and being ready to deal with whatever the course might throw at you. The players want to be positive but must be realistic about the possible pitfalls and difficulties out on the course.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, you have to consider the misses too,\u201d Dom says with a wry smile. \u201cYou need to know where you really can\u2019t go.<\/p>\n At Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, there are some tricky pin options, and they demand careful course management. The course is tight and around the surfaces, it\u2019s easy to be short-sided. You don\u2019t want that so during practice, we look where the no-go areas are as well as the best misses.\u201d<\/p>\n Another thing the players will do is assess where they are likely to encounter trouble from the tee over the course of 72 holes.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there is a tough drive on a par-4 with a narrow target and well-placed bunkering, you might assume that one round out of four, you might just find one of those traps,\u201d Dom says. \u201cSo I will throw a ball in that bunker during practice and see what sort of a shot I would face.\u201d<\/p>\n The pros prepare through observation and experimentation. Perhaps we should drop the name \u2013 \u201cpractice rounds?\u201d and describe them as “reconnaissance rounds” or “scouting sorties” perhaps?<\/p>\n Dom Says – “Mix It Up!”<\/p>\n \n Dom Foos has advice for amateurs on proper practice<\/p>\n (Image credit: International Series)<\/p>\n When the pros go out on the course in the days before a tournament, they are really conducting a course inspection rather than \u201cplaying a practice round.\u201d They have all the shots at their disposal so it\u2019s a question of working out which shots are most effective on which holes and in which situations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do our practising on the range and the putting green,\u201d says Dom. ” I think we do it a little differently from most amateurs you watch.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ePQtLBn5ESzRgFo5o8k8eU.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Bubba](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Bbe9SeyCvF2bZuFFywmTAW.jpg\")
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