By and large, each football field is identical. Each basketball court, hockey rink and soccer pitch has the same lines and measurements across the nation.

The same cannot be said of golf courses.

At the Watersound Invitational from Monday to Wednesday, No. 12 UCLA men’s golf will take on a set of 18 holes that none of its players have seen. After two matches on familiar turf produced varying results, the Bruins will play the Shark’s Tooth Golf Course in Panama City Beach, Florida, as the sole West Coast team in the event.

Coach Armen Kirakossian said the challenge brought on by the unfamiliarity is intentional and desired, because the next level of golf will be full of new territory.

“They all want to be PGA tour players,” Kirakossian said. “If you’re going to play at the next level, you have to be really good at traveling time zones, different grasses, different climates, different courses, being able to adjust quickly and prepare quickly.”

The time zone shift is especially striking this week, as the Bruins are to play in a time zone five hours ahead of Hawaii, where their last event – the Amer Ari Intercollegiate – took place.

At that event, the team recorded a program-best 47-under par across 54 holes to place sixth out of 20 teams. Junior Kyle An, who had a career-best performance last week, said the team plans to keep its momentum by sticking to its principles.

“We have a set of keys that we follow each tournament,” An said. “Treating each week as a new opportunity and a new chance to see where we go.”

To capitalize on that opportunity, the Bruins will have to outscore a number of ranked teams. The field will feature six such opponents, including No. 6 North Carolina, which placed four spots ahead of UCLA last week. No. 11 Vanderbilt, which placed third in the Bruins’ worst event of the season at the Southwestern Invitational on Jan. 26, will also be on the course.

Given the lack of familiarity, Kirakossian said the team will focus on generalities as they prepare for the event, looking at overall course design and conditions instead of specific holes.

“This is the type of grass we’re going into, … these are the types of shots you need to be starting to practice,” Kirakossian said.

Monday in Panama City Beach is forecast to be sunny, with light cloud coverage predicted Tuesday and a high chance of rain Wednesday, the final day of the event.

“Take care of your bodies. Get rest, and not necessarily physical,” Kirakossian said. “More mental than anything, just making sure they take care of their school work, get their lives organized, get their minds right and turn toward preparing for this week.”