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Mental Prep for a Tourney or Big Round


KCLeo12

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How do you guys Prepare mentally for a Tournament it important round? If it's a course I have played before I play the course in my head for over and over again. If I haven't played it I will look online at te Scorecard and then pull up the satellite view of the course and try to plan my way around the course.

 

What do you do if you have never played well it putted well at the course? I have 3 tournaments at the same course this year for the VGA and I struggle on the greens. The first tournament there this year I hit the ball great but the wind and greens got me. I still won but did not put up a score I wanted to. I have to more tournaments there and trying to figure out away to not let the greens get in my head. Both times I have played it I have had 39 putts and I shot 77 and 81.

 

Any advice would be great.

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As far as the greens go, I would say try to leave yourself in good spots, if you find yourself in a bad spot on the greens, don't always try to make the putt, just try to 2 putt and move on. I find where I get into trouble is when I try make that 20 foot downhiller, running at 12. Pick your slots for going after the putt. Make good choices on when to try to make it, and when 2 putting is good even if it's for bogey.

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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Man that's a lot of putts. Lots of 3-putts I assume.

I don't do any planning of any kind. I don't play tournaments either any more. But when I take trips somewhere with my buds I seem to always play better most of the time. Why? I think it's because we play it like a tournament and i'm focused. It's always a 3 day money game of some flavor. I normally score better than my handicap too for some reason. Focus.

Personally, I think amateurs (like me) over-think the deal. I don't. I just go out and play my game.  That's all I can do. I'm not on tour or making a living out of it. I like to know what the yardage is from the tee i'll be playing and the slope/rating to get a comparison of difficulty. In short I just go out and play the course as I find it.

 

By the way... what is the VGA? Is there a website?

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Yeah a lot of 3 putts from misreading or over reading the inconsistent greens at that course.

 

The VGA is the Veterans Golfers Association. The website is www.vgagolf.org

 Ping G410 LST 10.5 set -1* Flat Accra TZ5 65 M5

Callaway Epic Flash 15* set -1 Aldila ATX Blue 75TX

Ben Hogan FT Worth Hi 19* KBS Tour V X

Ben Hogan PTX Pro 4-P KBS Tour V X 2* Flat 4* loft increments

Hogan Equalizer 50* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 X 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 56* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 62* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

EVNROLL ER7 P2 Aware Tour
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I'm taking a new strategy at the city golf tourney this year. The qualifying course has greens that run at 7-8 all year, except for tourney time when they have them blazing. Every year I go out and play great on the Friday before qualifying and then have 40+ putts on Saturday, because I can't stop blasting it by the hole. I know the course, I know every break on the greens. I'm not playing there the week of qualifying this year. I don't want to get a speed in my head that won't work on the course. My advice is kinda like Jacks "play the game you bring to the course".......play the greens they give you that day, not the ones you know.

 

 

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I'm taking a new strategy at the city golf tourney this year. The qualifying course has greens that run at 7-8 all year, except for tourney time when they have them blazing. Every year I go out and play great on the Friday before qualifying and then have 40+ putts on Saturday, because I can't stop blasting it by the hole. I know the course, I know every break on the greens. I'm not playing there the week of qualifying this year. I don't want to get a speed in my head that won't work on the course. My advice is kinda like Jacks "play the game you bring to the course".......play the greens they give you that day, not the ones you know.

 

 

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A couple of years ago my wife and I played in a tournament out of town.  We had played the course a couple of times and new the greens were really quick, a lot quicker than the greens at our club.  Every evening after work the week before the tournament we went over to the local country club where their greens were very fast and practiced putting for an hour or so.  We did not play on our clubs course that week.  When we got to the tournament on Saturday, we did the usual warm-ups and played pretty well.  Didn't win but didn't have a problem with green speed either.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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How do you guys Prepare mentally for a Tournament it important round? If it's a course I have played before I play the course in my head for over and over again. If I haven't played it I will look online at te Scorecard and then pull up the satellite view of the course and try to plan my way around the course.

 

What do you do if you have never played well it putted well at the course? I have 3 tournaments at the same course this year for the VGA and I struggle on the greens. The first tournament there this year I hit the ball great but the wind and greens got me. I still won but did not put up a score I wanted to. I have to more tournaments there and trying to figure out away to not let the greens get in my head. Both times I have played it I have had 39 putts and I shot 77 and 81.

 

Any advice would be great.

Here's what I did: A few weeks and even maybe two months before I'd google earth all the holes. Then I'd use the pictures in a book and make my own yardage book. For greens, I'd literally trace the outline off of google earth and then go on the course and start marking all the slopes. 

A week or two out I'd play the course again. Just trying to play smart and hit good shots. More or less get in a rhythm and try to hit good shots at that course. I wouldn't play it the day before, they let the course go for a few days and then up the difficulty on Saturday and Sunday for my tournaments.

I'd try to schedule a round a few days before at another course instead just to keep the good feeling going.

On a side note: I've read Carl Hiasson's book the Downhill Lie. It's about 10 years old at this point but I love reading it even though I've gotten better at golf and the scores he wrote, I'm now beating. Gets me in the mindset.

My key on the day of is to let it all go. Bad holes will happen. Just got to let it happen and come back strong on the next hole. Double down on concentration, and keep yourself being positive. My key is to keep myself in it until the back 9 and then start to make a charge at it. 

 Driver:   :callaway-small:  Epic Flash 12 Degree

Wood: :callaway-small:  GBB 3 Wood
Hybrid: :callaway-small: Razr 4 hybriid stiff stock shaft.
Irons: :callaway-small: X2 Hot 4 iron (pro version) 5 iron - Gap Wedge (non pro version).  KBS 120g Shaft stiff cut 1/2  inch bent 1°upright
Wedges: :vokey-small: 52° 56° and 60°.
All grips are Golf pride grips midsized
Putter (lefty):  Odyssey Metal-X #8 34", stock shaft bent 2° Superstroke grip
Golf Balls:   :titelist-small: 2018-9 Pro-V1x and Prov1s
Shoes:  :footjoy-small:  Dryjoy tours

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I prepare the exact same way that I do for a friendly game with my buddies. My thought is I play well when it is a friendly game so why do anything differently for a tournament? To me overthinking the round adds undo stress and pressure that is not needed.

 

 

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I general play better in tournaments/money games for the same reason stated by Plaid, better focus. This wasn't always the case because I used to over prepare. If your normal warm up is 45 minutes then make it that.

 

Don't do anything differently than normal other than this, slow down! From the moment you get in the parking lot do everything slower. You actually won't be because of nerves but if you slow down you will be moving at normal speed.

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Lately I think my biggest problem is focusing and sticking to my game plan. When I get over putts I am singing songs in my head and I have to stop myself and thinking about what I am doing. Trying to figure out a way to slow down my over active brain.

 Ping G410 LST 10.5 set -1* Flat Accra TZ5 65 M5

Callaway Epic Flash 15* set -1 Aldila ATX Blue 75TX

Ben Hogan FT Worth Hi 19* KBS Tour V X

Ben Hogan PTX Pro 4-P KBS Tour V X 2* Flat 4* loft increments

Hogan Equalizer 50* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 X 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 56* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 62* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

EVNROLL ER7 P2 Aware Tour
Scotty Cameron Newport2 Buttonback P2 Aware Tour Grip
Snell MTB-X

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Lately I think my biggest problem is focusing and sticking to my game plan. When I get over putts I am singing songs in my head and I have to stop myself and thinking about what I am doing. Trying to figure out a way to slow down my over active brain.

Step away. Breathe deeply.  Only other thing is to directly focus on what you want to do 5 seconds before the shot.

 Driver:   :callaway-small:  Epic Flash 12 Degree

Wood: :callaway-small:  GBB 3 Wood
Hybrid: :callaway-small: Razr 4 hybriid stiff stock shaft.
Irons: :callaway-small: X2 Hot 4 iron (pro version) 5 iron - Gap Wedge (non pro version).  KBS 120g Shaft stiff cut 1/2  inch bent 1°upright
Wedges: :vokey-small: 52° 56° and 60°.
All grips are Golf pride grips midsized
Putter (lefty):  Odyssey Metal-X #8 34", stock shaft bent 2° Superstroke grip
Golf Balls:   :titelist-small: 2018-9 Pro-V1x and Prov1s
Shoes:  :footjoy-small:  Dryjoy tours

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You mentioned putting as your weakness. Therefore, you need to make putting on those type of greens your strength. You build mental strength, or confidence, by repeated practice on that type green. When the tournament day arrives, and you step over a putt, you'll have the confidence born of knowing you practiced on these type of greens until you mastered them. Then, just let your body do what you've trained it to do, keeping your mind out of the way, secure in the knowledge your body knows what to do.

 

Read Bob Rotella's "How Champions Think".

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Can't put it on a pedestal or you will never play well. Too much pressure when you do that. Best way to get better at playing in tournaments or big events is by making them be the norm. If you're playing in 20 tournaments a year (once a week in summer) you will excel. If you play in three tournaments a year, chances are you'll play awful. Do it more often so that it is not so nerve racking that it keeps you up at night.

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I would add as well, make sure you keep hydrated, water, Gatorade, whatever it is, also fruit, and protein bar. Don't think about anything, take one shot, one swing at a time, I would say that breathing is extremely important, not only will you die if you don't, but well, yes you will die. It's more of being conscious of your breathing, when you get nervous you take shorter breaths, so be aware that your breathing will change, and try to adjust and take some deep breaths.

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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Thanks everyone. Putting is definitely not my weakness chipping is. It just seems at this course I struggle. I have a tourney Sunday so we will see what happens. Going to try and stay focused and positive.

 Ping G410 LST 10.5 set -1* Flat Accra TZ5 65 M5

Callaway Epic Flash 15* set -1 Aldila ATX Blue 75TX

Ben Hogan FT Worth Hi 19* KBS Tour V X

Ben Hogan PTX Pro 4-P KBS Tour V X 2* Flat 4* loft increments

Hogan Equalizer 50* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 X 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 56* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 62* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

EVNROLL ER7 P2 Aware Tour
Scotty Cameron Newport2 Buttonback P2 Aware Tour Grip
Snell MTB-X

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Thanks everyone. Putting is definitely not my weakness chipping is. It just seems at this course I struggle. I have a tourney Sunday so we will see what happens. Going to try and stay focused and positive.

For chipping, I use either 9 iron or PW for most everything just get the ball rolling, the strike is very similar to a putting stroke, but with a little bump into the air to clear the fringe and then let it roll, the only time I use more loft is if I absolutely have to, it's a very simplistic approach to chipping, but I find it very difficult to fat, or blade with the 9/PW, I also don't putt very well from the fringe or just off so I chip everything around the green. Good luck.

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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Well the tips paid off. I shot 75 with only 1 birdie and had just 29 putts. I won the tournament and now have enough point to qualify for regionals at Chambers Bay. I still need to play one more tournament to be eligible and that is next month.

 

I didn't hit any putts on the putting green before the round because at this course that's what got me before. I just got on the first greens looked at the green and guessed the speed. I still struggled with reading these greens though. Overall I am very happy. Thanks for the help guys.

 Ping G410 LST 10.5 set -1* Flat Accra TZ5 65 M5

Callaway Epic Flash 15* set -1 Aldila ATX Blue 75TX

Ben Hogan FT Worth Hi 19* KBS Tour V X

Ben Hogan PTX Pro 4-P KBS Tour V X 2* Flat 4* loft increments

Hogan Equalizer 50* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 X 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 56* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

Hogan Equalizer 62* KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 2* Flat

EVNROLL ER7 P2 Aware Tour
Scotty Cameron Newport2 Buttonback P2 Aware Tour Grip
Snell MTB-X

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Well the tips paid off. I shot 75 with only 1 birdie and had just 29 putts. I won the tournament and now have enough point to qualify for regionals at Chambers Bay. I still need to play one more tournament to be eligible and that is next month.

 

I didn't hit any putts on the putting green before the round because at this course that's what got me before. I just got on the first greens looked at the green and guessed the speed. I still struggled with reading these greens though. Overall I am very happy. Thanks for the help guys.

Great to hear man! Glad it worked out for you.

 Driver:   :callaway-small:  Epic Flash 12 Degree

Wood: :callaway-small:  GBB 3 Wood
Hybrid: :callaway-small: Razr 4 hybriid stiff stock shaft.
Irons: :callaway-small: X2 Hot 4 iron (pro version) 5 iron - Gap Wedge (non pro version).  KBS 120g Shaft stiff cut 1/2  inch bent 1°upright
Wedges: :vokey-small: 52° 56° and 60°.
All grips are Golf pride grips midsized
Putter (lefty):  Odyssey Metal-X #8 34", stock shaft bent 2° Superstroke grip
Golf Balls:   :titelist-small: 2018-9 Pro-V1x and Prov1s
Shoes:  :footjoy-small:  Dryjoy tours

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