netBogey

So I'm currently in the process of registering for the interclub golf team at my local course. I have never played competitive golf nor participated in a competitive team format during a corporate event/tournament for example. The interclub type of competitive setting is interesting as yes, everyone wants to win/play good golf but there's no prize money or anything major as stake. At the end of the day, everyone is out there to have fun and enjoy their best golf as it isn't anybody's living.
I'm interested in making the team so that I can further add to my golf experience and spice my weekend rounds a little bit. It would also encourage me to play various courses in my area (including some private courses that would be inaccessible otherwise) instead of my local course that I play roughly 75% of the time during the season.
I know that many Forum members play this type of competitive golf. What is your experience with regards to interclub or intraclub competitive golf? Good or bad.
I do enforce and follow the official rules of golf in all my rounds so that my handicap is authenticated, of course, so it's not like I'm a weekend golfer giving myself mulligans left and right and 6' gimme putts that will be shocked once I play in a competitive setting. However, I was wondering if there is a "competition etiquette" that I should know of (i.e., anything that occurs differently in a competitive setting than during casual rounds)? Anything that comes to mind would be useful.
Thanks!

Outside of putting everything out (which sounds like you are already doing). The one thing I notice as a HS golf coach that separates kids who play a lot of tournament golf and those who don't, is announcing your ball before first tee or if needing to change ball brand.
As simple as when exchanging score cards to mark saying something like "ProV1 #3 with blue dot" to communicate what ball you are playing, and then if you need to change (run out of that ball) and not playing a one ball tournament, they will renounce the change. 
Also some interclubs have different rules about coaching from the captain or teammates.
I would say that expect your Handicap to inflate slightly as you start to play more different courses if your score is generally posted from one course that you know well. It is a different skill of being able to shoot well in relation to your handicap on different courses.

what a great post, from my perspective, and i have been playing competitive golf since 1970, you are way ahead of the curve just by showing awareness in regards to your following the rules of golf etc. 
"competition etiquette" is exactly the same as social golf etiquette, it may take a while to feel comfortable about that and you may run into another competitor that isn't as comfortable in the environment as you are but those are few and far between. 
There will be a "learning curve" but a fun one I believe as you have stated..."I'm interested in making the team so that I can further add to my golf experience and spice my weekend rounds a little bit. It would also encourage me to play various courses in my area (including some private courses that would be inaccessible otherwise) instead of my local course that I play roughly 75% of the time during the season."
Keep us updated on your experience, it may help other social golfers take the step to try it out...
Enjoy...

I have the Garmin R10, I love that it makes a driving range session much more focused, and slowing down the pace, focusing on what actually happened, I don't know exactly how accurate it is, and no doubt there are more accurate once, but matching feel to some of the numbers is already helpfull, even if it isn't 100% accurate!

I’m currently in the market for one. All signs are pointing to the FlightScope Mevo+ Limited Edition at the moment. I’m really looking forward to what some of the spies have to say about their experience with the Mevo and other devices.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers for the following Shot Scope and Bridgestone collab test!
Looking forward to seeing everyones results!
@Johnsonk9 @C-Lau76 @barney19 @Freshbrockoli @deattle @Bubba1985 @Kbek @unccross @Steven Senft @Preeway @LinksgolfFever @Sixft9 @Everardo @NickyBobby @mdleedy2 @Golf2Much @PhilM75072 @Gopokes14 @Timberwolfmadcat @MIgregb @nupezb @tony@CIC @rarce_torres @fozcycle @WalkerH @acatalano32 @THE GOLF GUY @golfjunky79 @MajorCavalry
Happy testing all!
This Thread will hold the Bridgestone sampling members (all those who answered the video questions correctly last time around) as well as the Shot Scope test. You are all one big family now!

Here are some of my favorite superstitions:
If you pull a tee out of the ground on a par three and it's a full (non-broken tee) that's bad luck. Any atypical animal seen on the course is good luck.  Never let the ball touch the ground before you put it on the tee (if it falls off the tee or you drop it, use a different ball). If using a coin as a ball marker, use the same side up through the whole round.   One of my favorites is from the superintendent at UMD who used to say if you are nice to the course it'll be nice to you (i.e., fix ball marks, clean up trash, etc).  I do think it's a nice vibe.  

Here are some of my favorite superstitions:
If you pull a tee out of the ground on a par three and it's a full (non-broken tee) that's bad luck. Any atypical animal seen on the course is good luck.  Never let the ball touch the ground before you put it on the tee (if it falls off the tee or you drop it, use a different ball). If using a coin as a ball marker, use the same side up through the whole round.   One of my favorites is from the superintendent at UMD who used to say if you are nice to the course it'll be nice to you (i.e., fix ball marks, clean up trash, etc).  I do think it's a nice vibe.  

Here are some of my favorite superstitions:
If you pull a tee out of the ground on a par three and it's a full (non-broken tee) that's bad luck. Any atypical animal seen on the course is good luck.  Never let the ball touch the ground before you put it on the tee (if it falls off the tee or you drop it, use a different ball). If using a coin as a ball marker, use the same side up through the whole round.   One of my favorites is from the superintendent at UMD who used to say if you are nice to the course it'll be nice to you (i.e., fix ball marks, clean up trash, etc).  I do think it's a nice vibe.  

I always make sure to have 3 balls in my right pocket during play. I carry my divot tool and a poker chip ball marker in my left pocket with my tees in my right pocket (one martini tall, one martini short). I warm up using the same 4-5 clubs in the same sequence. I have to arrive at least one hour before tee time to stretch and warm up. If I don't get the warm up in, I feel out of sorts on the course.

I can't think of anything specific.   I feel like I just kind of go with the flow.   
 

I will piggyback on this by adding as an Ancient Ager… If I
1) Wake up ( This is the big one that all the others work off on )
2) Know who I am
3) Know where I am going
4)Then…  On the first tee.. Get the first “ Trash Talking “ jab in on my playing partner(s) to start the round 
                     AUXILIARY 
5) When I cease doing number 1 .. I hope to be gracious in returning my golf game to hell from whence it came. 

How many have certain things they do for each round? 
Maybe the same process, no matter what.
Things you take or don't take to the course?
I was thinking about this because I do a couple things every round and don't know exactly why.  Ha. 
I always put a tee in my hat to use.  Left front pocket always gets a golf ball, marker, divot tool and a tee.  Right pocket gets a golf ball and glove in back right pocket. Every single round. 
Anybody else have a weird habit?

I always put my left shoe on first and start my round with a ball that has number 3 on it. Not a clue why, it’s just become ingrained

I try to get a selfie of the group every tournament round. I also get an adult beverage before the start no matter if it’s morning or afternoon. Don‘t know why, but I suffer from hyper anticipation. Don’t know if that’s a thing but that’s what I’m calling it.

Not much here. I just try to be organized. Maybe the only habit is I always take my glove off inbetween shots.

Most of the time in the summer I get to the course with flip flops on. Yes, I’m that guy who hates wearing shoes when I’m not playing golf. That’s neither here nor there to talk about. But what I do when I get to the course is put both socks on first. Then it’s left shoe then right shoe. Has to be that way or I have a terrible round. I don’t know why, but I’m saying it’s scientific enough for me. On course, I have to put everything in my right front pocket except my glove which goes into my right back pocket. I may be weird for this stuff, but it has to be this way. 

I always mark my scorecard by segmenting every three holes so that I try to have a goal of no worse than 1 over for a three hole stretch. It helps me break down the round into meaningful chunks so if I shoot worse than that I can put that three-hole segment behind me and try to focus on the next three holes. I'm a 7.9 handicap so if I can do that for a round and shoot 78 +/- I feel like I've played well. Also, when I shoot even or under for three holes it is a real confident booster.

At my age I try to just get up and get to the course on time.😂.   First tee,  I say let’s go God!

I always try to hit 40-50 shots as a warm up before a round. I’m getting older and need a few swings to get loose. Then I want to putt for 20-30 minutes and get a feel for the greens and get my head straight with my putter swing path. I then finish by getting a tee behind my ear and three balls in my push cart tray. All the same number and all new.  While waiting on the first tee I’ll double check all my irons are clean if I have enough time. During the round, like @GolfSpy_APH, I tend to take off my glove in between shots and it always goes in my back pocket. 

Hello all! Nice to meet you!
 
How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?
I've been playing since I was a kid.  9.5
What do you love about golf?
Walking, birdie juice, competition, making a long putt!
What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?
Best golf related site around hands down!
Where are you from? What is your home course?
Toronto ON.  I play Lakeview GC in Mississauga frequently.
What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?
@yowMagur said above and I agree! "4-6 months of no golf are awful. The best part is the diversity of courses, and when the weather is good it's REAL GOOD."
What do you do for a living?
Professor
How’d you pick your user name?
🤣

At this point, we have to compare it to the chaos of college football ranking. College football rankings exist, instead of mere standings, because not everyone plays everyone else.
We can have a long debate about which ranking system is best (subjective power rankings, coaches' poll, writers' poll, computer rankings), but there's only one ranking list that matters. That's where we are with the OWGR right now.
I tend to side with the OWGR is not giving points to LIV: the closed-shop argument matters, and to a lesser degree, the three-round tournaments. But anyone looking for some way to list the current best professional golfers in the world has to look in other places, whether that be DataGolf or TUGR or something else.
I think I'm in favor of (if a peace treaty of some sort isn't signed) the majors reserving maybe 5 spots for LIV golfers, and allowing LIV itself to determine the formula for which of their golfers qualifies.

Hello all! Nice to meet you!
 
How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score?
I've been playing since I was a kid.  9.5
What do you love about golf?
Walking, birdie juice, competition, making a long putt!
What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies?
Best golf related site around hands down!
Where are you from? What is your home course?
Toronto ON.  I play Lakeview GC in Mississauga frequently.
What are the best and worst things about golf in your region?
@yowMagur said above and I agree! "4-6 months of no golf are awful. The best part is the diversity of courses, and when the weather is good it's REAL GOOD."
What do you do for a living?
Professor
How’d you pick your user name?
🤣

I would push back only to suggest that while perhaps not a huge difference, it is a key factor if your goal is to play your best golf. You want clubs that fit every aspect of your physique and swing style. Again, this is assuming that you also employ regular lessons and practice. Fitted clubs are no better than off the rack if you aren’t going to put in the work. 

To a point.  During my fitting I learned a few things.
I can use standard lengths Standard lies Things i never knew.  Then I got to hit multiple brands.  You can even see from my SS of my stock shaft I was consistent......ly right.  Is it for everyone?  hell no.  Anyone can play golf with off the shelf stuff. Hell.. I did for DECADES.  I wanted to play "better" golf.  I had the drive and the will to improve.  New clubs wouldn't totally fix that.  Did and have I still hit utterly abysmal shots with my fitted clubs?  LOL oh you bet.  Are my ok shots and my better shots better?  Oh absolutely. Ive got the arccos data to prove it... to a point.
Again its not an end all be all one size solution fits everyone recommendation.  Can it help you?  yes.  Its it guaranteed?  no.   for those it hits the desire, skill, whatever matrix... will it help... maybe..  hah.
This game is hard.  Stack the odds in your favor as much as you can.