Many people play golf purely for leisure and have no interest in playing competitively. However, it is surprising how many people start playing golf with that attitude but once they become a member of a golf club, it can be difficult to resist the lure of a tournament.
Every golfer, at some point in their career, played in their first tournament. It can be a nerve wracking occasion but what can you do to ensure things go as smoothly as possible when playing in your first golf tournament?
Some things should seem obvious but you will be amazed at how many people forget to so something as simple as clean their clubs the night before, make sure they have enough spare balls in their bag and head to the golf course in plenty of time to tee off. These are basic things which will help you relax and allow you to focus on the tournament.
Having water and snacks in your bag is important and you need to keep hydrated and fed, as this will help your energy levels.
In the few days leading up to the event, you should be gearing your practice towards the tournament and the golf course. Get the scorecard for the golf course and look at the holes on the website, planning the best potential route on each hole. You may feel this seems excessive for a local tournament but you can rest assured every other player who is going to play well on the day, will be doing something similar.
Do not put yourself at an immediate disadvantage with a lack of preparation. You may be busy with work and family life but even if you can fit in a couple of hours to think about how you would like to play each hole, it will be a big help on the day.
You will be feeling nervous playing in your first tournament, so anything you can do to make things easier for yourself, such as club selection on each tee, will be a big help.
Putting will be very important so if you have little time for practice due to other commitments, focus what you do have on your putting. This is the only club you will use on every hole (unless you pull off something spectacular) so it pays to feel confident with the club and know you are putting confidently.
Remember, you are trying to get the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible. There may be people watching but you are not there to impress them by trying to hit the longest drive of the day. Focus on getting the ball down in the fewest number of shots possible and forget what looks good to the gallery.
If you get in trouble, which is highly likely during your first golf tournament, do not try and play a miracle shot. Get the ball back in play with the sole intention of limiting the damage. If you try something special and it does not come off, you could put yourself on the back foot for the rest of the round as you try to make amends.
It is not as fun to always play the safe route but come the end of your first golf tournament, you will be happy you did.
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