One of the most annoying aspects of arranging a golf tournament is the failure of golfers to arrive in plenty of time to collect their cards, or fail to turn up. (It is even more annoying if you are running a shot-gun start tournament)
Being prepared is a skill that is conducive to playing good golf and giving yourself the best opportunity to perform to the level that you want and desire.
If we take a look at the rules of golf, they recommend that a player arrives a minimum of 5 minutes before their scheduled tee off time.
Most courses will ask for you to arrive to the tee 10 minutes before, which I think should be respected.
But arriving to the tee on time is not the only consideration when preparing yourself for a tournament.
The process begins at home, and in all honesty the night before you play.
It is always worth heading to bed a little earlier the night before, as this will ensure that you get a good night of rest. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and also watch the food that you eat. Avoid things that may upset your stomach.
Check your bag for golf tees, balls and gloves. If you are playing in the heat of summer, stick your bottle of water in the freezer so that you have an ice cold drink when you get to the course. If you are using an electric trolley make sure your battery is on charge.
Set your alarm so that you give yourself plenty of time to have a good breakfast before you leave.
Grab the water you put in the freezer.
Make a snack to take with you so that you can munch as you walk around the course.
Enjoy a hearty breakfast, some porridge and egg on toast is a great choice with some fresh juice.
Avoid drinking too much coffee, it is a diuretic.
Pack up the car, grab your shoes and head off to the course with plenty of time to spare.
On arrival, go and register and confirm your tee time, collect your card and if you are playing a shot gun confirm your tee and find out the quickest way to reach the hole.
Once you have done this, grab your clubs and head to the range and warm up. 20 balls are more than enough to get you into the right frame of mind.
Onto the putting green to get a feel for the speed.
Go to the toilet, get your tees and ball ready and head to your tee.
Preparation is a massive part of playing tournament golf and you should look to be early with time to kill, rather than rushing around.
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