first comp

hi all
im in my first comp tomorrow last one was called off due to weather.i just wanted any advice that you think i should know as im starting to get nervous and im sure i will have the butterflys. should i shoot some balls before i tee off etc etc thanks very much in advance.

Yea Sparko hit some balls.

Try this as well. Take a deep breath for a count of 5. Hold it for a count of 10 and let it out for a count of 15. Do this a few times before the first tee shot and any important putt. It oxygenates you really well and calms you down and gives you a focus.

Here's my warm up routine, I cut a couple of shots off my handicap due to this.

Arrive at least an hour early.

Get all your gear sorted out properly so theres no rushing for tees/balls/clubs etc at the moment of truth. This should take about 5 minutes

Swing two clubs for 5 minutes to loosen up then do some stretching.

Go to the putting green and spend 10 minutes putting from random places to random holes.

Do some chipping for 5 minutes, hit 3 balls to the same hole, try and get all 3 inside tap in range at least once.

Spend another 10 minutes hitting 25 2 footers then 25 4 footers then 25 10 footers. Repeat to use up the 10 minutes.

Go and spend 15 minutes hitting balls into a practice net. 5 balls with each club in the bag. Take your time dont just beat balls. It doesnt matter if you get through the bag.

Spend another 5 minutes doing a bit more stretching. Arrive on the tee 5 minutes early and get your game ball and driver out, swing the driver nice and easy to stay loose until its time to hit the drive, make sure you study the drive and choose the best line.

Remember the breathing. I got that from a friend lately and have been using it. I had three or four testing 6 footers the last round I played and used it before the putts and holed them all, coincedence? I think not....

Remember.....enjoy the game, theres no point competing if you dont enjoy the game and the company, you would be better playing for fun if thats the case. You wont always win.....you have to lose to appreciate winning. Every loss is a lesson.

D.

__________________
Longniddry Golf Club Champ 2005.

In the Taylor Made Bag:

Callaway FT-3 Tour 9.5 Aldila NV 65S

Callaway Steelhead 3 Wood

Callaway Steelhead 5 Wood

Callaway X-16 3-PW

MacGregor Tourney 52 Degree

Cobra Phil Rodgers 59 Degree Rusty

Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Callaway Tour iX

that was very heplful mizunoman and thanks for taking the time to give me so much advice.i am gonna enjoy it, i tee off at 10.30 and when im done im gonna sit on the balcony with a nice cold beer and watch the rest coming in,ill post result tomorrow if im soba cheers

No probs Sparko,

Ricky, hit plenty balls before you hit that tee shot. Make sure you hit the ball and dont steer it (keep your right shoulder behind the ball until its away.....good luck...

D.

Do you have anywhere near your club to hit a few balls first Ricky? When we play away games we go to a nearby football pitch to warm up just in case theres no room to practice at the course.

And Ricky.....you ARE playing great and you ARE gonna do well......dont hamstring yourself before you play. I have went to a lot of things playing badly but then managed to put a score together. You would be surprised how pressure focuses the mind....think positive...

D.

shot 88 in my first comp finished 5th out of about 80 so im very very happy thanks for the advice its all done the job just nice ,now im gonna go and have some beers to celabrate cheers

Its all course management at the end of the day ricky. If theres out of bounds or trouble off a tee you have to ask yourself if you really need to take the longest but least accurate stick out the bag. Maybe a nice smooth 3 wood or even a crisp long iron would get you into play and close enough to attack?

I was lucky enough to get paired with the best player at our club in the second round of club champ qualifying last year. He played honking but still shot 72 and sailed into the knock outs. He only pulled the big stick a half dozen times the rest of the time he used his 3 wood. Granted he pumps it 250 regular but he had a plan and stuck to it. He made a lot of bad shots but never tried to force a score. He knew what was required (after shooting 67 in the first round he didnt need a lot) and just went about his job.

By contrast I play regularly with one of the most naturally gifted ball strikers I have ever seen (and that includes on telly) who plays off 5. He can hit a 5 iron as far as I can hit my 3 and just destroys balls with the driver. Yet he cant manage the course. As a result he goes from 68 to 78 in the space of a day. A little bit of choking back would see his handicap tumble. Most of his bad shots are balls that are maybe only 10 yards off line but because they are travelling so far they run out of room and end up in the hay.

As for the putting, you have to build confidence into your stroke and the only way to do that is to spend hours putting from 3 feet and get to the stage where you have to get down and read a line if you want to miss it! Thats what the pros have to do. You might also want to work on your long range putting. If I miss a putt and it finishes more than 18 inches away I want to know why. 3 footers arent the length to leave yourself. Spend a couple of hours getting your feel for distance right, its the dominant part of good putting.

Divots going right sounds ok for avoiding a pull. You may want to check the clubhead on the way back as it gets to waist height, the toe should point straight to the sky, if not you are heading left regardless of what you do on the way back down as the clubface will be closed hitting out to 1 o clock wont save you either as I would imagine that's whats causing the divot shape.

D.

__________________
Longniddry Golf Club Champ 2005.

In the Taylor Made Bag:

Callaway FT-3 Tour 9.5 Aldila NV 65S

Callaway Steelhead 3 Wood

Callaway Steelhead 5 Wood

Callaway X-16 3-PW

MacGregor Tourney 52 Degree

Cobra Phil Rodgers 59 Degree Rusty

Odyssey DFX 2-Ball

Callaway Tour iX

Definitely Ricky, A 5 is always better than 6 or 7.

What about hitting a 3 wood to the top of the hill then another across the water? Laying up isnt always the best thing to do. You might find the three wood from the flat point 200 yards away might be the easiest shot.

D.