Play Tournament golf to lower your handicap?

So I have gotten my handicap down to 8.6. I still suffer from some inconsistency issues but overall starting to be really happy with my game. I think I am ready to compete for fun. I think if I get out there and play some tourneys that it can only help my game progress further and shoot lower scores.

What has been some of your guys experiences from playing casual golf to tournament golf? Did it improve your game? Hurt your game? What kind of learning curve did you experience?

Competing is always a good way to get better. Whether it be a formal tournament or just among friends. There is always a wager on rounds with my normal foursome!

But to answer your question on casual vs tournament style golf (which I will include my wagered games as well as my NCGA tournaments). Yes, it did help me become better and I believe the reason being is because I had more invested in the games. If I win, I get a prize! Or, if I lose, I'm giving away money... No one likes that!

Try it out! Won't hurt your game at all and it's a good experience!

Thirty years ago, prior to beginning to play competitive golf, I made sure I was used to playing every shot by the Rules AND that I understood the Rules. My friends and playing buddies were pretty relaxed about the Rules so it took some effort to change my mentality. One has to be ready to hit that 3rd provisional after pumping the first two into the woods.

Frankly, I would be surprised if your handicap goes lower.  You may be a member of that small minority of people who think clearer and play better under pressure.  For the rest of us the pressure can make us do some strange things and that often results in higher scores, not lower.

Competitive golf will certainly make you a better player.  Time, lessons, practice and playing a lot will reduce your handicap index.

Competitive golf is fun at most club levels.

It becomes less fun at higher levels for most.

Looped for a buddy for many years at CGA and USGA events, it was dead serious most of the time, but always fun afterwards.

You meet many good players and become friends and sometimes get paired together again.

You definitely learn names by seeing who plays well.

Club Rat

This

When I first took the plunge into tournament golf I had a handicap of a little over 24, so you're well ahead of where I was at the time. At first I found tournaments to be nerve-wracking and, quite frankly, a terrifying experience that left me flustered and upset afterwords at how poorly I played. I pressed on, however, and continued playing in high school and summer tournaments for the four years I was in high school. At this point I look forward to the competition of tournaments and play better in tournaments than outside of them. I think the biggest key for me was learning to view "pressure" as excitement.

I definitely improved vastly by competing. Without having played competitively throughout high school I would not have experienced the massive push that I felt by trying to beat others. I might have ended up as a 15 handicap or so after the four years, but there's no way I would have come as far as I have without the constant drive to improve and win.