My first (and awful) tournament experience...

[halcon]

This weekend I attend to my first "real" tournament. It was the annual invitational of a local club; the golf course is plain beautiful, located in the middle of the Sierra Madre, with exceptional vistas and hilly fairways.
I entered a category that I consider of good players (B, for 12-16 handicaps), and the format was Stableford. Sadly to say, but I had a pity weekend, scoring only 44 points in two rounds, for a very forgettable 70+ place :(.
Honestly, I didn't feel like my game was that bad, compared with the guys that I was paired with; I play in a very small, 9 hole and flat course, and the hilly conditions were new and particularly difficult to me.
I've been playing golf for a little more than a year, and this tournament teach me that I still have a long way before I become a decent player. Now, I don't feel like entering to another tournament is a good idea, but maybe in a few days my spirit will come back :).

[mirv]

i played my first (and thus far only) tournament last october. it was a 2-man scramble at the local course, and i was playing with my father. we had played several practice rounds out there, and didn't do anything spectacular, but we thought we did okay for our skill level. our practice rounds were 70, 72, and 67. we're like, well. we aren't going to win, but we should have a good time and we'll be able to hold our own. tournament rolls around and we shoot 77/75. it was pretty embarrassing and spirit-shattering. we weren't dead last, but i think we were only a place or two above dead last.

[Fourputt]

I've been playing club tournament golf for 20 years. I've finished first in my flight and I've finished dead last, and everywhere in between.

Advice to halcon: Play as many different courses as you can... there is no substitute for experience. If you aren't going to play tournaments on your home course, then the only way to become comfortable is to have that experience.

I admit to sometimes struggling the same way. I get in a comfort zone on my home course because I know it better than I know my own house. Then I play a course that I'm not familiar with and if I get into a bad streak of holes, it's hard to ever break out of it. I've learned to just relax and go with the flow, not worry about it and just enjoy the course. If you're out of the tournament then fine, you can still play for the best score possible, and just take satisfaction in those shots that you DO hit well.

And don't let one bad experience scare you off.... tournament golf is great fun.

[Damien45]

I've been playing club tournament golf for 20 years. I've finished first in my flight and I've finished dead last, and everywhere in between.

The diversity of courses that FourPutt is talking about is absolutely true! Unless you've hit a thousand shots from every time of lie there is, questioning it can effect the result. Knowing your results before you swing can make a difference.

The other side of the problem is the mental pressure of tournament play. When we hit the course to play for fun, we want to relax and shoot well. When someone enters a tournament the feel they NEED to shoot well. Hence, less relaxed which can cause changes in your tempo and game.

[ks8829]

Congratulation for playing your first golf tournament! I remember my first offical golf tournament my hands where shaking on the first tee and this is after playing almost everyday for about six months.

What I got out of that tournament was that I needed a pre-shot routine and since have used one on every shot. After playing that tournament you must of learned something about your game and yourself under a slight pressure situation.

Practice and enter another tournament and you only get better.

[elementz]

I only wish I was good enough to enter a tournament. I have played the odd scramble which are a blast but I am nowhere near good enough to enter a tourny by myself.

Even if I knew I had no chance in winning, I would bask in the opportunity.

[David in FL]

Congratulations on entering the tournament in the first place......a lot of people never do, and they lose out on some great experience!

One question that needs to be asked....... You've only been playing for a year and are showing a 12 handicap. Is that an actual USGA index, or your estimate? An honest 12 after one year might be doable, but it would sure be pretty spectacular. I'm just wondering if you might have overestimated the level of competition that you were ready for at this point in your golf career. Just a thought......

.....but regardless, get out there and climb back on that horse!

[halcon]

I've been playing club tournament golf for 20 years. I've finished first in my flight and I've finished dead last, and everywhere in between.

Definitely! I do need to play in different courses. From this experience, now I know that I $uck playing in uneven lies

The diversity of courses that FourPutt is talking about is absolutely true! Unless you've hit a thousand shots from every time of lie there is, questioning it can effect the result. Knowing your results before you swing can make a difference.

True, I got to the point where I wasn't sure of the results for my shots: It could be either short or long, left or right. Diversity is the key.

I also did feel the need to shoot well, although it didn't feel much different from the need to score when I'm betting with my friends in my home course, with the exception of the first shot in the first tee, that really is a different kind of pressure (I did well in that shot, by the way ).

Congratulation for playing your first golf tournament! I remember my first offical golf tournament my hands where shaking on the first tee and this is after playing almost everyday for about six months.

A pre-shot routine, that sounds like a plan! Thanks

i played my first (and thus far only) tournament last october. it was a 2-man scramble at the local course, and i was playing with my father. we had played several practice rounds out there, and didn't do anything spectacular, but we thought we did okay for our skill level. our practice rounds were 70, 72, and 67. we're like, well. we aren't going to win, but we should have a good time and we'll be able to hold our own. tournament rolls around and we shoot 77/75. it was pretty embarrassing and spirit-shattering. we weren't dead last, but i think we were only a place or two above dead last.

Well, same here! only two guys below me

I only wish I was good enough to enter a tournament. I have played the odd scramble which are a blast but I am nowhere near good enough to enter a tourny by myself.

You should try it! It really is fun, and there are categories for every level.

Congratulations on entering the tournament in the first place......a lot of people never do, and they lose out on some great experience!

My handicap is calculated every two weeks by the pro of my local club (I enter the tournament with an index of 10.6, for a course handicap of 12). It is not FMG (the mexican USGA) compliant yet, since they still have to calculate the course index/slope (They use an estimated course index, which I believe it's a little high, meaning that the course is easier than estimated).

I believe that my handicap is a little below where it should be, but not more than two or three points (probably 12/13, not much more); same category anyway. I didn't feel that my opponents were much better than me. Technically, I think my swing is as good as any other in that category (I was hitting it longer and straighter than the guys I played with, and I was using my 3w). I did hit a few OBs and hazards from the tee, but now I understand that I wasn't playing well from my second shot to the green; I wasn't able to adapt my game to the course. Thank you all for your comments.

[Seven Iron]

We all start somewhere. Regardless of how you feel about playing bad keep entering those tournaments to gain that tournament experience.

[pshizz]

Congratulation for playing your first golf tournament! I remember my first offical golf tournament my hands where shaking on the first tee and this is after playing almost everyday for about six months.

pre shot routine is everything in tournaments. It keeps you in the moment and not worrying about other things. Its also a huge help when your on the first tee and everyone is watching you. I have 2 tournaments coming up on saturday and sunday, so i will be sure to prepare myself and not worry about the results...it's not like im playing to keep food on my table! Think about the stress touring pros have, its way more than that of us.

[Ben]

Now, I don't feel like entering to another tournament is a good idea, but maybe in a few days my spirit will come back :).

Playing bad makes me want to get back into tournaments as soon as I can. Which is a situation I've found myself in far too often lately. Keep golf at any level what it is, a fun game to play. I think that's where I've been going wrong lately.

[Pyranha]

I feel your pain! My very first tournament experience was at my club championship 2 years ago. Qualified for the A flight, and then went out and shot a 95 (yes, a ninety freakin 5) in the first round. Came back the next day and shot a more reasonable 79, but got tagged with the nickname 'Beltway' for my efforts the first day (the DC beltway is partially I-95). The upshot is that I learned a lot from the experience and came back and won the tournament this past season. Definitely keep playing tournaments, and as others have said definitely play a variety of courses if you can. Good luck!

-C

[platgof]

I absolutely love 4 man scrambles, but that is not really tournament golf. I want to play in a city am this year, and they have a 3 day one coming up. My golf bud says they sandbag really bad in tourneys. Is this true?

[Fat Slice]

And don't let one bad experience scare you off.... tournament golf is great fun.

I second that! 1st tournament, ended up next-to-last NET (last gross) out of 140 players.

Last week I won my flight at a small tournament! I'll blow it again, and I'll win again - either way I try and have FUN.