First tournament of the year this weekend.

[TN94z]

Well, I have my first tournament this weekend. I haven't played any tournaments all year because I have been in the process of making swing changes. I am curious to see how I do with the changes still pretty fresh from when I started a few months ago. I am hitting the ball better but not as consistent with the new changes just because I haven't hit enough balls for it to be second nature. I still have to "focus" on one thing to make it happen. The other thing I am curious about will be my short game. Since starting on the full swing changes, I haven't really been focusing on my short game that much. That may be the tournament breaker there. But I think I will be able to hold my own. It is just a local tournament. Anyway, I will update next week on how it went.

[chriskzoo]

Dude, get mentally into tournament mode - i.e. evaluate if you REALLY need to hit driver off the tee on all non-par 3's. Last time out, anything under 400 where there was a hint of trouble, I just hit my 3 wood, hybrid, or 4-iron, laying back short of bunkers and never had more than an 7 iron in. Hit a TON of greens and made 4 pars, 3 doubles, and a birdie - 77, which was my best round in a few years (I'm a 9.5 index). And it was pretty ho-hum - hit a lot of greens or put myself in poistion for easy chips and easy pars. I think I only canned one putt outside 15 feet, and that was for double, LOL.

I actually think my new approach could shave 2-3 strokes off my game.

[Leftygolfer]

Best of luck. Hope the bounces go your way and the putter gets hot.

[TN94z]

Dude, get mentally into tournament mode - i.e. evaluate if you REALLY need to hit driver off the tee on all non-par 3's. Last time out, anything under 400 where there was a hint of trouble, I just hit my 3 wood, hybrid, or 4-iron, laying back short of bunkers and never had more than an 7 iron in. Hit a TON of greens and made 4 pars, 3 doubles, and a birdie - 77, which was my best round in a few years (I'm a 9.5 index). And it was pretty ho-hum - hit a lot of greens or put myself in poistion for easy chips and easy pars. I think I only canned one putt outside 15 feet, and that was for double, LOL.

That is the way I usually play anyway. I rarely pull the driver out unless I feel like I just have to. That was one of the bigger things that turned my golf around...playing smarter that is. I think the key to this weekend is going to be my putter. If I putt half way descent I usually score pretty good. When the putter is off, it seems like it throws everything off....Anyway, I am anxious to see how it turns out. I have a 100% different mindset since the last tournament I played and I think that is going to make the biggest difference out of everything I have done. Also, I have only played this course maybe 3 times and that was a couple of years ago!!

Best of luck. Hope the bounces go your way and the putter gets hot.

You and me both. Unless something has changed in the last year, the course is fairly tight and not that forgiving for errant shots.

[enis750]

Dude, get mentally into tournament mode - i.e. evaluate if you REALLY need to hit driver off the tee on all non-par 3's. Last time out, anything under 400 where there was a hint of trouble, I just hit my 3 wood, hybrid, or 4-iron, laying back short of bunkers and never had more than an 7 iron in. Hit a TON of greens and made 4 pars, 3 doubles, and a birdie - 77, which was my best round in a few years (I'm a 9.5 index). And it was pretty ho-hum - hit a lot of greens or put myself in poistion for easy chips and easy pars. I think I only canned one putt outside 15 feet, and that was for double, LOL.

great advise for sure i have been playng a lot like this lately too some courses are a little shorter here and you really dont NEED the driver a nice 4i 225 out and a 8-9i in...sure can hit some GIR a lot more and keep the scores down hope you play well bro i have been looking for a few local tournaments as well, would like to golf at least 2-3 this year let us know how things go

[Saig55]

I don't know if you'll be teeing it up in this rain, but if you do good luck today.
Hit'em straight.

[chriskzoo]

I also just read a good article in Golf Digest with Corey Pavin that I think really helped me. He said the biggest problem amateurs have is that they look at the stick on almost all approach shots. Depending on trouble around the green, he said if the pin is on the left side fo the green and there is no trouble right, aim at the right edge of the green. If you pull it a little, your in good shape and if you push it, you'll have an easy chip with lots of green to work with for an easy up and in par.

I usually shoot in the low to mid 80's (9.5 iddex) and shot 77 at a fairly tough course. Round summary:

*14 pars
*3 double bogeys
-had to hit out of a soggy lie, had a long putt for par and missed a 5 footer coming back for bogey
-had to chip back into play and left myself above the hole on a wicked green - missed a 10 footer for bogey
-Again had to chip out - went into a hazard, hit my approach over the green and sank a 15 footer for double
*1 birdie - long par 5, layed up short of the water with a hybrid, 5 iron to 100 yards, easy wedge to 15 feet and made the putt

Aside from long par 4's, I have essentially divided the course up into a series of par 3's - which I think I pretty much par most of the time if I have a 6 iron or less in my hands.

[TN94z]

I don't know if you'll be teeing it up in this rain, but if you do good luck today.

I know!! We got hammered last night! The tournament will be Saturday and Sunday and the weather is supposed to be nice those two days. It all depends on how much the course dries out tomorrow.

[TN94z]

Well, the first round is in the books. I shot a 78 today. It wasn't great but it was steady. I caught some bad breaks and left a few birdie putts short. I had two chips that were bad. I only had to use my driver twice today and one of them flirted with OB. I barely made it in!! All in all it was good. I don't know what the leader shot today yet as there were still some guys on the course when I left. I'll take another 78 or better tomorrow. I didn't think it was that bad considering it has been a while since I played the course. I'll update tomorrow with how I finish. The course is the type of course that the members will probably go low. There are some holes that that you really have to know the course to be in position. Good news is I had no drop shots, hazard, or OB. My 3w was dead in the center and usually about 20-30 yards further than my partner's driver. I was happy over all.

[shankapotamus]

Well, the first round is in the books. I shot a 78 today. It wasn't great but it was steady. I caught some bad breaks and left a few birdie putts short. I had two chips that were bad. I only had to use my driver twice today and one of them flirted with OB. I barely made it in!! All in all it was good. I don't know what the leader shot today yet as there were still some guys on the course when I left. I'll take another 78 or better tomorrow. I didn't think it was that bad considering it has been a while since I played the course. I'll update tomorrow with how I finish. The course is the type of course that the members will probably go low. There are some holes that that you really have to know the course to be in position. Good news is I had no drop shots, hazard, or OB. My 3w was dead in the center and usually about 20-30 yards further than my partner's driver. I was happy over all.

Congratulations! A 78 is great for your first tourney of the year.

[TN94z]

Congratulations! A 78 is great for your first tourney of the year.

Thanks man. I just called and found out that I am only 2 strokes off the lead too!! That is really surprising. It makes me really think about the couple of brain farts I had today

[TN94z]

Well, I blew up today. They backed our championship flight back to the tips. I pulled my driver out of the bag on number one, which I hadn't planned on doing at all! I pushed my first shot and it hit dirt pan and went OB. I tee up another one and hit the same shot but this one stayed in the DEEP DEEP(so deep I could barely see it and for sure couldn't get a club on it) rough. I hit my shot with all of the power I could and it barely came out and went into the pond!! So I drop and I am laying 6. I hit a pretty 6 iron that hits the rake and comes back into the bunker!!....I know what luck I had straight out of the gate. I proceed to get up and down from there for a 8!! A quadruple on the first hole. I haven't had a quad in YEARS!! I am playing with the leader and I see what he is doing...so from this point on I had no choice but to start going for the pins if I wanted to win. I am already 6 strokes back as he par'd the hole and I started 2 back. They obviously had the pins in the toughest locations. I over clubbed on some, didn't check on some, and missed putts. All in all it was the worst day of scoring I have had in a while. I ended up with an 86 after a LONG day.

The good news is I finished 5th after all of that. I had a great time and tournament play is what I want to do!! I just have a few things to work on with my golf teacher now