Club Championship Season

[Puttin4Bird]

We played our club championship this past wknd. As I stated earlier we are a relatively newer club so we only had around 50 guys compete, which is about 50% more than last year so we're going in the right direction.

I was hoping for a decent showing, perhaps competing in the net flight or top 10 in gross, well much to my disappointment neither happened. I shot an UGLY 94 on Saturday, it was a day where the conditions weren't great, but surely not that bad. I felt as if I was playing defensive the entire time, never really going after a score but instead trying to keep from screwing up big time. That wasn't the way to do it, but I digress.

Day 2 was great weather, a little humid but the scoring for me wasn't much better sadly enough. I improved from my 2 par day on Saturday but only could muster up an 89. I played ok here and there but never could piece together a run.

All said and done I had fun, we had a new winner this year since our defending champ was out of town. Our guy shot 73-69 to win by 3. Coming up with a 69 on day 2 to come from a stroke back to win is pretty solid.

I think I have some mental hurdles to get over before I am ready to compete at the top of our club, I am capable of shooting mid 70's but I think I psych myself out, that is another topic for another day however.

[Leek]

Done. Won one match 7 & 6, the finals 4 & 3. Great fun! I love these events.

[NM Golf]

My club Championship is the beginning of next month. Last year's winning score was -5, I took third with (+2).
I am hoping to keep my good play going. Last weekend I played with the defending club Champion in the Presidents cup and beat him by three strokes (136 to 139).
I played today from the absolute tips and shot 68 again so I hope I am ready.

[Dent]

Well as you see in my other post, I was -1 after 3 holes, then +3 after 7. I was the talk of the tournament, cuz im a no-name guy that might have actually had a shot, until I took a gamble on 8 trying to drive over the trees. I took a 12 on that hole, hit the clubhouse twice on 9 and took an 8 there. And I fell apart and totally blew up. Dont ask me how but I have never done this bad before shooting 99.!!!! Im so emberassed and The second day i didn't do much better :(. I cant play in tournaments, i totally lost confidence and stoped trying. I totally blew up and lost control of my game.

[P3R3]

Well as you see in my other post, I was -1 after 3 holes, then +3 after 7. I was the talk of the tournament, cuz im a no-name guy that might have actually had a shot, until I took a gamble on 8 trying to drive over the trees. I took a 12 on that hole, hit the clubhouse twice on 9 and took an 8 there. And I fell apart and totally blew up. Dont ask me how but I have never done this bad before shooting 99.!!!! Im so emberassed and The second day i didn't do much better :(. I cant play in tournaments, i totally lost confidence and stoped trying. I totally blew up and lost control of my game.

Oh man that sucks. :(

[Puttin4Bird]

Dent- wow man that sucks. I think you need to just get back on your horse and keep it going. I have one question, on that 8th hole the shot you tried, do you normally pull that shot off? If it is a shot you normally play and can execute then you just have to chalk it up as a bad shot and move on. If you normally don't do that and just got caught up in the moment and tried to become a player you're not then you just have to check yourself a bit and stay within your limits. It sounds like you were doing great, one loose swing can get you though.

I feel like I need to examine the way I play tournaments also, so you're not alone. Keep with it, pratice harder and next year be the guy that came back after this blow up this year.

[Mr.Buckethead]

I was placed in the third flight. This flight contains 13-15 handicaps. I shot an 86 and I am 3 strokes back.

I played pretty well (41-45) despite not playing for 3 weeks. This was my first time playing in any type of tournament. I had a pretty good case of the nerves for the first 3 holes but they went away after making a couple of good swings.

My plan is to go out and pick up 10 pars tomorrow, maybe a birdie and make a run at the leader.

[Leek]

Well as you see in my other post, I was -1 after 3 holes, then +3 after 7. I was the talk of the tournament, cuz im a no-name guy that might have actually had a shot, until I took a gamble on 8 trying to drive over the trees. I took a 12 on that hole, hit the clubhouse twice on 9 and took an 8 there. And I fell apart and totally blew up. Dont ask me how but I have never done this bad before shooting 99.!!!! Im so emberassed and The second day i didn't do much better :(. I cant play in tournaments, i totally lost confidence and stoped trying. I totally blew up and lost control of my game.

Next time remember, fairways and greens. You don't need to hit great shots. What you need is consistent pars/bogies depending on your flight. If they realize you will not make a mistake, they will try to force the issue and fold. All but one of my matches this year were either tied or one up at the turn. Then they got frustrated with my constant pars and tried to hit great shots, and got ground up.

[Mr.Buckethead]

I shot 85 today to get 2nd place in my flight. I shot 44-41. The flight winner shot 164.

I am pretty happy to have gotten 2nd place. I would have beaten over half of the players in the second flight based on my 171.

[Hogan Incarnate]

Our Junior Club Championship is tomorrow after tryouts. I can tell that I'm going to be pooped for the 'ship. I'm also confident that I'll take first or second considering that I'm the lowest handicap in the field.

[underparnv]

Well, I just got back from playing the first round of two of my club championship, and I played the best golf I've ever played. I made two bogies on my last two holes, but I still ended up with a 67. I'm two off the lead and will be in the last group on Sunday.

I will post the results tomorrow...wish me luck!

(Scorecard attached...I started the day on #15)

[shivas irons]

Yes it is. Club championship time for my course is mid september. Kind of strange considering I live in Canada. But the weather is great and the competition is great. The thing I wish is that we played form the tips. The course is windy and links styled and plays just over 7,000 yds. It is a blast having to hit an 8 iron to get the ball 120 yards into the wind.

It's all about mindset in my view. What do you guys do in preparation for these events? I have a 3 step process I call the 3 P's of great golf.

Prepare - you have to prepare with a focused practice process and strengthening your skills. Stretching, and all those pre-round preparations needed, and getting in a good mindset with a good gameplan is important. Sticking to your gameplan doesn't hurt either...

Preview - this is what so few players do with any seriousness or with a strategy. Preview your round and see in your mind's eye how well you're hitting the ball. Visualize playing key shots and holing critical putts. See, hear and feel yourself playing phenomenally. I've been doing/teaching this for years and just did this prior to a Skins game in a 4some at my home course. We played from the back tees.

Keep in mind I am the shortest hitter in the group. Length off the tee is over-rated. I out putted the others and made the putts when it mattered. There were 4 holes being carried over to the 18th and I hit a solid bunker shot yet had a 10 foot sidehill putt for all the marbles... i made the putt and the guy who was inside me with a 5 footer missed it. $$$ was mine

I say these things not to impress, other than to impress on your mind the power of using mental imagery strategically and habitually. I "see' myself winning and making key putts. Sure enough this is what happens. Not always of course, but more often than not!

Perform - this means to simply "play" the game. No swing thinking or left brain analysis. Be like a kid and hit it and chase it. Playing fearless golf is how we play our best. Being fearful, or even remotely concerned with "how" you'll perform is a killer. Let it flow....

I found the 3 P's to be easy to remember and apply. Prepare - Preview - Perform - Once you habituate them you'll have a competitive edge over others who just have a hit and miss approach to playing competitively. Ok, pun fully intended...

Take them to heart and you'll feel the gains.

Play well!

[gjwhite]

Qualified as the #1 seed in the B flight last week with a 76. Beat the number 16 seed yesterday in a great (if sloppy) match that came down to, shot for shot, the very last hole, and more to the point, the very last putt.

We both hit decent drives on the par 5 18th; I hit my second shot 90 yards out from the pin while my playing partner hit his behind a very tall oak tree. He managed to a high shot over said arboreal opponent and I responded by leaving a sand wedge short of the green (!). He then proceeded to chip within 4 feet. At this point I thought I might have been done for, but I ran a pitching wedge within 3 feet, just a few inches in front of his ball. He missed his putt by a fraction of an inch, I made mine, and the match was over. Far too close for comfort--I handed over at least 3 holes during the course of the match with careless putting.

The fellow I'm playing in the second round beat his opponent (a fellow I lost to earlier in the year due to similarly sloppy play) with a 76 today. We are set to play round 2 on Memorial Day afternoon.

[marto97]

We had our club championship a few weeks ago, I thought it was kind of early for it. I had to miss it as we had company that weekend.
Our men's open is coming up this weekend (Aug30 to Sept.1) I've been looking forward to it all year, my playing partners say it's a great tournament. My game has been coming around really well and I'm ready. I'll give you all an update when its over.

[shivas irons]

Nice close. Hey, as they say, it's not how it's how many. You closed the deal and that's what counts. Those are great memories and positive resources to draw from in future moments.

I love hearing peoples recollection of memorable rounds. Any more out there??? Let's hear 'em.

[underparnv]

Well -- the final round of our Club Championship was today. I can't complain too much as I played well...just bogied a par five that I almost never bogey. Attached is my card.

I finished in second place by one. Winner went 65-69 to take it, shooting five under on the back (after a two over on the front).

My #1 goal this year was to take home the Club Championship and to come up one shot short is a bit disheartening, but I will be back at it even harder for next year.

Good luck to everyone still needing to play!

[Jeepthrills]

Well -- the final round of our Club Championship was today. I can't complain too much as I played well...just bogied a par five that I almost never bogey. Attached is my card.

I don't have a club championship to play in, but our league championship is tomorrow. My wife and I had it won last year with 4 weeks remaining in the season. This year we are both playing much better and trail by 2 points going into the final round. There are 6 points available per match. 2 for mens w/HCP, 2 for womens w/HCP and two for team total w/HCP. Last week we went into our match 1 point out of first.

I was giving my opponent 5 shots for 9 holes and came to the 9th with a 1 stroke Net lead. We both find the fairway. He misses the green short, I hit the front of the green. He knocks his third to the back fringe. His shot comes out hot, hits the flag an goes in. I now have a 40 foot putt to a pin on the second tier. I roll it past by about 8 feet. Now I need to make it to win outright. I miss it comming back and slap at the two footer for bogey. Of course I miss and lose by 1 shot. Now for the real kick in the ProV's. The first place team only took 1 of 6 points from the 3rd place team. If I had not choked we would have been tied for first and if I had just tapped in the bogey putt we would have been tied for second and playing in th final group due to us having the tie breaker for head-to-head. Now we need to take all six tomorrow and hope for a split. I hate not being able to control my own destiny.

[gjwhite]

Arg! Played an absolutely awful round today, losing the first seven holes on the front nine. Could not get anything going; great drive, terrible approach. Gave away many holes, but the one that hurt the most was on our seventh when, after hitting a gorgeous 270 yard drive, I proceeded to shank, wait for it, a nine iron from 140. My opponent's bogey ended up winning the hole.

After giving away the first seven holes, we played the rest of the 18 dead even. Unfortunately by that time it was far too late to repair the damage.

I just don't play well in tournaments at all. This is not the last event at our club though; at the end of September we have a two day Ryder Cup that follows pretty closely the matches of the actual RC. I need a few more points (gained from placing at various Men's Club tourneys and events) to make the cut (I believe there are 8 players on each side), so I'm hoping to do well in the next few events.

Arg.

On that note, anyone have advice for playing tourneys that they find might come in handy?