Help! Tryouts In less than a week!

[patriotsfan9]

I have highscool golf tryouts on monday and have to average a 79 for the three rounds. i was on the team last year but  im worried about this year, i can shoot in the 70's sometimes but idk about averaging it for three straight days! Please any tips or advice because im super nervous! thanks.

[Mr. Desmond]

Attitude is a big part of it.

You need to buck up and get cocky - "I am the best."

You've got to love competition.

So what are your golf issues?

[patriotsfan9]

With driver and fairway woods i somtimes get a high fade that i know hurts my distance quite a bit. Ive been working on it for quite a while but i still comes back sometimes.

[460CompMark]

good luck.  knock em straight.

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by patriotsfan9

With driver and fairway woods i somtimes get a high fade that i know hurts my distance quite a bit. Ive been working on it for quite a while but i still comes back sometimes.

Welcome to the site.

We have many threads on hitting a push draw. Find them.

Let's try simple.

Assuming you have the typical address position, and ball is inside the left heel or big toe, try putting your hands slightly ahead of the ball at address. Yes, I know - try it.

This is more of a flat left wrist setup (assuming you're a righty). Setting up with hands slightly forward gives you a slightly inside path going back.

To confirm it, set up with your hands behind the ball - look at the path as you take the club back - a bit outside, isn't it? Guess what that promotes? A fade.

Now if you continue to bow that left wrist going back (or better, bending the right wrist), it should remain flattish. Now come down on a slight in-to-out path, and voila, with a flat left wrist at impact, it should help get rid of the fade.

Imagine the slight in to out path coming down - you do it by working the lower body before the upper body in the downswing (avoid the over the top move).

I don't like making suggestions - but you don't have much time - and  hopefully this is simple - just try the setup suggestion, see what happens, and go from there. Take an aspirin, not the whole bottle.

[patriotsfan9]

thanks this makes sense. my swing plane is pretty vertical so ive been trying to flatten it out a little.know any drills or anything to help get my plane more horizontal?

[David in FL]

Remember......you were on the team last year. You've been there, done that. A lot of the others haven't. You're better then they are. You were last year, and you are this year! :-)

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by patriotsfan9

thanks this makes sense. my swing plane is pretty vertical so ive been trying to flatten it out a little.know any drills or anything to help get my plane more horizontal?

In the vein of keeping it simple,

Make certain you have room - moving slightly away from the ball will flatten without doing anything else.

Think wide on the downswing, and tuck your butt to flatten out the swing.

Remember, it's an aspirin. If one suggestion works, stop. You don't need the whole bottle.

[WUTiger]

With a week to go, don't try to "rebuild" your swing.

Go with what works. Stick with your pre-shot routine. Line up the ball quickly and hit it.

People "choke" when they stray from what works. Former PGA star and current announcer Johnny Miller has defined choking as poor performance caused by straying from one's normal routine in a clutch situation.

On the practice tee, see what tendencies you have for the day. If you are veering toward the faded drive you mentioned, line up for the left side of the fairway that day.

Also, don't hit a shot unless you're fully invested in it. Say you're on a par 5, and your drive leaves you 230 yards out in the medium rough. If the hero in you says try to muscle a 5W to get home in two, but the little voice inside says, "NO way, dude!" go cautious. Take a 7i back to the fairway, and cozy up a half PW next to the pin.

And, if you end up teeing off at noon, and finishing up near 4 PM, remember that the grass on the final greens has grown since the 6 AM haircut. Give the putts a little extra to get the ball to the cup. (Lots of tour pros forget this one).

And, remember to have fun! (It's allowed... )

[Mr. Desmond]

Yes!

Have confidence and attitude.

The little tips I gave weren't meant as anything but tiny adjustments - moving hands forward at address, move away from the ball a little, are meant as tweaks. If they help, great. If they don't, you haven't changed much, if anything.

A Brendt Sneeeeeedeker says, "smile when you swing."

[hacker101]

Good luck, have fun, you already know what to expect so you will kill it.

Let us know how you did!

[Motown88]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Remember......you were on the team last year. You've been there, done that. A lot of the others haven't. You're better then they are. You were last year, and you are this year!

I've been agreeing with David a lot lately...but +1 to this comment.  When I played in high school you needed this mindset, at least I did since I was one of the worst on the team.  Just tell yourself you're better then all of them and go out there and play 3 good practice rounds.  Confidence is key.  Don't stress so much about your fade, if you're playing in the 70's you are probably good enough to recover from one or two missed drives.

Good luck

[patriotsfan9]

I know i can shoot in the 70s and i do often but just like any golfer i have bad days and if i have one of those... and shoot 90 then it will be hard to average under 80. thats what im worried about. last year we only had to play 1 round and that day i had a good day. but with three rounds im worried about being consistent.

[Motown88]

Originally Posted by patriotsfan9

I know i can shoot in the 70s and i do often but just like any golfer i have bad days and if i have one of those... and shoot 90 then it will be hard to average under 80. thats what im worried about. last year we only had to play 1 round and that day i had a good day. but with three rounds im worried about being consistent.

How do you know you have to average high 70's then to make the team?  I'm sure everyone will have the same concern you do, and with 3 rounds being played instead of 1 this year couldn't it be assumed everyone will average a little higher because of one bad round?  I can remember when I played in high school we weren't exactly what you would call consistent.  I witnessed players shoot a couple over one day and come back with a round near 90 the next, that same thing could easily happen with your group  during tryouts.

[patriotsfan9]

well im playing a practice round tommorow any tips so that i can better prapare for my tryouts?

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by patriotsfan9

well im playing a practice round tommorow any tips so that i can better prapare for my tryouts?

Already given.

After a shot, wait 10 seconds and get it out of your system, and think about the next shot.

Be patient.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by patriotsfan9

I have highscool golf tryouts on monday and have to average a 79 for the three rounds. i was on the team last year but  im worried about this year, i can shoot in the 70's sometimes but idk about averaging it for three straight days! Please any tips or advice because im super nervous! thanks.

2 days before tryouts is not the time to be making swing changes, IMO.

[clutchshot]

Just come in confident, you obviously are a good golfer, so go out and play your game.