Rice Lake Golf

Gearing Up for Tournament Play

            While golf is a game where you can essentially play against yourself, battling to bring down your handicap with each round, it’s also a great sport to pit your talents against others.

            You don’t have to be good enough to qualify for the PGA or LPGA.  Amateur tournaments are great for players of almost every level.  Once you’re good enough to hit the ball every time (without whiffing it repeatedly), you ought to become comfortable with tournament play.

            Most local courses have some sort of amateur tournaments.  Some are for retirees on a Wednesday morning, for instance. Others are on weekends and open to everyone.  Some are specific for ladies.  In many cities, they also have junior tournaments.

            Depending on your level of play, you might even be good enough to play in the national amateur tournaments that preface a player’s turn into a fulltime professional PGA player.

            Playing in a tournament helps you learn how to play under pressure.  It’s much different from battling against your own friends in a foursome where you’re having fun and maybe placing a few bets here and there.

            You’ll sign up for a tournament and be placed with individuals you may or may not know – all at different skill levels.  The round isn’t just being played for bragging rights, but for the championship title, which often includes prizes.

            If you know you have a tournament coming up, then you’ll want to practice as much as possible before the date of the tournament.  Make sure get in practice for every club, not just your drivers. 

            If the tournament is on a course you’ve never played, try to sneak in a round or two so that you can make notes of the layout of the fairways, hazards, and other elements that might interfere with the perfect round.

            You might find that during tournament play, your stress level rises.  Some people freeze up when it’s official, so you may need to practice some stress reduction methods that help you stay calm on the teebox or when you’re 4 feet away and need to sink the putt for a winning birdie.

            Look around for different types of tournaments, such as scrambles or best ball play.  Sign up for a few different ones and then see which ones test your skills and provide you with the most enjoyment.

The time has come: no longer do you have an excuse not to get out there and improve your golf game.

With Birdie Balls and the Country Club Elite T-Turf system, there’s no need to lug your clubs to the golf course or driving range.  There’s no need to leave half of your clubs in your bag or hit off of awkward rubber tees. And best of all, there is no need to sacrifice authenticity for convenience.

Click here to read more about this groundbreaking golf training aid system.