My First Tournament Ever!

[Maddog10]

Another tip I would give you is to put some sort of identifying mark on your ball to distinguish it from others, especially if you play a popular brand. I played a Pro V1 in a tournament one time with no markings. A fellow competitor coming up the hole adjacent to the one I was playing accidentally played my ball. I called the rules official over and ultimately had to play it as a lost ball because I couldn't PROVE that it was mine. I knew it was mine, the competitor knew it was mine, and the rules official knew it was mine, but because I didn't have any markings and the competitor "couldn't remember" what number his ball was, I suffered the penalty... It's a mistake that takes just a couple seconds to avoid, so grab a sharpie and mark a few balls in your bag before starting your round.

[Forged4ever]

[quote name='Maddog10' timestamp='1430225578' post='11457237']
Another tip I would give you is to put some sort of identifying mark on your ball to distinguish it from others, especially if you play a popular brand. I played a Pro V1 in a tournament one time with no markings. A fellow competitor coming up the hole adjacent to the one I was playing accidentally played my ball. I called the rules official over and ultimately had to play it as a lost ball because I couldn't PROVE that it was mine. I knew it was mine, the competitor knew it was mine, and the rules official knew it was mine, but because I didn't have any markings and the competitor "couldn't remember" what number his ball was, I suffered the penalty... It's a mistake that takes just a couple seconds to avoid, so grab a sharpie and mark a few balls in your bag before starting your round.
[/quote]GREAT Post!!!

Seems like common sense however I was running late to a tourney tee time and did the exact same thing as Maddog off the FIRST FRIGGIN TEE, with a FC coming up #5, which ran adjacent, and as I pulled a new sleeve of Stones 3's out of my bag, and this was the first time that I came across someone who also played a 3, though he just pulled a 3 out of his bag while that's all that I play(My Mother's a 3-time survivor), and gettin a lost ball off of my first ball of the day sent me into orbit, lol.

Great pearl MD

Fairways & Greens My Friend,
Richard

[vbb]

I always thought tournaments were for low single digits, so I never bothered to play in them. I wish I had started sooner. I absolutely love the tournament atmosphere, and wish I could somehow harness that nervous excitement and focus for my regular "casual" rounds. It seems that anytime I am playing in a tournament or some other type of competition against people outside of my usual group, I play better. The ball flies a little farther. My green reading gets a little more locked in. I play smart, playing for position rather than the hero shot.

I've hit some of my longest, straightest drives ever off the first tee of a tournament or competition round.

Plus, as long as other people are reasonably honest about their handicap, you have a chance to win or place in the net category or in your flight if you play well (for you).

I'm a big fan.

[ClayShooter]

Some early mentioned not saying good shot etc or something to the effect.

Funny story. I was on a car racing trip this last fall and shot my best ever round of 87. The next day I go play another course and I honestly couldn't have played worse and I was playing with two scratch golfers. One of them hits about a 160yard shot to within 6 ft of the pin and as I'm turning around to say, "Great Shot!" the guy goes into this cussing tirade and throws his club about 100 ft down the fairway because his shot wasn't within 3 ft of the pin!

The two guys turned out to be the two biggest jerk offs I'd ever met in my entire life. At that point, I decided I was going to make their round as miserable as I could until I could get closer to the club house and just left.

[ClayShooter]

Well I played in my first tournament and played the worst round in my life. The nerves were zero to be honest other the not knowing what to expect. I bombed my first tee shot and my second shot was perfectly played. I just really screwed up my next to shots and I got so mad at myself that I screwed up my own head and I let it get to me. The three other guys in the group were so nice that it just made it feel like another practice round.

Seroiusly, it was a lot of fun and I'll do it again for sure.

[ClayShooter]

My scores ranged from 3 pars to 2-10's and 3-9's I think which was just horrible for me I rarely score an 8. I know some will say it was nerves but I can't overemphasize how comfortable it was to play with my group so no nerves just 100% lack of skill today.

[Sean2]

[quote name='ClayShooter' timestamp='1430605398' post='11487449']
Well I played in my first tournament and played the worst round in my life. The nerves were zero to be honest other the not knowing what to expect. I bombed my first tee shot and my second shot was perfectly played. I just really screwed up my next to shots and I got so mad at myself that I screwed up my own head and I let it get to me. The three other guys in the group were so nice that it just made it feel like another practice round.

Seroiusly, it was a lot of fun and I'll do it again for sure.
[/quote]

Props to you for playing! A lot of golfers don't play in tournaments for a number of reasons: they are afraid to fail, the entire "nerves" aspect, embarrassing themselves, or what have you. As Bobby Jones said, "There is golf and there is tournament golf."

You don't necessarily get "used" to it, but the mental thing get "easier" the more tournaments you play in, as it becomes more familiar. At the same time, nothing beats the rush of playing in a tournament either. :-)

[drewtaylor21]

[quote name='ClayShooter' timestamp='1430605398' post='11487449']
Well I played in my first tournament and played the worst round in my life. The nerves were zero to be honest other the not knowing what to expect. I bombed my first tee shot and my second shot was perfectly played. I just really screwed up my next to shots and I got so mad at myself that I screwed up my own head and I let it get to me. The three other guys in the group were so nice that it just made it feel like another practice round.

Seroiusly, it was a lot of fun and I'll do it again for sure.
[/quote]

Glad you had fun and want to go back for more! It's likely that your scores will improve drastically even in your next tourney round. If you haven't already, sit down and mentally go over your round to find out WHY things happened the way they did, as that will really make a difference in being prepared for the next time out!

[ClayShooter]

I know what I did wrong but stupid me has to realize it and fix it.

I have two issues minimum but they are severe when I get out of time. I have to do a one piece takeaway on my backswing. If I even move my arms a 1/4" too early, I get out of time. This leads to a jacked up downswing and I either pull, push, hook or slice. The reason I get mad at myself is I can feel it within the first 2-6" away from the start of my backswing and I can't get myself to stop the swing and start over. That was the cause of my poor score. I had a few bad holes for putting at the beginning as the greens were faster than I was used too but that only cost me about 6 strokes overall (which is too many) but if I hadn't been so mad at myself I don't think my putting would have been so bad. I know one thing, no more gimmees during practice rounds, lol. Those two footers are knee knockers when you have to make them.

[FerrisBueller]

[quote name='GrahamKelsey' timestamp='1430154152' post='11451777']
"There are two types of players; [color=#252525]those who keep their nerves under control and win championships, and those who do not."[/color]

[color="#252525"]Just relax. That's what I've learned over the years. Try to not focus on the score or how anyone else is playing. Imagine you're just out by yourself relaxing and playing.[/color]
[/quote] good ol Vardon!!