Performance in comps..

[Teebs]

Anyone else struggle to play well in comps when there's a scorecard in your hand?

 

Started off well today with birdie, par, birdie then managed a 7 on a par 3 which really derailed the round.

 

Only my 2nd comp of 2023 and just don't seem to be able to play my normal game...

[doctor220]

Everyone does. Tournament golf is completely different than casual golf. Only answer is to do it more often and keep your cool when stuff doesn’t go your way. 

[MPStrat]

Focus on improving the parts of your game that tend to get worse under pressure. The more you voluntarily put yourself in uncomfortable situations, the better. Confidence comes from success under pressure. There will be good days and bad days for everyone in this game. 

[goaliedad30]

The only shot you can play is the next one. All the previous ones are gone. Everything except the next one doesn't exist. Focus more on setting up for the only shot that matters, and execute it to the best of your ability. Focus on process, not result ....

 

 

[ChipNRun]

2 hours ago, doctor220 said:

Tournament golf is completely different than casual golf.

 

If you are are just starting to play competitive golf, your first season will be like an extended spring training.

 

A big challenge is not letting the speed bumps and event mishaps to distract you. Some bothersome adventures:

• You are among 88 golfers who show up for a shotgun start at 9 AM. You arrive and find the practice range only has eight hitting stations.
• The guy in your foursome who is keeping your score gets angry, and storms off the course and quits - and you have to chase him down to retrieve your scorecard and arrange with tournament director for scorecard transfer.
• As a newbie, the organizers forget to put your name on the league bulletin text list. Everyone but you learns that the tee times have been moved up an hour. You show up at what they say is 2 minutes late, and have to argue not to be disqualified.
• The first event of the season, half the field doesn't seem to know the rules of golf. The round lasts six hours. Don't worry - the dummies will be mysteriously absent from the second event.

Once you survive the first season, the second season is a lot more fun.

[nikegolfer93]

I'll be honest, I actually find tournament golf to be easier to go low. 

You naturally are more focused and you have adrenaline allowing you to hit the ball a little further. 

However, keep in mind that when I play casually, I rarely take gimmes, so in a way I'm always playing "tournament" golf. 

[Teebs]

Some really good advice, thanks all!

 

The gimme post above is so true - I've actually started to putt out everything 2ft and out in friendly games to keep the practise up, short putting is probably where I let myself down to be honest.

 

Handicap has also moved up (only established this year), so automatically I feel a little less pressure compared to the low index I started off with (2.7). 

 

Club champs next weekend 😃

[RCGA]

I'm at a private club with lots of tournaments. It's not necessarily that I play worse, it comes down to 3 factors:

 

- Slow rounds 

- Rolled greens

- Harder pins 

 

3-putt rate goes up, birdies become more rare. That's 2-5 shots rights there. 

[Teebs]

83/83 in the club champs this weekend

 

First round I got off to a poor start and never recovered

Second round I started par, par, birdie but then fell apart with bogey, bogey, triple, bogey, bogey, par. 

 

To take the positives, I felt an awful lot more comfortable in the situation. Day 2 started really well, 280y drive, 230y 4 wood and a pitch, and then lipping out for birdie but holed the 4 footer for par. 

Really pleased with my attitude in the whole and I know there's a good score in there...

[bladehunter]

On 6/4/2023 at 12:38 AM, nikegolfer93 said:

I'll be honest, I actually find tournament golf to be easier to go low. 

You naturally are more focused and you have adrenaline allowing you to hit the ball a little further. 

However, keep in mind that when I play casually, I rarely take gimmes, so in a way I'm always playing "tournament" golf. 

In alot of ways I agree. It’s easier to focus because everyone else is playing seriously too.  No distractions usually. No guys decked out in all buffalo bills gear head to toe , with matching bag and underwear.  Yes. I saw this. And was shown the underwear. What the actual crap.  

[getitdaily]

On 6/4/2023 at 12:38 AM, nikegolfer93 said:

I'll be honest, I actually find tournament golf to be easier to go low. 

You naturally are more focused and you have adrenaline allowing you to hit the ball a little further. 

However, keep in mind that when I play casually, I rarely take gimmes, so in a way I'm always playing "tournament" golf. 

Yep. 

 

The only time I go into "tournaments focus" mode during casual rounds is when I start hot or start steady and find myself -2 thru 7 or 8. When playing casually, I don't spend a bunch of time reading greens and I rake on more risk.

 

The "take on more risk" aspect allows me to "test my pay grade"...see if I can pull off shots and evaluate the outcome to refresh the memory of what I should and shouldn't do. 

 

Perfect example recently...1 hole, 2 risk shots. Drive had to carry 260 yo clear a hazard. Par 5. That's on the edge of my carry limit. So I decided to go after it. Made the carry but ended up on a side hill (draw) lie. 265 to pin and 240 to front. 230 carry over another hazard. So I took it on.

 

Ended up making par but very easily could/should have made bogey on both long game shots. Tournament play...I lay up, play the %s

[RCGA]

3 hours ago, getitdaily said:

Yep. 

 

The only time I go into "tournaments focus" mode during casual rounds is when I start hot or start steady and find myself -2 thru 7 or 8. When playing casually, I don't spend a bunch of time reading greens and I rake on more risk.

 

The "take on more risk" aspect allows me to "test my pay grade"...see if I can pull off shots and evaluate the outcome to refresh the memory of what I should and shouldn't do. 

 

Perfect example recently...1 hole, 2 risk shots. Drive had to carry 260 yo clear a hazard. Par 5. That's on the edge of my carry limit. So I decided to go after it. Made the carry but ended up on a side hill (draw) lie. 265 to pin and 240 to front. 230 carry over another hazard. So I took it on.

 

Ended up making par but very easily could/should have made bogey on both long game shots. Tournament play...I lay up, play the %s

 

What's funny is we have people who take this approach and then get called a sandbagger because they're always net -3 in tournaments.  

[getitdaily]

3 minutes ago, RCGA said:

 

What's funny is we have people who take this approach and then get called a sandbagger because they're always net -3 in tournaments.  

I can see that. I have a "proper" handicap...it's based only on competitive rounds. I don't post casual rounds. 

[Phabs]

Shot 77/68 in my first tournament this year last weekend.  Going to be a loooooong week on the range with some sore hands 

[Teebs]

2 hours ago, getitdaily said:

I can see that. I have a "proper" handicap...it's based only on competitive rounds. I don't post casual rounds. 

 

I've only started comps this year but you can see the above from the scores that are winning, week in, week out. I think the best I've seen so far in division 1 is -2 net.

[MPStrat]

4 hours ago, getitdaily said:

I can see that. I have a "proper" handicap...it's based only on competitive rounds. I don't post casual rounds. 

Posting only competition rounds is sand bagging. If you’re out there practicing or screwing around that’s different. If you’re playing for a score and don’t post, that’s sand bagging.

 

A guy at my club just shot 64 in a money game. Didn’t post. Drives me nuts. Has nothing below 70 recorded on his ghin. 

[MPStrat]

2 hours ago, Teebs said:

 

I've only started comps this year but you can see the above from the scores that are winning, week in, week out. I think the best I've seen so far in division 1 is -2 net.

Shooting your handicap in competition is excellent. Shooting below your handicap in competition should almost never happen. From what I’ve seen over the years it happens most often with guys who don’t record casual rounds. 
 

[bladehunter]

2 hours ago, MPStrat said:

Shooting your handicap in competition is excellent. Shooting below your handicap in competition should almost never happen. From what I’ve seen over the years it happens most often with guys who don’t record casual rounds. 
 

Don’t agree.  It might be true for a 10 but a real traveling plus handicap is most likely going to go lower when playing with  better players - as in a real comp.  It’s incredibly hard to shoot 2-3-4 under while watching a couple guys shoot 97.  It takes real mental strength to click in and out of consciousness while playing like that.  It’s good mental practice. Don’t get me wrong.      But it’s not nearly as easy as if you have 2 other guys in that level and you can draft off each other.  Everything  from clubbing to putts is easier if the players skill level is same.    

[MPStrat]

15 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Don’t agree.  It might be true for a 10 but a real traveling plus handicap is most likely going to go lower when playing with  better players - as in a real comp.  It’s incredibly hard to shoot 2-3-4 under while watching a couple guys shoot 97.  It takes real mental strength to click in and out of consciousness while playing like that.  It’s good mental practice. Don’t get me wrong.      But it’s not nearly as easy as if you have 2 other guys in that level and you can draft off each other.  Everything  from clubbing to putts is easier if the players skill level is same.    

A friend of mine at my club who is a plus 5 index just placed first in a local US Open Qualifier. He advanced to the final qualifier and didn’t make it but shot -1 and scored similarly to several active tour players who competed. At my club he plays as a plus 2. This would be 68 on our par 70 course. Most of the time in competition, he shoots somewhere between 1-2 over par and 1-2 under par. Anything below that is by far the exception but it does happen once in a while. He very rarely shoots more than 1 or 2 over. 
 

This is because his handicap is accurate and a true representation of his potential at the current moment with a full time job and 2 young children. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by MPStrat

[bladehunter]

8 minutes ago, MPStrat said:

A friend of mine at my club who is a plus 5 index just placed first in a local US Open Qualifier. He advanced to the final qualifier and didn’t make it but shot -1 and scored similarly to several active tour players who competed. At my club he plays as a plus 2. This would be 68 on our par 70 course. Most of the time in competition, he shoots somewhere between 1-2 over par and 1-2 under par. Anything below that is by far the exception but it does happen once in a while. He very rarely shoots more than 1 or 2 over. 
 

This is because his handicap is accurate and a true representation of his potential at the current moment with a full time job and 2 young children. 

Sure. But you just said it. +2 and he shoots -1 on a us open qualifier course.  Thats equal to him shooting -3 or better at home.  At least.  
 

my point isn’t to argue. It’s just that you’re not a sandbagger if you don’t post the hit and giggle rounds.  If anything you’re a vanity cap by these silly definitions.     But. Huge ,But -   You’ll get called a sandbagger if you post those rounds and then show up and shoot 69 in the club championship as a 2.  Ask me how I know.  My low is +2.  And if in a slump with either driver or putter I’ll oscillate back up to 1.4 to 1.8 ish. Which rounds to a 2.  But I didn’t forget how to shoot a number.  I’m not physically unable. I just don’t alwasy have the mental acuity or time to play more than once a week …. This makes scoring very very on or off.  I’m playing with a soft cap on my handicap right now because I’m not scoring well.  Which means my cap won’t rise at the normal rate.  It’s the USgas nice way of calling me a cheat.  I’m 43 with a 1.4 handicap and they add a soft cap.  To me it’s all a joke.  A really sad joke.   I used to care alot more about it.  Now I just abstain from net events , or lose gracefully to help promote participation amongst those who seem to care.  
 

A lot of it is course rating dependent, and depends on the player and what struggles they have . A streaky putter who keeps a plus handicap can do great things when putts fall. And a plus handicap who gets that way playing a course rated 73-74 can go almost anywhere rated easier and shoot below his handicap.  

[MPStrat]

2 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

A lot of it is course rating dependent, and depends on the player and what struggles they have . A streaky putter who keeps a plus handicap can do great things when putts fall. And a plus handicap who gets that way playing a course rated 73-74 can go almost anywhere rated easier and shoot below his handicap.  

 

To find some common ground here I will agree that there are definitely circumstances where a player can shoot better than their handicap. It does happen. Particularly hot and cold streaky putters, swing tinkerers who find something for a day, past ringers who play 4 times a year, etc. 

 

However, I find that although it’s not perfect, the usga handicap system does a decent job of determining a player’s current potential if that player is honestly trying to shoot their lowest score and properly recording every round they play. . 

[Teebs]

7 hours ago, MPStrat said:

Shooting your handicap in competition is excellent. Shooting below your handicap in competition should almost never happen. From what I’ve seen over the years it happens most often with guys who don’t record casual rounds. 
 

 

This year, our division 1 net winning scores in medal play have been:

 

-7 

-3

-2

-1

+5

 

Scores getting worse as the course has firmed up and the greens are faster.

 

 

 

[naval2006]

On 6/3/2023 at 9:29 PM, doctor220 said:

Everyone does. Tournament golf is completely different than casual golf. Only answer is to do it more often and keep your cool when stuff doesn’t go your way. 

The scorecard is a heavy burden when you start playing tournaments.  But through rounds and rounds of competition you finally get used to it.  

[UKGolfer86]

On 6/4/2023 at 5:38 AM, nikegolfer93 said:

I'll be honest, I actually find tournament golf to be easier to go low. 

You naturally are more focused and you have adrenaline allowing you to hit the ball a little further. 

However, keep in mind that when I play casually, I rarely take gimmes, so in a way I'm always playing "tournament" golf. 

This is me.  Casual rounds i get a little too casual.  Goofing off, trash talking etc.  We dont play gimmes outside of about 3inches as one of our regular group manages to miss from 6 inches at least once a round.

 

But when i play a comp, while nothing major is on the line and im not playing for my next meal, i focus just enough to realise my potential.  Most of my best scores have been in competition.

[Teebs]

We're starting to do gimmies only within a foot or so. I've missed too many 3 footers in comps to take them for granted.

[nikegolfer93]

On 6/13/2023 at 10:25 AM, Teebs said:

We're starting to do gimmies only within a foot or so. I've missed too many 3 footers in comps to take them for granted.

 

Why not just quickly tap out the one foot putt?