Hey Fellas, May I Have Some Tournament Advice Please?
 

I've never played in a medal play golf tournament before and am playing in one on April 19th at TPC Boston (sponsored by the New England PGA). We'll be playing from 6400 yards (73.3/142...yikes!).

I'm a mid-HI, in my mid-50s, not the longest of hitters, but have a decent short-game.

Any advice you veterans can give me with regard to mental and physical preparation would be greatly appreciated. I've already mapped out the yardages and tentatively figured out what club I'll be hitting off the tees. The tournament site has satellite imagery of each hole and I calculated the yardages to hazards, bunkers, etc. I also did a side-by-side with TPC Boston's hole-by-hole descriptions.

I've been working hard lately on my impact position. I can actually feel the release when I trust what Joe Dante called the coefficient of angular momentum...and the ball goes further and straighter.

Thanks for your time.

Just have fun Sean. Thats what the game is supposed be isnt it?

I know that sounds horribly lame but trying too hard can really ruin things, make you play worse than normal as opposed to better.

See the target in your minds eye, feel the pressures in your hands and your good. Just like in other sports. Keep your focus on the target not mechanics or shoulda couldas, barometric pressure or where the trouble is. Too much thinking is stinking thinking, in my tournament book. To play, and tournament golf is play, as opposed to practice, you have to play by feel, not mechanics. I know Im losing it when I start thinking about mechanics. Sometimes its unavoidable maybe, during rounds gone wrong.

After Sydney Crosby scored the gold winning goal at the Olympics a reporter ran up and asked him to describe it all. He couldnt answer, he didnt remember. The reporter kept trying differnt angles, Syd replied that he honestly didnt remember anything. On the other hand, Id venture we all remember every second of our golf melt downs in tournaments. Leave the brain alone so it can work its wonders with the hands. If you thought about shaving and how to do it, planned it, stayed up late to map it out etc you'd cut yourself to ribbons. Im not suggesting that you dont prepare or anything, but there comes a time when you have to perform, dance like no one is watching. Its best done with a clear mind.

Good luck with it. Good golf is fun and maybe just maybe having fun breeds good golf. I know this isnt the answer you want to hear but........but its something I try to tell myself when playing for keeps. You get what your last thought was before you hit I find. If, when actually hitting, through well intentioned preparation you perceive there to be trouble out there instead of the target, your focussing on the wrong thing. Make a plan, for sure, please, as an intelligent golfer must, but do so before addressing the ball. Then turn it over to a mental picture of the target when actually playing the shot. You dont drive down the street saying to yourself "dont do this, dont do that, dont turn there, dont ....." Thats our wifes job!


Oh and a more practical thought.............its not the bad shot that kills you , its the one(s) after it. So dont beat yourself up too much, stay in the game. Bad shots happen, and often, for everyone. And that is borne of blood, sweat and a lot freakin tears. I got my yardage horribly wrong once , over shot the green by 30 yards and ended up in third by a couple of shots, after three days of solid play because of ............... taking four more shots to get up and down, due to being so steamed at myself. The seven iron from 130 didnt kill me, the way I responded to it did! I quit. So dont. No matter how bad it may seem. Everyone else is probably suffering too. Its a cruel, cruel game after all. Especially tournament golf.

Maybe all of this is akin to whistling your way through the grave yard........ with a steel like resolve and an eye on the destination. Moe talked about a "healthy indifference". He could be quite profound sometimes. So yah, Id say its sort of like trying to have fun, staying focused, expecting bad shots and tasting blood all at the same time. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.

Good for you by the way, there is nothing to lose and much to be gained! The hero dies but once , a coward dies a thousand deaths.

Think!..
 

Physical.
Assess your physical capability then crank it up a notch or 2. Do something that is cardio at your level . Walk, jog, run..every day - Diet, eat less/more of "good stuff", fiber fruit vegies. and lots of water. Balance, work on this 24/7.
Practice your short game. putt, putt, putt as soon as you can as much as U can chip, chip, chip... etc.
Drewitgolf - Communicate with him IMMEDIATELY. Please remember he is a professional and earns a living at his profession- Nuff said.
Oh yes, if I was your opponent I would be glad U know where all the water, bunkers and trouble is on the course. Try not to worry about it all the time. I would be happy to refresh your memory on every tee so you can try to miss the problems. OK

The Bear

Great advise from everybody.

Don't let your self worth get wrapped up in your golf scores. In the big scheme of things, they don't matter.

You are going to be playing a beautiful golf course with like minded guys. HAVE A GREAT DAY, HAVE FUN!

Kevin

O.B., thank you for your thoughtful and considered reply. You gave me a lot to think about, a lot to "feel" about.

Moe's "healthy indifference" was what metaphysician Jane Roberts called "divine nonchalance". I like both. My problem is while I can understand these concepts intellectually, and those you postulated, it is very difficult for me to inculcate them emotionally, or mindfully.

I dance much better when no one is watching. I suspect tournament golf could take that to the next level if I let it. The dance becomes difficult when we allow ourselves to externalize our steps and not allow the internalization to work its magic. And, make no mistake, golf is magical. More often than not I suppress the magic and get caught up in the "trivia".

As you alluded to a golf shot is just that, a golf shot. It's our reaction to that shot that determines what happens next. I can very much relate to your reaction of the 7-iron you hit over the green. That's where my golf game is right now: getting upset and allowing the negativity to intrude. And when I try too hard, and the results do not match my expectations, I feel like a failure.

To be honest, having fun has not been in my golf lexicon, unless it was preceded by a good shot or a good round. Golf just IS. Like the energy that surrounds us it is neither good or bad. Our responses to this wonderful game determine what kind of mistress she will be.

A true golf handicap index is not measured by a number but by an attitude. In that regard I'm just a neophyte...learning to navigate anew the hazards, fairways and greens. Fear in golf is borne on an expectation rather than a result. When the two don't mesh we begin to put unhealthy labels on ourselves. I know, I'm an expert.

My goal is not only to play good golf, but to play with healthy indifference, with divine nonchalance. This is proving to be quite a challenge for me. I have to let go of expectations and surrender to the process, trusting that it will "work".

Thanks Bear. While I intend to put in the work, I also intend to make an attitude adjustment. I don't know which one will present more of a challenge. :-)

Great advice from you too. I intend to PLAY, as in the child sense of the word. AND enjoy the beautiful surroundings. In some ways my mental approach to the game needs more work than my swing does. But that's okay, sometimes we get so caught up in the destination that we forget about the journey.

One addition Sean, it applies not only to tournament golf, but golf in general:

Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect
Bob Rotella

In fact, I need to reread it. The most wonderful attitude adjustment tool available!

Kevin

Sean, if all that have fun stuff doesnt work, I can become a miserable S.O.B. Which works sometimes too. In this circumstance I recommend you inflict pain upon yourself in a self hating but motivating and attitude readjusting manner. Its very cathartic and gratifying.

If you're really, really pissed with your self and you dont want anyone to notice what's going......... you can go behind a tree and slam a wedge into your shin. If there isnt a tree around, like say your in Ireland or something.......you can reach into your pocket and squeeze the crap out of those t'ings dat hurt the most when squeezed.

Im considering writing a book about self motivational attitude readjustment for the golfer. The handbook for the golfer, self flagalizer. Its working title "4 freakin shots from 20 freakin yards", or "this is gonna hurt me more than this is gonna hurt me". I cant decide.

This is such a great game, this golf is. Such a metaphor to life and life is suffering as you know.

Guess you can tell I played like crap today.

I will get a copy, Kevin. Thanks!

Along with the book, and I think both working titles have merit so you have a sequel ready to go, you can perhaps introduce a clothing line modeled after hair shirts that flagellants used to wear as they wandered aimlessly from town to town...like we wander aimlessly from hole to hole in stunned disbelief.

I'm sorry you didn't play well today. But I think you have good karma and brighter days are ahead for you. :-)

Thanks Sean. I needed that.

Tomorrow is another day! Bet your bottom dolla........ Got a friday tee off at 12;44, Sarasota National. Hope they have some grass to put under my balls unlike where I played today. Yes Sir, things are looking up.

Sounds good OB! "Fair field, clear course." :-)

Thank you Sean, Ill release the hounds, dogs of hell upon that course on friday as I am my only witness. (thats an easy witness I know). But so be it. And may the gods of golf have mercy upon its poor pathetic soul. For it shall feel my wrath, my stick and my balls.

No Tiger jokes please.

Actually I was thinking in more biblical terms: You shall smote them hip and thigh until they weep and nash their teeth.

Let your attitude be the victor no matter the score. Relish your good shots, forgive your bad shots, and leave the golf pantheon behind.

Sean, there has been a lot of good advice, I'll throw in my couple of cents.

Firstly, the round is still a long ways off and yet it has already reached monumental proportions in your mind. That means you are placing a lot of expectation upon yourself already.

All the advice is increasing your expectations, you may find yourself saying 'I have prepared so well, why aren't I winning?'

Ideally you want to have a very neutral mindset when you are starting off. This is your first medal so you should have low expectations. Shooting your handicap will be a hell of an effort, especially if you've never played the course previously.

Accept that you will have some very bad shots on the day and when (if) they arrive you can deal with it better.

Good luck with the game!

I would like to nominate Mr. Styles as our resident swing psychologist. Great advise Sir! :salut:

Kevin

That good advice Styles. Great advice. Reasonable expectations.

Id me remiss to not mention the all important Three Stations 12-3 ( you'll note that impact does not rank, which is critical).

The Star System Triad of the Preface is a long term pursuit, a holly grail type quest but the Three Stations (12-3), #3 pp sustainment (#3 pp has no release point, its release being associated with a loss of power and therein unlike the power accumulators and the other pressure points) and knowledge of Homer's encounter with the fabled dandelion, can get you through some tough tournament times.

Playing by feel can be illusive for even the best of golfers. We all lose "it", feel, lag pressure at times. Such is golf. Whether you're world class or just beginning to translate proper mechanics into feel, the struggle against Steering 3-F-7-A is ongoing and waged on every practice tee, at every tournament, world wide. I think its best to know your enemy as well as possible. He'll show up for sure, probably when he is least welcome too. He's like that. But we can prepare ourselves for his arrival. Read his book know his traits and wait. If he doenst show then great.

I loved that story Lynn told about Patton's outmaneuvering of Romel in the desert. "You glorious bastard, I read your book, 10 years ago".

For we golfers Steering is the enemy. Homer wrote the book on it after his battle with the dandelion. His revelation being that extracting a weed from the lawn with a golf club produces a superior golf swing. Basically, you dont Steer a dandelion. The gods of golf have a cruel sense of humour dont they? And we're talking about the guy who knew the mechanical essentials of impact alignments, defined them even. If his intentions can go awry despite his knowledge of requirements to the contrary, we are all in for big trouble with this thing.

12-5-0's first few paragraphs are fantastic. Lynn tells a story about a pro golfer , one you'd know of most likely that had fallen so far that he needed to start with the procedure listed in the first paragraph. Without a ball at first and then with one that Lynn snuck in there by hand. Its a story with a very happy ending though. From clanked chips to soaring long irons off the deck.

Address, Top , Finish can get you through some troubling times. Let the Motion make the Shot.

Thank you GP. You are correct and I appreciate the advice. A neutral mindset will serve me better than going in with unrealistic expectations. In fact, I should have no expectations and simpley allow the drama to unfold...and enjoy the process of that unfoldment.

Let the motion make the shot! I received a glimpse of that today while I was practicing my short game. I hit much better shots doing it that way, by allowing "it" to happen.

I have been an expert steerer, and am beginning to learn to allow the motion to make the shot. I thought the short game would be a good place to start.

Maybe George Bernard Shaw was talking about golf when he said: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. :-)

Wonderful post O.B. Yes, Let the Motion Make the Shot. I heard that somewhere before...

Thanks Drew. You're the King of this line of thinking. You got me going on it. Please tell us how to fight the good fight against Steering. Its a big topic I know , filled with "seems as ifs" and wrong thinking intentions.

Do you have a year or two to let us in on it?

Tournament rounds are the best rounds there is.

Play your own game
Prepare as you usually do before playing a round.

This is not the time to invent new warm-up routines or new game plans.

Have realistic expectations. Or even better: Don't have any expectations.

Be target oriented. Use whatever works right there, right now. (as opposed to technique oriented)

And perhaps one of the few things you really can control: Be focused and concentrated and positive on EVERY shot. If you do that, you can be proud of yourself afterwords regardless of the result.

Have fun.
Enjoy the company.

That's very good advice Bernt. Thank you!