Suggestions/Advice

I'm playing in a 36 hole open tomorrow and I thought I'd ask for some advice from the people on here who do this on a regular basis.

I was wondering what they do as preparation on the afternoon/evening before. Should I be heading to the practice ground and hitting balls or the putting green and holing putts or should I just relax and look forward to the day? After all it's not like I'm going to make any major changes now.

I tend to play twice a week in the summer, once midweek and then on Sunday. I played Sunday gone and played well for me(2 over off handicap of 6) so I was loath to practice anything today as I'm going to go in with confidence where as if I practiced and it wasn't good I'd lose that confidence. I'd also say I was a relatively natural player in that I know very little about technique other than what feels right.

Also I'd say I have a real confidence problem and get nervous when going well. On Sunday's round I got very tense and as a result bogeyed the last three including an unmentionable that went straight right off you know which part of the club. Does anyone have any good tips for keeping the same mental attitude the whole round? I get very defensive and just try and finish the course without disaster as opposed to carrying on playing well. I always know exactly what I am to par and I'm not sure other than not knowing the par for each hole how I could avoid that. One thing that has helped the nerves over the last year has been thinking about my score to par as opposed to where I am as compared to my handicap. It seems to set me a higher target and as such I need to be playing even better before the nerves hit and they can't cripple me quite so much.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Hibbz

If the swing is working and you feel comfortable on the greens, I would spend your prep time elsewhere. Maybe scrub your grips the night before, get all the grime off them and sort out all the gear you need on the day ie water, fruit, etc

Get there in plenty of time as there will be a check in process then spend 20-30 mins stretching and warming up by hitting a few balls. Finish off with a bit off chipping then 5 mins on the putting green to get the pace.

Also, if it's a course I'm not familiar with, I like to walk down the 1st just to get a feel for the hole so that when I'm on the tee, I feel comfortable with what's in front of me. Once you get the first hole out the way, you'll feel a lot more relaxed.

Where/when are you playing?

Good luck

Hibbz, try not to think about your real score at all, it can be negative whether you are shooting above or indeed below your target . Imagine you are something like 47 over (or any other random number) on the tee so that you forget about what your real score is.
Other than that all I can say is just take it one shot at a time and add them up at the end. All shots have equal significance so don't put too much pressure on yourself, and don't chastise yourself for a bad shot or a missed putt, it's all part of the game.
Use the morning round as an exercise in course management for the afternoon.

Firstly the prep the night before if you are a nervous guy is to just make sure you have everything you need for tomorrow, once you've double checked (my OCD double check everything) i'd then do all you can to forget about tomorrow, take your focus away from allow your mind time to relax and forget about the competition so you don't put any extra stress or tension upon your self.

Tomorrow, get there nice and early go through the check in process and ensure you get yourself familiarised with the local rules in play for the course/event. Pop in the pro shop buy yourself a yardage chart can come in handy for recognising hole layout etc.

Then go through your normal pre comp routine, done try to force anything or worry about anything. Get a feel for the greens speed, don't worry about holing out on the practice green focus on speed. The last thing I would do if it were me is to go in back into the nets/practice range and play shots that would be required on the first 3 holes e.g if the first is 400yard par 4 i'd hit a Driver then a soft wedge (So that in my mind when I get to the hole i've already played those shots so i'm not feeling tense) I'd then repeat the process for the next 2 holes.

Get to the tee a few minutes early and away you go

It's tomorrow drive4show at Bletchingley. I have played there before but it was about ten years ago and I'm struggling to remember it which is actually pretty unusual for me.

I have tried not thinking about the score super_realist but I just don't seem to be able not to. Haven't tried thinking I'm 47 over mind. I'm pretty good when it comes to accepting bad shots but can get very tense over short putts and by short I mean really short like between 1-2' when it feels like you have nothing to gain but everything to lose. Has anyone else ever had the feeling that you're going to miss deliberately just to see how it feels/how angry you can get? Strange feeling.

And I do this for fun?

Speaking of which what is the etiquette when it comes to chatting with your playing partners? Are most people happy to have a bit of a chat (obviously between shots and holes) or do people take it really seriously at these events? I'd much prefer to have a conversation partly as it helps me relax but mainly because the idea of the day for me is to enjoy it.

Maverick I am a nervous guy, I think double check everything would be an understatement. Why do we get so nervous? It really doesn't matter. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. No matter how much you tell yourself that I still get nervous. I still get nervous for a Sunday stableford at my own club and I must have played in hundreds!!

Hibbs, you hit the nail on the head. You do it because you enjoy it. You don't play golf to get uptight and nervous.

I always try to think that there are far more serious things in life to get upset about and that I'm extremely lucky to be able to play golf. That way actual golf shots and scores don't seem so important. If I dwell on a bad shot I actually feel a bit stupid. What has really happened is that the ball didn't do what I wanted it to do. Is that really worth worrying about?

You should become more comfortable the more holes you play, so think to yourself that the first tee is going to be as bad as it gets. Should help ease the tension. Also no one else cares what you do, so why worry it about yourself.

hibbz,

i always struggle a bit with the flat stick at the beginning of the season and one thing i've been doing this year is practicing missing short putts.
with 3 balls from about 2 feet, aim the first to horse-shoe out over the left edge, then over the right and finish with one into the centre of the cup. start off doing this a couple of times on a flat bit of green, then work on some going cross slope. i finds it really settles me into getting a good pace for knocking in the short ones, and also makes me more positive on the rest.

i played a couple of seasons ago in a 36 holer, playing off 9, with a 4 hcapper and a +2. the 4 didn't join us for the 2nd round [you can tell what type he was!], but the +2 was a thouroughly decent guy - we got on really well, and despite shooting about 15 shots more on each round than him, he never made me feel like it was a chore for him playing with me. he won the scratch prize with an aggregate score of 7 or 8 under, which was really something special to watch - good experience.

i tend to play 2 or 3 36's each year, generally find them less pressure than an 18 holer.

super_realist wrote:Hibbs, you hit the nail on the head. You do it because you enjoy it. You don't play golf to get uptight and nervous.

I always try to think that there are far more serious things in life to get upset about and that I'm extremely lucky to be able to play golf. That way actual golf shots and scores don't seem so important. If I dwell on a bad shot I actually feel a bit stupid. What has really happened is that the ball didn't do what I wanted it to do. Is that really worth worrying about?

You should become more comfortable the more holes you play, so think to yourself that the first tee is going to be as bad as it gets. Should help ease the tension. Also no one else cares what you do, so why worry it about yourself.

Super, I could not agree more; that's really good advice.... just enjoy the experience and realize how lucky we are.

Practicing missing putts is a very strange thing to do. All you are doing is reinforcing how to miss putts in your mind. Is that really a good thing to take on the course?

I never putt to a hole on practice putting greens. I go for small imperfections, the fringe or putt to a tee, this has the result of getting the pace of the greens and hitting towards a small target, hence when you get on the course the hole seems bigger.

Hibbz

as regards chatting, it's horses for courses. I play a lot of these sort of things and it all depends on individuals. I'm always happy to chat, after all it is a social occasion as well as a sporting one. But if I'm playing with someone that doesn't say much then I just leave them be. You'll be playing in 3balls(?) so at least one of your partners will be up for a bit of chat I would have thought?

My other half quite often walks round with me during opens so at least I have her to chat too. On Friday, I've got a 36 hole open with a certain well known character from here, Londonjonnyo.

Who said we do this for fun??

Where you kncking it round Friday D4S.

Maverick wrote:Where you kncking it round Friday D4S.

It's Bournemouth open week. There is a whole series of events from a 4 day 72 hole handicap event right through to mixed and team events. I'm playing in the 36 scratch on Friday with LJ. Noshankingtonite is playing in the 36 hole handicap event on Thurs/Fri.

All the events are spread over 2 courses, Meyrick Park and Queens Park.

www.bournemouthopen.net

Have a look and maybe pencil it in for next year?

Totally forgot this week was bournemouth thats come round seriously quick, damn my spas knee.. You still going for the Rochester Cobham event, will still co me down with the spas knee

Maverick wrote:Totally forgot this week was bournemouth thats come round seriously quick, damn my spas knee.. You still going for the Rochester Cobham event, will still co me down with the spas knee

Mav

you've just solved my Xmas pressie dilemma over wht to get you.

A diary. Rochester was weeks ago!!

But I didn't go in the end.

super_realist wrote:Practicing missing putts is a very strange thing to do. All you are doing is reinforcing how to miss putts in your mind. Is that really a good thing to take on the course?

I never putt to a hole on practice putting greens. I go for small imperfections, the fringe or putt to a tee, this has the result of getting the pace of the greens and hitting towards a small target, hence when you get on the course the hole seems bigger.

s_r, i tend to bash my short putts in a bit, so knowing the speed that they stay out when hitting the lip is useful for me to find the optimum pace on the tiddlers. whilst practicing i also like aiming to hole the cross slope putts in the top half of the hole rather than the centre in practice. aiming for different portions of the cup always seems to increase its diameter in my minds eye. for straighter putts, i often stick a tee in the back of a cup and aim hit it as the ball drops. as for your pace tests, agree, they're all good.

D4S I'm blaming this cursed injury its got my clock all akilter forgot I was supposed be taking mrs Mav away for her birthday this month till my parents asked me today what dates they were baby sitting!!!! Best hurry up and book a break for her!!!!

drive4show wrote:Hibbz

as regards chatting, it's horses for courses. I play a lot of these sort of things and it all depends on individuals. I'm always happy to chat, after all it is a social occasion as well as a sporting one. But if I'm playing with someone that doesn't say much then I just leave them be. You'll be playing in 3balls(?) so at least one of your partners will be up for a bit of chat I would have thought?

My other half quite often walks round with me during opens so at least I have her to chat too. On Friday, I've got a 36 hole open with a certain well known character from here, Londonjonnyo.

Who said we do this for fun?? :facepalm:


:laugh:

Good luck to you too drive4show. Especially with getting a words in edgeways.

Thank you to everyone for the advice.

Hibbz
Be organised and give yourself plenty of time to get to course etc.

From when you wake to the first tee, try to do everything slowly, The three S's [Shhh,shave and shower] make yourself eat a good breakfast even though it is difficult when you are nervous. Drive [your car] slower than normal and concentrate on the smoothness of your driving.
Playing partners are what you get, some nice some not so. Just fit in and don't let them bother you or you them.

I used to be a very nevous starter but once I got going the nerves went even when I was doing well.
This is normal for most golfers so don't beat yourself up about it.
Good luck and let us know how you got on.