Competitive Golf and Preparing for Tournaments
Whether you’re playing in a Major Championship on the PGA Tour or just a regular game with your buddies, you’re competing on some level. If the game is important enough for you to care about your results, it may be important enough to consider some preparations for competition. You’ll want to get both your mind and your game in shape for the big day.
• Set a reasonable schedule of practice and training that you can meet and then stick to it. There will be emergencies and situations that cause an occasional miss, but be as regular as possible.
• Be positive about yourself, your game and what you are doing.
• Practice with an objective in mind. Since your time is short, make your practice time of the highest quality. Make each shot as though on the course except when warming up. Fewer balls = more perfect shots.
• When playing in a casual round, take enough time to execute properly. As long as you are taking the time to play, even for fun, do it right. Make it a habit.
• Winners are not always those who have finished first. A winner is someone who gives the most in preparation to reach his potential and makes every effort to perform at his highest level. There will be times when that is accomplished and you still aren’t victorious, but you are a winner.
• No opponent is deserving of either lack of respect or an attitude of awe. In any reasonable match of talent either competitor can win on a given day.
• You may not have the best talent in a match, but tough competitors often overcome superior talent. Patience and perseverance will pay off in golf.
• Be consistent in your performance, focusing on the task at hand for the full time you are playing. Don’t ease up when ahead or quit when you’re behind. You never know what might happen to you or an opponent, so keep your focus.
• Self-control is a trait that you should strive to achieve. Loss of self-control is harmful to performance as well as to individual growth as a person. It reveals itself in club throwing, displays of temper, offensive language, verbal abuse of spectators or officials, complaining or discrediting the event or facility, etc. COMPOSURE!
• Keep your body in good physical shape by observing the following:Eat three balance meals daily avoiding as much as possible fried foods, rich desserts, too much protein, fat and salt. Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals and grains.Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Limit or abstain from the use of chemicals including alcohol. Moderation is a good guide. Don’t train faithfully and then waste yourself in one night. Include a mixture of flexibility, cardiovascular and strength work in your physical training program.
• Be committed but put competing in perspective. There are more important things in life. Putting it in perspective will help you as a competitor to realize you don’t have to win, only to do your best.
• Enjoy what you are doing. If it isn’t rewarding or enjoyable then reevaluate your program and make it so.
