Trying a new approach to comps

[IanM]

I've rarely play well in competitions at my local club, so I'm changing the approach.

My regular group play around 9am. I'm 30 mins away and am not a morning person, so I usually have to rush to get there. I also never have a chance to warm up before play. So this Saturday I've told them not to book me in.

Trying something new. I'm playing at 10.30 with some folk I've never met! Time to warm up the creaking shoulders and have some putts... and lets see how it goes.

Fewer excuses!!

 

[Burnsey]

If it is in your mind, then you are doing right to change it.

I play early (and I like to) but that means there's always others watching my first tee shot - it evens out after an hour or so.

If that first tee shot is good, my round is better. If it is bad, it affects me - nerves!

I have tried different clubs, but a bad first shot with a driver can be a bad first shot with a 7 iron, so I have started noticeably slowing down and so far so good.

 

[Oddsocks]

I've rarely play well in competitions at my local club, so I'm changing the approach.

My regular group play around 9am. I'm 30 mins away and am not a morning person, so I usually have to rush to get there. I also never have a chance to warm up before play. So this Saturday I've told them not ro book me in.

Trying something new. I'm playing at 10.30 with some folk I've never met! Time to warm up the creaking shoulders and have some putts... and lets see how it goes.

Fewer excuses!!

Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result.

Good luck, a new approach is always interesting.

Out of curiosity @IanM , are you doing this for comps only or general play as well?

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Seems a sensible approach. It’s something I’ve always battled with, early tee times have benefit of getting home and family time. But if I want to get there and feel warmed up for an 0830am tee time. I have to get to the course for 0730 and that’s so much extra effort with prep in the
Morning from getting up and getting loose.

Let us know how you get on I’m intrigued.

 

[timd77]

I recently changed my pre round routine and have definitely seen improvements in score. Still some guff in there but generally getting better.

All I’ve changed is getting up early enough to have breakfast at the club and hit a few balls in the net. Previously I would get there about 20 mins before, pay, straight to the tee and that was it. My breakfast was a nutrigrain and I’d pack a sandwich to eat on the way round, which I’d usually forget until near the end or even afterwards. So I’ve put it down to me just not having enough energy.

Hope you have similar improvements, good luck.

 

[IanM]

Out of curiosity @IanM , are you doing this for comps only or general play as well?

Every single Saturday at Newport is a competition. That's a big chunk of my golf there. So it's a comp thing only for now.

I also play a lot of golf away from there so this is a tester for the comps. I'm chewing over switching to St Pierre as its only 5 mins from the house. (My wife is also at StP. and it is handy since I retired) I play 20-30 rounds p.a. at the club I'm a country member of, plus trips and Opens.

I'm not actually enjoying golf at Newport at the mo, so seeing if some change makes it better.

 

[nickjdavis]

Every single Saturday at Newport is a competition. That's a big chunk of my golf there. So it's a comp thing only for now.

I also play a lot of golf away from there so this is a tester for the comps. I'm chewing over switching to St Pierre as its only 5 mins from the house. (My wife is also at StP. and it is handy since I retired) I play 20-30 rounds p.a. at the club I'm a country member of, plus trips and Opens.

I'm not actually enjoying golf at Newport at the mo, so seeing if some change makes it better.

There is a lot of advice that doesnt need to be given...but I'll give it anyway

We are only on this planet once...why do something if you dont enjoy it?.....so hopefully your change in approach will reap some rewards.

 

[IanM]

You are completely correct. It's the old consultant in me, trying to fix something before I ditch it!

You have to keep your handicap somewhere.

 

[Hobbit]

You’ve identified something that’s grinding your gears a little and are trying something to mitigate that niggle. Can’t fault your approach. It may be that after a few weeks you find you miss your regular playing partners and revert back. Equally, it may turn out to be the right thing to do.

Back in the mists of time I switched from around 8am to around 1pm. Something had cropped up and I needed a late tee time. I knew most of the afternoon guys anyway - I’d been there over 20 years. I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoons and stuck with them. I never thought I’d switch from the mornings but it revitalised my game that had become a bit too samey.

Good luck, and if it doesn’t work you can always switch back or move on.

 

[Orikoru]

I used to hate early starts - and I got rinsed on here for it as well. Nowadays it's out of my hands somewhat - at my club it's two tee start, so you can only tee off before 9 or after 11:30 (so the 1st is clear for those who started on 10 and vice versa). Hardly anyone plays in the later times, plus my wife would rather I play early and come back in the afternoon anyway. I'm used to it now it's been about 4-5 years. I just get up at roughly the same time as I do for work, and with a 3-year-old at home, lie-ins are a thing of the past anyway.

As for pre-round preparation, I've done all sorts of things. I've got there an hour before and hit in the nets and done putting. I've turned up with 10 minutes to spare and just done a bit of a warm-up on the first tee. Either way there doesn't seem to be much correlation to overall performance.

Having said all that, there were a couple of occasions lately that I teed off at 7:40 ish, and that really was too early. First two or three holes I played awfully at that time. I realised that anything before 8am isn't really worth bothering with.

 

[Tashyboy]

Oddly enough I am trying a new approach. I am going off the Yellows. As someone wrote earlier “Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result”.

 

[Depreston]

Love getting out as early as can in the comps. normally get the better wind conditions as an added bonus. great way to start a Saturday.

Always played early i like having the rest of the day to get out and about. used to be to the pub or the match now it's the kids.

 

[irip]

I used to hate early starts - and I got rinsed on here for it as well. Nowadays it's out of my hands somewhat - at my club it's two tee start, so you can only tee off before 9 or after 11:30 (so the 1st is clear for those who started on 10 and vice versa). Hardly anyone plays in the later times, plus my wife would rather I play early and come back in the afternoon anyway. I'm used to it now it's been about 4 years. I just get up at roughly the same time as I do for work anyway, and with a 3-year-old at home, lie-ins are a thing of the past anyway.

As for pre-round preparation, I've done all sorts of things. I've got there an hour before and hit in the nets and done putting. I've turned up with 10 minutes to spare and just done a bit of a warm-up on the first tee. Either way there doesn't seem to be much correlation to overall performance.

Having said all that, there were a couple of occasions lately that I teed off at 7:40 ish, and that really was too early. First two or three holes I played awfully at that time. I realised that anything before 8am isn't really worth bothering with.

Do what suits you best mate.
When I had a young family my wife preferred I was home during the day to do family stuff then disappear late afternoon.
We would tee off as late as possible and normally it was millionaires golf and we would get round quick.
This was on a Sunday and Saturday was the big family day.
Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Orikoru]

Do what suits you best mate.
When I had a young family my wife preferred I was home during the day to do family stuff then disappear late afternoon.
We would tee off as late as possible and normally it was millionaires golf and we would get round quick.
This was on a Sunday and Saturday was the big family day.
Different strokes for different folks.

If I was trying to do that I'd be playing on my own - my mate who I mostly play with likes to watch the football, and there are no roll-ups at that time.

 

[irip]

If I was trying to do that I'd be playing on my own - my mate who I mostly play with likes to watch the football, and there are no roll-ups at that time.

I found a couple of lads in a similar position and we ended up as 6 of us regularly doing it.
Not many but enough you could always get a game.
Once we started doing it a couple more appeared who had wanted to tee off later but had no one they knew who also wanted to.
We had to be a bit flexible especially if it was a fun team game where you need a team of 4 for example but we got round it.
Also we found often a random would join us who normally would play in the morning but couldn’t that week so meant he still got a game and one of the pros would often join us which was always good for a free on course lesson

 

[Slab]

I've rarely play well in competitions at my local club, so I'm changing the approach.

My regular group play around 9am. I'm 30 mins away and am not a morning person, so I usually have to rush to get there. I also never have a chance to warm up before play. So this Saturday I've told them not to book me in.

Trying something new. I'm playing at 10.30 with some folk I've never met! Time to warm up the creaking shoulders and have some putts... and lets see how it goes.

Fewer excuses!!

I cant imagine not being at the course an hour+ before teeing off, for warm up & practice… even for no stakes social golf. I typically get one game a week, I’m not jeopardising my play because I didn’t get there in time to do this (& I enjoy the practice anyway)
Its certainly no guarantee I’ll play well… but not doing it is definitely a guarantee I’d have no idea what kind of swing/mobility I have that day

Imagine your shot into first green not knowing if you’re pulling your irons slightly today cos you didn’t sleep so well last night or some other random reason that has an effect on your swing

I’m fortunate there’s no other demands on my time that allows me to do this

 

[LincolnShep]

I cant imagine not being at the course an hour+ before teeing off, for warm up & practice.

I can't imagine not being at the course an hour+ before teeing off, for a full English, coffee, and couple of half-hearted putts.

 

[Burnsey]

I can't imagine not being at the course an hour+ before teeing off, for a full English, coffee, and couple of half-hearted putts.

I tee off between 7 and 8 - kitchen opens at 9 (I think), so only get there early for a natter and a brew from the machine.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I'm in the first group this Saturday 7:30am.
I will enter the carpark at about 7:20am.
Its not a comp. Social 4-ball.

If it were a comp I'd probably arrive 7:10 to 7:15am.
Gear out of the boot, put shoes on, lock car, go in to pro-shop and pay entry fee, say "Hi" to chaps I'm playing with and walk up to 1st tee. All done at a leisurely pace.

Doesn't really matter what time I play, the pre-game routine is pretty much the same.

 

[Slab]

I'm in the first group this Saturday 7:30am.
I will enter the carpark at about 7:20am.
Its not a comp. Social 4-ball.

If it were a comp I'd probably arrive 7:10 to 7:15am.
Gear out of the boot, put shoes on, lock car, go in to pro-shop and pay entry fee, say "Hi" to chaps I'm playing with and walk up to 1st tee. All done at a leisurely pace.

Yeah but you're a hologram!
No chance of you waking up with a stiff muscle in your shoulder that needs loosened or a bout of heartburn from last nights 4 cheese pizza etc etc