Playing in my first tournament

[deronsizemore]

So I played my first round today in my first tournament in a long time. I ended up shooting a 76 (+4), which isn't bad, but I wasn't happy with it. It's a fairly easy course, I just had some stupid shots that as a result got me to +4 on the front and I shot even on the back. One of my bonehead moves (I feel like a 12 year old) is that in the process of making a practice putting stroke, I accidentally struck my ball and moved it about a foot. Ended up making double on that hole. It's really a wonder I don't do this more often though because I look at the hole while making my practice stroke and sometimes I get a little closer to the ball than I would like to be since I'm not actually looking the ball.

Anyway, I'm in the first flight, so we'll see how it goes tomorrow. Hopefully I can think my way around for a good round and stop doing the stupid stuff.

[Diane]

Good luck Deron! I'm not sure if it's any comfort, but we all do stupid stuff.

[alangbaker]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

So I played my first round today in my first tournament in a long time. I ended up shooting a 76 (+4), which isn't bad, but I wasn't happy with it. It's a fairly easy course, I just had some stupid shots that as a result got me to +4 on the front and I shot even on the back. One of my bonehead moves (I feel like a 12 year old) is that in the process of making a practice putting stroke, I accidentally struck my ball and moved it about a foot. Ended up making double on that hole. It's really a wonder I don't do this more often though because I look at the hole while making my practice stroke and sometimes I get a little closer to the ball than I would like to be since I'm not actually looking the ball.

Anyway, I'm in the first flight, so we'll see how it goes tomorrow. Hopefully I can think my way around for a good round and stop doing the stupid stuff.

Yeah...

I feel you pain on stupid stuff. I was playing a few holes last night and going along pretty well (3 over through 7) when I 4-putted for a triple bogey. I missed the green into a water hazard, but it was playable. Only I didn't concentrate enough and hit it 15 feet by the hole. Then I was still kicking myself for not leaving myself a short uphill putt that I blew the first putt 12 feet by. Then the meltdown was on...

And it was nothing but pure brain fade. A complete lack of thought about what I was trying to do for two or three strokes.

[Ty_Webb]

Stupid stuff? Just ask Lanny Wadkins who one year at Augusta finished a shot out of a playoff having missed two putts during the week of a foot or so by backhanding them. Oops.

Good luck tomorrow.

[deronsizemore]

The tournament is over and I finished tied for second place with two other guys in the first flight. We had a playoff starting on hole one and I won the playoff with a par to take second place. Really thought I had a good shot at taking first after staring off the front nine at three under par, but then proceeded to go four over on holes 10, 11, and 12. I kept grinding it out and ended up shooting a 72 even par for Sunday's round. I'll take a 76 the first day and 72 the second considering this is the first tournament I've played in since high school and it really is a whole different ball game than your normal weekend round with buddies.


Talk about nerve wracking. I can't imagine what those guys on tour go through. I was shaking like a leaf over my 5 footer for par to win the playoff.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

Talk about nerve wracking. I can't imagine what those guys on tour go through. I was shaking like a leaf over my 5 footer for par to win the playoff.

I know the feeling. Yesterday I had a 3 foot, slippery downhill putt for par on the difficult 18th to shoot 77, by far my best tournament round in years. As it turns out, I'd still have won my flight had I missed it, but I felt like I needed every point I could get (playing a modified Stableford scoring), since I started the day 8 points back of the first round leader (my first round 82 with 23 points put me in a tie for 5th, so I had to put in a good 2nd round). For me, the putting stroke held up better on the back 9 than my full swing did, but I survived my own demons and scored a total of 60 Stableford points, 5 better than the second place finisher.

It is definitely a very different experience when you are playing competitive golf in a close flight. Success or failure can hinge on each stroke. But I'd rather do that than casual golf any time. Casual golf is a social affair.... competition charges my batteries.

[PA PLAYA]

Congrats, Deron. Nothing like playing well in a tournament -- looking the devil in the eye and not blinking.

Good stuff! Nice shooting.

[Bigvivec]

Nice job D!

[Wazmankg]

Nice going Deron. That's some excellent play considering your time away from competition. I imagine it won't be your last. How far behind 1st were you ?

[HackBlack]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

The tournament is over and I finished tied for second place with two other guys in the first flight. We had a playoff starting on hole one and I won the playoff with a par to take second place. Really thought I had a good shot at taking first after staring off the front nine at three under par, but then proceeded to go four over on holes 10, 11, and 12. I kept grinding it out and ended up shooting a 72 even par for Sunday's round. I'll take a 76 the first day and 72 the second considering this is the first tournament I've played in since high school and it really is a whole different ball game than your normal weekend round with buddies.


Talk about nerve wracking. I can't imagine what those guys on tour go through. I was shaking like a leaf over my 5 footer for par to win the playoff.

Good job on 2nd. For a moment, I thought you were rehashing Norman's final round.

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by Wazmankg

Nice going Deron. That's some excellent play considering your time away from competition. I imagine it won't be your last. How far behind 1st were you ?

Hopefully not my last. I'd like to at least play in this one every year if not more. I was 3 strokes behind first place.

Originally Posted by HackBlack

Good job on 2nd. For a moment, I thought you were rehashing Norman's final round.

hehe, sounded like it didn't it!

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

Congrats, Deron. Nothing like playing well in a tournament -- looking the devil in the eye and not blinking.

Good stuff! Nice shooting.

Yeah, definitely a good feeling, especially when you get so accustomed to being in that sort of situation and failing, to finally succeed is a good feeling.

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It is definitely a very different experience when you are playing competitive golf in a close flight. Success or failure can hinge on each stroke. But I'd rather do that than casual golf any time. Casual golf is a social affair.... competition charges my batteries.

Yeah, for sure. In our flight there were 21 golfers and after the first day the leaders were +2 and last place was at +4, so everyone was right there. Competition is definitely a whole different feeling. It's hard to explain, just have to experience it.

[alangbaker]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

The tournament is over and I finished tied for second place with two other guys in the first flight. We had a playoff starting on hole one and I won the playoff with a par to take second place. Really thought I had a good shot at taking first after staring off the front nine at three under par, but then proceeded to go four over on holes 10, 11, and 12. I kept grinding it out and ended up shooting a 72 even par for Sunday's round. I'll take a 76 the first day and 72 the second considering this is the first tournament I've played in since high school and it really is a whole different ball game than your normal weekend round with buddies.


Talk about nerve wracking. I can't imagine what those guys on tour go through. I was shaking like a leaf over my 5 footer for par to win the playoff.

Congratulations, sir! That's definitely a good start.

I think that what we can all take from this is that it is the mental side that really separates the tournament game from our own weekend foursomes. You can have all the shots when you're playing with your buddies, but if you can't calm your head enough to make it happen during a competitive round, you don't have a chance.

Well done.

[PA PLAYA]

I played in the Memorial Day tourney up at my club. It was a team event, four players to a team.

I was the A player of the group. And I absolutely stunk it up. Thankfully our C player had a career round going, otherwise we wouldn't have even come close to challenging the eventual winners. I played so poorly that I was embarrassed to even join the after-tourney festivities.

When I got home, my wife asked me how the tourney went. She could sense that I hadn't played well. She then told me, "Well, you can mope around and feel sorry for yourself, or you can get to work on your game. It's really that simple." So much for encouragement, eh? LOL....

But she told me exactly what I needed to hear. So for the next 6 weeks, I put a lot of quality time on my game. I threw in an additional practice session each week, and spent an additional hour each week on my short game.

Finally I would have my shot a redemption, in the 4th of July tourney. It was a stableford event.

I shot 72 both days. Took second place. It was my best tournament performance ever. I was beaten out by the best player at our club, who shot 70 both days. It was one of the greatest feelings I've ever had playing competitive golf.

That's my point about looking the devil in the eye and not blinking. Competitive golf ain't for everybody. And honestly -- I thought maybe I was heading in that direction myself with that tournament back in May. But the effort paid off, and the confidence that I gained from gutting it out and signing up for the next event will carry me for the rest of the season.

I hope it does the same for you!

Congrats again.

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

I played in the Memorial Day tourney up at my club. It was a team event, four players to a team.

I was the A player of the group. And I absolutely stunk it up. Thankfully our C player had a career round going, otherwise we wouldn't have even come close to challenging the eventual winners. I played so poorly that I was embarrassed to even join the after-tourney festivities.

When I got home, my wife asked me how the tourney went. She could sense that I hadn't played well. She then told me, "Well, you can mope around and feel sorry for yourself, or you can get to work on your game. It's really that simple." So much for encouragement, eh? LOL....

But she told me exactly what I needed to hear. So for the next 6 weeks, I put a lot of quality time on my game. I threw in an additional practice session each week, and spent an additional hour each week on my short game.

Finally I would have my shot a redemption, in the 4th of July tourney. It was a stableford event.

I shot 72 both days. Took second place. It was my best tournament performance ever. I was beaten out by the best player at our club, who shot 70 both days. It was one of the greatest feelings I've ever had playing competitive golf.

That's my point about looking the devil in the eye and not blinking. Competitive golf ain't for everybody. And honestly -- I thought maybe I was heading in that direction myself with that tournament back in May. But the effort paid off, and the confidence that I gained from gutting it out and signing up for the next event will carry me for the rest of the season.

I hope it does the same for you!

Congrats again.

Great story! Congrats on your redemption, it really does give you a great feeling knowing you've accomplished something like that.

The only thing that would be different with your story if it were me who played bad, my wife would have said "well, I guess you should sell your clubs and spend more time at home." How's that for motivation?

[PA PLAYA]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

Great story! Congrats on your redemption, it really does give you a great feeling knowing you've accomplished something like that.

The only thing that would be different with your story if it were me who played bad, my wife would have said "well, I guess you should sell your clubs and spend more time at home." How's that for motivation?

LOL....

You know, I'd be an average golfer at best if it were not for my wife. She's always supported my interests, even if at times they infringe upon what little free time she has. I'm very lucky to be the rare exception, at least compared to most men with a family.

But yeah, facing that type of motivation would certainly give you an incentive to play well. LOL....

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

LOL....

You know, I'd be an average golfer at best if it were not for my wife. She's always supported my interests, even if at times they infringe upon what little free time she has. I'm very lucky to be the rare exception, at least compared to most men with a family.

But yeah, facing that type of motivation would certainly give you an incentive to play well. LOL....

You're in the minority I do believe. I don't even have a "family" yet as it relates to having children and my wife wishes I would quit the game.

[Fourputt]

My wife knew what she was getting into when we got married. In fact it was she who offered me the opportunity to retire early (at 60) as long as I got a job that would at least offset my golf expenses (I also play house husband, but that isn't much of a chore). Working part time as a starter at the course accomplished that goal well, as I get paid a small hourly wage, and get really cheap golf as well as purchase discounts through the pro shop. I play there, work there, and buy there....


What a woman...