1 thought on “Mental Mondays: Develop A Game Plan”
Last week, I played in a local Amateur tourney. It was a 3-day event and it was played at a different course each day. Not only had I never played the courses, but they were at the 66-6900 yardage tees, and I usually play in the 6200 range with my 13 handicap. I was the second highest handicap (one of only 3 in the event with 10+).
My game plan was simple, take it slow and easy. Don’t try and kill the ball, don’t try and make up for a short drive with a killer 3-wood. Accept (and expect) bogey, and pars and birdies would be icing. I played two days from the tips at my own course to get acclimated, scoring 88 and then 95. Both days I had blowup holes but overall was pretty happy with my performance (the second day was the worst day so far this year, with a 104 on the temp, 125 heat index- I really thought about quitting that day).
My goal was simple, I knew that coming in last was very likely, and would be very hard not to do. So my goal was break 100 each day – not to have blowups, and really was to get to +80 for the tournament. I didn’t quite do the +80, but I did pretty well on blowups. The first day, I had a 9 early, trying to overcome a bad drive and then scramble. Then I got things together and manged 6 pars for the day. The second day was the most intimidating of the courses and the longest. A Nicklaus Signature course – and I had some bad holes, but nothing worse than a triple. The last day, on the shortest course, I felt I played the best, but I had the least pars, but the most bogeys. Unlike the distance of day 2, what got me on day 3 was the super tiny greens which were rolling at a 15.
Having the plan from the start really worked well for me. I came over my +80 (+89) – but I did beat 100 on two of the days.
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Last week, I played in a local Amateur tourney. It was a 3-day event and it was played at a different course each day. Not only had I never played the courses, but they were at the 66-6900 yardage tees, and I usually play in the 6200 range with my 13 handicap. I was the second highest handicap (one of only 3 in the event with 10+).
My game plan was simple, take it slow and easy. Don’t try and kill the ball, don’t try and make up for a short drive with a killer 3-wood. Accept (and expect) bogey, and pars and birdies would be icing. I played two days from the tips at my own course to get acclimated, scoring 88 and then 95. Both days I had blowup holes but overall was pretty happy with my performance (the second day was the worst day so far this year, with a 104 on the temp, 125 heat index- I really thought about quitting that day).
My goal was simple, I knew that coming in last was very likely, and would be very hard not to do. So my goal was break 100 each day – not to have blowups, and really was to get to +80 for the tournament. I didn’t quite do the +80, but I did pretty well on blowups. The first day, I had a 9 early, trying to overcome a bad drive and then scramble. Then I got things together and manged 6 pars for the day. The second day was the most intimidating of the courses and the longest. A Nicklaus Signature course – and I had some bad holes, but nothing worse than a triple. The last day, on the shortest course, I felt I played the best, but I had the least pars, but the most bogeys. Unlike the distance of day 2, what got me on day 3 was the super tiny greens which were rolling at a 15.
Having the plan from the start really worked well for me. I came over my +80 (+89) – but I did beat 100 on two of the days.