10 Tips To Handle Your First Competition | Golf Monthly
In this video Neil Tappin is joined by PGA Professional Alex Elliott to look at 10 tips to handle your first golf competition!
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00:00 Playing competition golf is not easy and that's why we've come out here today to
00:05 produce a video on the 10 best tips to handle your first golf competition. This
00:09 is all the things that you need to do from the strategy that you have on the
00:12 golf course, good course management, to developing some of the stock shots that
00:16 you need to be able to compete and get yourself in the best possible mindset to
00:21 return a good score. Right let's head out onto the golf course here at Fox Hills
00:25 and look at the 10 best tips to handle your first golf competition.
00:30 Okay so we're on the first tee here at the Long Course Golf Course at Fox Hills and
00:37 Alex you said to me that one of the best things you can do if you're going to
00:42 play in a competition is to have a stock shot. Definitely, now I think a lot of
00:46 people when you say stock shot they associate like low handicappers,
00:49 professionals, but that could literally be for anybody. Now most commonly for
00:54 players who are a high handicap that might be a lot of movement left to right
00:57 or right to left depending on if you're a right or left hander, but just sticking
01:02 with that knowing what happens is very powerful. Okay so if you were to advise
01:07 somebody and just say this is a good stock shot to have what would you
01:11 suggest they use? Now it can vary day to day if you've got the opportunity to
01:16 practice the day before or on the day before on a driving range I would just
01:20 see what comes out whether it be a fade or it be a draw and I would stick with
01:24 that on the golf course. Okay fine, all right well I'm gonna go for my stock
01:27 shot here which is my stock shot in this scenario would be a little fade I think
01:32 Alex. Okay so interesting actually you said before sometimes it feels a draw
01:35 but if you have to hit a fairway it becomes a fade, so that is your stock
01:39 shot so if you're one of those players that likes to hit a draw but you have to
01:43 hit a fairway swing and it comes out a fade that becomes a stock shot. A safe shot,
01:47 something we can all do with right let's see if this one can can work for me.
01:53 Beauty, that is really nice.
02:04 Now the next one on our list is a very simple one but it's really important
02:19 Alex what is it? Cleaning your clubs after every single shot. Yes do you know
02:25 what it's very very wet underfoot at the moment in the UK we've had so much rain
02:28 and it's kind of obvious to clean your clubs after every shot but why is it so
02:32 important? I think the main thing is is when it doesn't look like it's got much
02:36 on it it could be a little kind of bit of broken mud inside the grooves you're
02:39 more likely to get a flyer. Right so so that means when you're hitting from the
02:44 rough likely to end up hitting it too far carrying over the green. Exactly, but having dirty
02:47 grooves having grass in the grooves you could have that same effect from the
02:50 fairway so a shot that could go 90 yards and it would go 100 yards getting you in
02:55 trouble. Because it's not spinning. Exactly so when you get grass between
02:58 the ball and the grooves or some sort of debris between the ball and the grooves
03:03 this causes the ball to spin less, the ball could potentially go further. So obviously carry a
03:08 golf towel give every club in the bag quick wipe once you've hit it and you'll be fine.
03:14 Exactly.
03:19 Okay so the next one on the list relates to your scorecard and a little bit of
03:24 prep you can do before you go out and tear up for the first time in a
03:28 competition. What is that prep Alex? First thing we've got to have on name, date,
03:31 competition and your handicap. So what I get people to do especially if they're
03:36 brand new to the game and find the scoring system potentially a little bit
03:39 difficult on a stable foot, I get them to mark on everywhere they've got a single
03:43 shot or if they're handicapped say for example 20 where they get two shots.
03:47 So you're just making that little note on the stroke indexes to say yeah you
03:51 get two shots here and two shots here and that's important because that can
03:55 actually have a bearing on the way in which you play those holes right Alex?
03:58 Exactly so say for example the stroke index one we know we don't potentially
04:01 have to get it on in three we can actually get it on in one more than that.
04:04 Yeah and if you can just get away with making even a double bogey you might
04:08 find yourself picking up shots on the field and just that little bit of prep
04:12 before you can go out to play can make a big difference.
04:15 Right so as you can see we've made our way up to the green and if you're about to play in
04:24 your first golf competition you're gonna face long putts like this and actually
04:29 as anyone who's played golf for a while will know three putts really do kill a score
04:33 they kill your momentum and your mood. So Alex what's your advice when putting from long range?
04:39 Now when we've got a putt of this length we see on TV we saw the
04:43 highlights them draining putts from this distance 25-30 feet when really we're
04:47 not expected to so if we watch that we run the risk of trying to be too
04:52 aggressive at this point I mean of course we could hold a putt but we run
04:55 the risk of hitting it three or four foot past got a knee knocker coming back.
04:58 Yes so what should we be aiming for then?
05:01 I like to use the kind of bin lid method so if we can get the ball around the bin lid we keep it stress free
05:07 we've got a better chance of maintaining that score keeping that momentum like you said.
05:10 Yeah so just take a little bit of pressure off your own shoulders just try and get the ball as Alex said
05:15 within that kind of bin lid around the hole you'll be taking three putts out of the equation won't you?
05:20 Exactly, exactly.
05:21 Go on then, show us how it's done.
05:22 No pressure!
05:24 And that is how it's done.
05:35 [Music]
05:37 Okay so for the next one on the list you could probably guess what we're about to
05:44 tell you that is the importance of warming up. Alex people know that it's
05:48 important to warm up before they go and play but what should they be doing?
05:52 I would firstly research a few stretches that you can do online just to basically get mobility
05:58 through back through spine and just get us generally warmed up ready for exercise.
06:02 Then I would make sure if you hit a few goal balls don't treat it like a practice session.
06:07 Don't treat it like a practice session, all right? We've all done it.
06:11 Yeah it's very you hit one bad one you pull one then suddenly you're like what maybe I did this maybe I did that.
06:16 You start tinkering.
06:16 So what do you do in that scenario? You hit a bad shot how do you put that to your back in mind?
06:19 I mean you're always gonna want to tinker a little bit what I'd do is I would go back to either my last lesson
06:24 my rules of thumb what I've been working on in general and trust that it's that's gonna come through.
06:29 Okay fine and so then let's say you've done your stretches you've hit how many balls?
06:33 25 max.
06:36 You've hit 25 balls what's the sort of routine what's the kind of timeline between arriving at the golf course and stepping onto the first tee?
06:43 So a lot of people finish on their putting as the last thing they do before they go on the first tee.
06:48 Now generally that probably is because the putting means near the first tee but if we can my absolute ideal scenario is stretching, putting,
06:57 few wedges, mid irons and lastly finish on about five drives straight to the first tee we're ready to go.
07:03 Off you go. Okay so what happens if that last drive you hit what happens if you carve it off to the right hand side?
07:09 It's not a great image to have as you step onto the first tee is it?
07:12 No it's not but you could argue if your first tee shot of the day is a bad one then that could set the tone for the day.
07:17 So what I would say is literally look at the warm-up as a way of just getting your body loose, body ready
07:23 and don't judge the last shot as what's going to happen on the first tee because you're in a completely different environment.
07:28 Yeah I mean the truth is you can't really expect to play well if you haven't done some form of warming up before you step onto the first tee.
07:35 If you haven't got the ability to hit balls before you go and play because that's not always the case then at least do the sort of physical stretches that you can.
07:42 Do a little bit of putting, get to the first tee in some degree of readiness so that you can go and shoot a good score.
07:47 Okay so Alex the next one on the list is a really simple one it's got nothing to do with technique or even strategy
07:59 but it actually can make a difference to you on the course and that's related to where you put your bag when you're putting on the green.
08:06 Definitely and just in terms of speed of play I mean I've got a prime example here I just hit the front edge
08:11 now the flag is at the back of the green the next tee is actually over the back of the green over there.
08:16 Now this would be an absolute killer for me to leave my bag here, put out, have to then walk back, collect my bag, off to the next tee.
08:24 Your playing partners you're playing with are not going to like you and especially the guys behind.
08:28 Actually it's one of those things that can create a sense of pressure on your own shoulders because you can feel like you're actually holding people up.
08:35 People are looking at you as if to say come on get a move on and actually you're just trying to do your best aren't you.
08:40 Exactly and especially if you're then first on the next tee you're then running over it could actually affect your next shot.
08:45 Yeah so actually Alex come over here because in actual fact your best bet, both of us in this scenario, is to pop both the bags over here
08:55 and then walk back to your golf ball and then go on from there isn't it.
08:59 Exactly so we're straight off to the next tee.
09:02 Okay so the next one is Alex a really important one isn't it, it's course management.
09:12 If you want your first competition to be a good one, if you want to shoot a good score, you need to think about this stuff really closely.
09:18 What's your advice generally speaking on course management Alex?
09:22 Most golf courses either have a course guide or people have a digital device or even in fact on each hole they have a visual that you can see.
09:30 My kind of rule of thumb is one look at the visual, where's the trouble, is there bunkers, is there water, is there trees like there is here at Clog Hills.
09:38 I would then think about have I got a shot on this hole because having a shot on this hole might mean we can take a little bit less risk on the tee
09:46 and plan our way down the hole a little bit better.
09:48 Okay so are you identifying where the big trouble is, so you're just basically putting your way through saying that's a kind of card wrecking area over there I can't hit it.
09:57 Exactly and I think if we are a higher handicap, if we avoid a card wrecker and we say if we're off 20 and we accumulate just to run a bogeys,
10:06 we're going to be under our handicap. It's when we have those sevens and we turn those sevens into nines, that's when it can be really bad for our game.
10:13 Okay so specific scenario we've got here, this is 170 yards, slightly downhill, wind off the left,
10:20 you can see that the flag is sort of tucked a little bit behind that bunker on the right hand side.
10:25 What is your advice to I guess different golfers of different abilities from a place like this?
10:30 So if we are a better player, so single figures potentially and we have a bit more confidence in our game,
10:35 I would like you to kind of base the flag on a colour code system.
10:39 So green being one you can attack, that might be one in the middle of the green here,
10:43 amber being one if we feel like it's a good wind, it's a good shot shape, it's accessible for our game,
10:49 that's when it comes into one that maybe go for and a red would be potentially this scenario behind the bunker over water where it could be again a card wrecking situation.
10:59 Yeah okay so for me, what's this one?
11:02 I would think for you because you said on the start of the video stock shot was a fade, this one might be an amber for you.
11:08 Okay yeah fine.
11:09 Amber to red depending on how we feel and the stage of the game.
11:12 Now if you're a higher handicapper my rule of thumb is if we hit the green and the centre of the green every single time, we're not going to be far away.
11:20 No okay fine and I guess how much are you thinking about where to miss because a shot like this,
11:26 if you miss this particular shot short left you're absolutely fine but if you miss it short right you're in a bad position aren't you?
11:33 Are you thinking about that stuff and if you are how are you blocking out sort of bad thoughts from kind of causing you to make a bad swing?
11:41 I think you're never going to block bad thoughts and potentially they will come in but I always think you can't plan for a bad shot.
11:47 You know the trouble's there, you use a colour code system almost as a way of weighing up the trouble but not almost highlighting the trouble.
11:55 Okay fine.
11:56 And then we plan to hit a good shot like for example here we'll be planning to hit a nice fade into the flag.
12:01 I wouldn't want you thinking well I can miss it short left, I can miss it short right.
12:04 Right fine.
12:05 Because that's just going to give you bad underlying thoughts.
12:07 Okay good well I'm going to give this a go then Alex.
12:10 Right I want to see the stock shot.
12:11 Okay fine yeah well you've asked for it so I'll have to do it.
12:14 Okay.
12:15 So
12:16 Go!
12:29 Oh no!
12:31 Guess where it's gone people?
12:33 It's in that trap short right.
12:35 I got a little bit greedy with it didn't I?
12:37 I thought it was going to be all right for a second but the wind just held it up there.
12:40 Oh!
12:41 Okay so the next one on our list relates to swing thoughts.
12:50 Now we all, I guess most golfers have swing thought things in their in their golf swing
12:54 they're looking to achieve.
12:55 Alex question for you how many is a good number of swing thoughts to have do you think?
13:00 Before I give the answer I want to know how many do you have?
13:03 One.
13:04 One okay so I'd say you're generally probably not the norm.
13:08 Oh really?
13:08 Most people that come for lessons have sometimes upwards of five swing thoughts.
13:13 Right so like grip, posture, whatever.
13:15 Exactly so my tip for that is because we're always going to have if we're new to the game
13:19 of golf and it's our first competition we're going to have something that we need a bit
13:22 of a checklist.
13:23 Yes.
13:23 So I kind of like separate that into pre-swing so grip, stance, all those aspects.
13:28 Okay yeah.
13:29 So we can throw them away once we've done it.
13:30 Fine so you do all of the groundwork that you know you need to do to get yourself in
13:34 a good position over the ball.
13:35 Exactly.
13:35 And then once you're there.
13:37 I tend to have hopefully no more than one potentially two, one backswing and one trigger
13:42 thought.
13:42 Okay so what is it for you then?
13:43 So I like to feel that the club goes wide on the way back.
13:46 Okay.
13:46 Because I get kind of a little bit narrow is my bad swing thought on the way through
13:50 I'm an absolute bugger for keeping my head down.
13:53 Okay right.
13:53 So it stops me rotate through so I like to feel like I call it anachoretic that's literally
13:58 my only thought on the way through.
13:59 Okay right yeah.
14:01 So I try and work on like a role model that I can copy and almost create the same thing
14:05 as what I visualize and see.
14:07 Okay that's good.
14:08 Well I have, I'd say I have one and my one is because I tend to get a bit snatchy from
14:15 the top.
14:15 I just like to just feel as if I'm just not pausing but just there's a bit of time at
14:20 the top of the backswing.
14:21 Just don't rush the start of the downswing.
14:23 Your role model would be like maybe like Matsyana to the top.
14:25 Yeah exactly.
14:25 And then go.
14:26 Exactly.
14:27 It doesn't always look like that.
14:28 I'm sure anyone who's seen any of our videos in the past will know it doesn't always look
14:31 like that.
14:31 But for me it's I know it's a swing thought that's worked well for me.
14:34 I guess Alex the point is that it's different for different people and different golf swings.
14:39 Exactly.
14:39 But the one key thing is between me and you it's simple.
14:43 It's not a specific position.
14:45 Yes.
14:46 It's a simple thought and a feeling to work to.
14:48 Okay good.
14:50 Shall I have a hit?
14:50 Let's have a hit.
14:51 Right I've got to really try and pause at the top now.
14:55 Yeah.
14:55 A little bit over fade but it's okay.
15:07 So as you can see the next tip we've got for you is about alignment and we've chosen alignment
15:17 because it's something that everyone can get right.
15:20 It makes a big difference if you do get it right but equally it's something that we all
15:24 get wrong from time to time.
15:25 Certainly Alex I'm somebody that can often stand quite close to the ball at address.
15:28 I'm the same.
15:29 What why is it important to get your alignment sort of rock solid?
15:32 I think the two the main aspect is is the fact that a lot of people's bad shots and
15:36 bad swings just stems from poor alignment like you were saying about yourself there.
15:40 Okay.
15:41 So having a routine to stick to on the first tee is absolutely key to assure you've got
15:45 good alignment.
15:46 Yeah so I mean we're talking here about how to handle your first competition
15:50 and one of the big challenges of playing competition golf is that you can get a bit
15:54 scrambled at times and these are the sorts of things that can fall by the wayside.
15:58 How do you make sure that doesn't happen?
16:00 I would visualize exactly what we've got down here.
16:02 We've got two alignment sticks one down the ball to target line and then a parallel one
16:07 for our feet line.
16:08 Okay fine.
16:09 So how are you building that stance then?
16:10 So straight away I'd do this and I'd make this as part of every single shot whether
16:14 it be the first tee shot whether it be the last shot into the 18th green.
16:18 Fine.
16:18 And even if it's your first round I would make sure you build this into a good thing
16:22 which happens every single round.
16:24 Okay good.
16:25 So behind the golf ball establish your ball to target line and that'll be where we want
16:29 the ball to finish.
16:31 Yes.
16:31 So I don't intend to make it like a thin line I like to feel like an alignment channel.
16:36 So that's going to be our outside alignment stick.
16:38 I would then once I've got a strong visual of the outside one and highlighted it I would
16:43 bring in a second one which feels like my feet line runs parallel to that.
16:47 From that I can build my stance around it my hips my shoulders and then ready to go.
16:51 Yeah so two parallel lines that's the key.
16:54 Obviously you can't put shafts down like this in competition just remember to get those
16:58 two parallel lines set get yourself set properly over the ball if you do you are more than
17:03 halfway to making a good swing.
17:05 Okay so the last one on the list relates to your scorecard and actually we're talking
17:14 here Alex about what you do after a round because you might think that you've finished
17:18 your round of golf nothing can go wrong but actually before you hand your card in something
17:22 can go wrong what do people need to do what do they need to look out for?
17:25 So first point of call we've got to have the gross scores correct.
17:29 Okay yeah.
17:30 So I know we talked about playing in a stable third and we have a tally of points that we
17:33 get now if they don't add up correctly it doesn't matter and if they're not the correct
17:37 points that doesn't matter the main thing is as long as your gross scores for each hole
17:40 are correct.
17:41 Yes so I would go through my card and I'd check what I'd put you down for and against
17:46 what you've got on your card we just make sure that the scores on both cards tally up.
17:51 Right exactly and then if they do two things you've got to do okay number one make sure
17:56 you sign it but the one I find a lot of people forget is the playing partners got to sign
18:00 it too.
18:01 Yeah okay so get that right hand your card in and you'll be good to go.
18:04 So there you have it that was our list of the 10 best tips to handle your first golf
18:10 competition guys what did you think what did you think of Alex's tips is there anything
18:14 that you've done playing under pressure playing in competition that's really helped you out
18:17 we'd be really interested to hear your thoughts but for now thanks for watching we'll see
18:22 you next time.