Winning Tips for Tournaments
It's tournament time, are you tournament tested tough?

For most of the golf world, the end of the season is not far away and with it comes the traditional “tournament season” at most golf clubs.  Many are preparing to conduct the annual club championships, member-member and member-guest events.  The grounds crew has labored since spring to round the golf course into peak condition, the golf staff has provided tips and instruction to solidify your golf swing and you’ve added some new technology in the form of the latest equipment available. However, are you ready to play for something other than the usual few shackles wagered each weekend? Are you tournament tested tough?

The recently concluded PGA Championship at storied Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit Michigan identified a champion that has his game in top form for major championship golf.  Padraig Harrington’s rounds of 66 over the final 36-holes and his 32 on the final 9-holes are testament to the quality of his play under the pressure of major tournament play.   He remarked that early in the week not only was he not in good form, he was playing so poorly that he couldn’t wait to get off the golf course. What turned him around and enabled him to win his third major championship in the last six was in part addressing his health; he felt sluggish and out of rhythm and concluded that he was becoming dehydrated on the golf course. Once that issue was overcome, he was able to elevate his focus, increase his concentration and the result was world class golf.

Tournament play is a vastly different atmosphere, especially individual tournament play. Between shots there is far more evaluation and examination. We are all familiar with the phrase, “paralysis by analysis.” This all too often happens in tournament play. Add to this anything that makes you feel less than 100 % and your focus wanes, your concentration diminishes and the result is often a series of missed golf shots.

The single best way to avoid these pitfalls during tournament play is to take a similar approach to one employed by Padraig Harrington. On tournament days, before your round, eat and drink only those things that you would refer to as “comfort food,” those things that are proven not to make you feel uncomfortable. During the round, even in moderate or cool temperatures, drink lots of water or sports drinks (again, only if these have no effect on your system). Next, be sure to have your game face on, meaning being focused on each and every stroke.

I’ve written in the past that most mistakes on the golf course are the result of one of two issues; not conducting the same pre-shot routine and/or being more focused on the result of the golf shot than the effort of making the golf stroke. If you stay in tempo during your practice swings, if you maintain your pre-shot mental picture of your golf swing and if you employ a rhythm that allows you to swing within yourself resulting in good balance during the swing, you will find your results in tournament play will be satisfactory. These steps will lead to that increased level of focus that will elevate your concentration which results in good golf strokes.        Enjoy the greatest of games, John W. Boykin, PGA CEO, Business Golf International www.businessgolfinternational.com John W. Boykin is an elite PGA Member Professional and International Golf Instructor.  John brings a wealth of knowledge about the game and industry to Privileged Play members. As the founder and CEO of Business Golf International (BGI), a global firm specializing in helping corporate clients utilize golf as a tool to achieve their business goals. BGI also provides expertise in golf facility design, construction, operations, marketing and management services.