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Winning Tournaments

• JasonNumber100 2,908 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 1:00 AM

  Hello.

  Any tips for winning tournaments? I've come 3rd before, but I falter at the last hurdle.

  Betpage Black front 9 tournament, I birdied the first 4 holes and I know the next is okay if I just get a par. I just need two more birdies to get in the top 3. I take a break. Come back and I get the par. The next hole is a chance for a birdie, if I get the drive correct and avoid the bunkers. I avoided the bunkers but then went in the rough. Got my par, but no more birdies and then a bogey on the last.

  I think birdies on the first four holes is good and I'm bound to get a nice score, but then I start to put pressure on myself. However, if I just start with a couple of pars, the pressure is off and then I usually birdie the next  few holes.

  When I think I've no chance I usually play better and can suddenly post a good score.

  Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

  Having said all that, I will probably have won my first tournament by the time this post gets through moderation.

   

• CerinoDevoti 3,232 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 10:16 AM

  JasonNumber100:

  Hello.

  Any tips for winning tournaments? I've come 3rd before, but I falter at the last hurdle.

   

  Play the course in less strokes than everyone else.

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 11:09 AM

  Well I'd swap your hybrid for a wedge, if you check the bags of the top players on here nearly all of them have 3 wedges. Your scrambling stats and GIR support this theory too.

• WeidaDeNei 298 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 11:59 AM

  Fish is spot on. 3 wedges is key. Try to gap them out. Normally I have a 50 yard wedge, 75 yards, and 100 yards... then my PW which is 125. The only time it is worth it to go with 2 wedges is when you play the BEST OF PAR 3 course. 2 holes where the hybrid helps and the extra wedge is kind of worthless. Another note. When you stat off well try to slow down a little in the later holes. Take a third or fourth look at that break. If you get four birdies in a row and then miss birdie number 5 and are annoyed as all could be... Save your round a take a break. Get something to drink. Come back refreshed and start another birdie train. Best advice I can give.. These TLs are rock solid though.  mean -8 or -9 to win most RGs... Have to play lights out.

• RootsRo 419 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 12:01 PM

  courteneyfish:

  Well I'd swap your hybrid for a wedge, if you check the bags of the top players on here nearly all of them have 3 wedges. Your scrambling stats and GIR support this theory too.

   

  What he said^^

  Don't try to play to win. Try to play the best you can and see how the cookie crumbles. Winning is important but trying to win is to vague. Set goals that are small and concrete, like your next shot should be the best one ever.

• Doublemochaman 2,009 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 12:03 PM

  WeidaDeNei:

  Fish is spot on. 3 wedges is key. Try to gap them out. Normally I have a 50 yard wedge, 75 yards, and 100 yards... then my PW which is 125. The only time it is worth it to go with 2 wedges is when you play the BEST OF PAR 3 course. 2 holes where the hybrid helps and the extra wedge is kind of worthless. Another note. When you stat off well try to slow down a little in the later holes. Take a third or fourth look at that break. If you get four birdies in a row and then miss birdie number 5 and are annoyed as all could be... Save your round a take a break. Get something to drink. Come back refreshed and start another birdie train. Best advice I can give.. These TLs are rock solid though.  mean -8 or -9 to win most RGs... Have to play lights out.

  I recommend the "get something to drink" part.

   

• courteneyfish 15,796 Posts

  Fri, Jul 26 2013 12:38 PM

  You can punch a 3 wood out of 40% rough or punch a driver from fairway or tee if you want to fill the gap left by losing a hybrid.

• JasonNumber100 2,908 Posts

  Sat, Jul 27 2013 3:15 AM

  Thanks for all your advice.

  I do have three wedges but only carry two in my bag. I did carry three, but then I struggled without the hybrid. If the yardage is imbetween the 3 iron and 3 wood, then the hybrid is ideal. I struggle to hold the green with the 3 wood. Also, out of the rough the hybrid seems to be better. Having said all that, I've never tried the punch shot with a three wood.

  For a long time I carried three wedges, but felt I was losing out on my approach shots with the 3 wood. However, I suppose it must work if all the top players carry three wedges.

  I appreciate all your comments.

• Username8675309 71 Posts

  Sat, Jul 27 2013 10:05 PM

  I have won one tournament before. It was a country club tourney for people of only my tier. There were only a small few people in the thing and half of them dropped out.

  Three cheers for Username8675309! Hip-hip-hoorah! Hip-hip...

  oh, nevermind.