The summer is here and the competitive tournament season is in full swing.
While everyone competing is well aware of the fact prep work is needed before each event, all too often players focus on the wrong things.
The week leading up to a tournament often sees players fighting back nerves and excitement by hitting the range to practice. Their effort is almost always guided toward subtle tinkering and small swing changes, in hopes of squishing any nervousness by finding confidence in one of the small adjustments they make.
The week prior to an event is never an appropriate time to make changes in one’s technique. The focus should be based entirely on maintaining the skill set you currently possess and building trust and confidence in the hard work and adjustments you have invested in already.
It is so important for players to remember confidence doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from predictability. Prior to tournament time, the focus must be placed on working towards building trust in your current swing – all be it lesson than perfect at times – and the predictable nature of what it produces.
Instead of working towards changes, spend your technical time working on simple feel oriented exercises which help develop balance, rhythm and tempo. Essentially, focus on the key scoring elements like chipping, pitching, putting and sand play. At the end of the day, this is where tournaments are won and lost.
Off the course, it is important you rest both your body and mind to prepare them both for the stress and strain of competition week. It is always better to be over-rested than over-prepared.
Spend time building a healthy sleep and rest schedule the week before the event. Be sure you are getting enough sleep each night and focus on building a sleep routine which fits the rhythm of tournament week.
Trying to find extra hours of sleep by sleeping in is never a good idea. Tournament week will see you up early at times, so be sure you are prepping your body’s sleep cycle to begin winding down earlier in the evening than normal.
It is not only about resting your body; you must rest your mind as well. Spend some quiet time each day, breathing, stretching, visualizing and relaxing so the mind can clear itself to handle the rigours of the competitive environment facing you.
Be sure to spend more time prepping your mind and body away from the course than you do preparing your swing at it if the podium is your ultimate goal on Sunday.
Clubhouse Chatter
One player who needs little help in the prep department is local standout, Becky Martin. She is one of the most prepared athletes I have ever had the pleasure of seeing compete, and it paid off for her this past week as she now wears the crown of Alberta Women’s Amateur Champion. Congrats Becky!
Trevor Moore is a PGA of Canada professional and a TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor with the Titleist Performance Institute. Based in Medicine Hat, he runs his Advantage Golf Academy Services out of Cottonwood Coulee Golf Course. For comments or questions, you can reach him via his website trevormoore.ca or follow him on social media @trevormooreinc.
