Lately, my Twitter timeline’s been loaded with tweets asking for “first-tournament tips.”
I don’t normally read through these kinds of Twitter threads – not all that interested. But they’re popping up so frequently, I’ve started to pay closer attention. The content’s okay. The tips are fine, I guess. But they’re all a bit “vanilla” for my liking – this is the sort of stuff you get:
- Sample Tip No. 1 – “Drink plenty of water.”
- Sample Tip No. 2 – “Bring an extra towel with you.”
- Sample Tip No. 3 – “Use the restroom before the round starts.”
I mean, do you really need someone telling you to drop a pre-round deuce?
I’m being intentionally flippant about the above – the tips are fine and dandy. But getting beyond the “just have fun” and “extra socks are a lifesaver” stuff, if I’m gearing up for my first tourney, I don’t want the kind of advice my grandmother would give: I want to know how to win.
So, without further ado, here’s the crème de la crème of first-tournament tidbits:
PLAY. FOR. PAR.
Bit of a letdown, huh?
Allow me to explain …
My wife and I have 10-month-old twin boys. My time on the course is limited. As such, I find myself playing glow rounds more than I’d like – they’re asleep, so I’m free. Last week, I played one of the harder courses in my area. The kicker? It was pitch black, and I only had two discs:
- Disc No. 1 – 175-gram Color Glow KC Pro Aviar
- Disc No. 2 – 180-gram Color Glow Champion Roc3
No, I didn’t shoot the hottest round of my life, but – to my surprise – I wasn’t too far off …
The reason?
On virtually EVERY hole, I was consciously playing for par. As a result, I carded a number of ‘em. Still aiming for par, when a drive would exceed my expectations, and I was close enough to run a legitimate birdie bid, I did – a fair chunk of ‘em went in, which was nice, because …
You know: bogeys.
My “magical,” unexpected round under the stars wasn’t a tournament – there was no pressure of any kind. It was just me out by myself trying to unwind at the end of a long day. I didn’t hope for much. And given my limited bag and lack of sunlight, I knew every par was a “victory.”
Incredibly, before long, I’d turned in a performance I was pretty pumped about.
Newbies: At your first tournament, don’t be dumb – do the following:
- Step No. 1 – Play safe.
- Step No. 2 – Play simple.
- Step No. 3 – Play for tap-in pars.
Should a birdie opportunity arise, go for it – just don’t get “cute” with things. If you need to throw a slower disc off the tee to stay in the fairway, do it. If you need to throw a faster disc on a shorter hole because it makes you more comfortable, do it. If you need to lay-up a longer putt to avoid a potentially tough comebacker, do it. This strategy is far from sexy, but remember …
Let others shoot themselves in the foot: A clean scorecard is a competitive scorecard.
This blueprint will work for most amateur divisions. Obviously, the better you get, the better the competition. And the better the competition, the more important it is to score – and often.
But this is your first tournament: Stick with this game plan, and you’ll be in the running.
And who knows?
When you’re out on tour one day, maybe you’ll bust it out again. To a much lesser degree, Nate “Safeton” Sexton does, and it’s still serving him well. With a family of his own, he plays in only a handful of Pro Tour events every year. And wouldn’t you know it, he’s ALWAYS in the mix.
Disc golf isn’t complex; don’t complicate things.
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