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Competition or casual round.

Dgvillere

Dgvillere

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Houston, Tx
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When playing a tournament or competing does it make you focus more or stress more? For me I tend to tighten up knowing there's something on the line. When I'm out just playing in a foursome I'm usually pretty relaxed and just swinging free but attach the word tournament to it and the nerves kick in, swing tighter and make silly mistakes
 
If I had to choose one it would be focus.

Sure I may have some early nerves but I don't believe I ever stress because of competition.

Of course, I'm pretty laid back also and always trying to laugh and have a good time.
 
Casual rounds for me are still competitive, since I don't regularly play any tournaments other than the occasional scramble. And those are not competitive at all, or at least they shouldn't be taken that way!

My last true competition rounds were played in July 2012, so it's not something I do very often.
 
Is it possible to say both. In a competitive round I am definately focused more but I also stress more in terms of pin locations and trying to be perfect. It is something I am working on in terms of accepting a bad shot and moving on.
 
Focus definitely, you have to think clearly when your opponent gets in trouble if you're to capitalize on their mistakes.
 
The main difference for me in a competition around is that I'm focused completely on score as opposed to my swing.

If I'm not swinging well, it just doesn't matter. The focus has to be getting the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. If anything, there's more pressure on my short game to make sure I can be as efficient and effective as possible.
 
I like to think I focus more. That's probably true, as long as I'm playing what I consider a normal or good round.
Stress for me tends to kick in if a) I start absolutely butchering things b) I'm on fyah.

Either throws me off a bit and I start to bind up. Bad play is instant stress, great play builds it up. I think I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, which is a mental flaw. It's a game of independent trials, right?

So first tee, no problem. Buckets of focus. 18th tee, could be anything. I will say that if I'm within a few strokes of handicap, my focus is better at the end than if I'm way off either way.
 
I don't play competitive rounds, but I'm the better golfer of my group so I hear it on the 1st tee how they are gunning for me / I'm going down today and it gets me more focused as I like being challenged and I seem to play better when I am.
 
The only competitive rounds I've played in the last 20 years have been 2 ball matches against another club in town. I don't count scrambles or my home club tournaments as competitive rounds because I know everybody and there is a huge comfort level playing on my home course. I get the most nervous when playing a $5 Nassua with someone that I really want to beat. I tend to focus and play better when I have that nervous feeling in my gut.
 
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Most of the time I go out to play a round it's for something! It's either in a tournament or it's for some side money. If I'm going out to practice on the course I always hit multiple balls from different locations and usually doesn't feel like a round of golf to me so I don't take it as that. If I'm going out to play, I'm playing for something!
 
I dont stress out. I just tend to focus more when it's competitve or have money on the line. If it's just a casual round I tend to play a little looser.
 
I tend to focus more in competition. Just gets the juices flowing and I seem to get sharper because of it. Hopefully that holds true at Indy
 
I think I play the same if a casual round or tournament. I am pretty laid back so I don't try to stress to much, life is too short.
 
Just playing with people is usually enough to get me engaged, but I like a little something on the line if I can. I tend to get more in-tune with my short game and putting than when I'm just playing by myself.
 
Every round is a competition to be first in four some but I don't play true competitive golf. I believe I would focus and not choke though
 
I definitely get some nerves worked up for a tournament round, I just want to play well! It's weird though, once the first tee shot is off I am in the zone and I feel very focused. I've always liked competition of all types and it translates to the golf course, I play my best golf when the stakes are high. Also, a change in format can be refreshing...casual rounds are usually about stroke play and playing match play can be a relief because you have to let the past go and refocus quick.
 
if there's too much stress in it, i don't do too well. if there's not enough stress, i don't care enough. I like playing with friends who are right around my skill level or even a little bit better, that way i feel like i need to keep up a little bit.
 
Smallville said:
Casual rounds for me are still competitive, since I don't regularly play any tournaments other than the occasional scramble. And those are not competitive at all, or at least they shouldn't be taken that way!

My last true competition rounds were played in July 2012, so it's not something I do very often.
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Definitely this. Rounds with friends are competitive but in a fun way. We give each other crap but it is all in good fun.
 
It's all in my head... either one I can perform well but then go in the toilet the next time...
 
Typically, I would say that tournament play is more stressful for me over a casual round. Even then, it depends on the nature of the tournament. If it is single stroke play, its almost like a casual round. However, for some reason, I find match play to be stressful-to the extent that I try to avoid match play. Yea, I know, please don't ask me why. Additionally team play in Ryder Cup styled tournaments are rather stressful--best ball, alternate shot or singles. I genuinely fear that I may let the team down. Match play and team tournaments, I'm like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
 
Everything is a competition for me, no matter what is. I'm just wired that way. Admittedly, the first few times I played in my current money game I really felt the pressure and crumbled a bit as a result. I just tried too hard. Only lasted my first few weeks tho, and I settled in afterward. Even if I'm playing a casual round in a random pairing, I'm always competing against my own expectations
 
I too am wired the same way in regards to competition. That is a good thing though! As far as golf goes I think playing a casual round can also be competitive in many ways. For example, I like to play with my buddies where no one gets too mad at bad shots, however, we always throw down a few bucks to keep everyone focused throughout the round. Tournaments are a different story- that is a level of competition I certainly DO NOT miss since my college days. Definitely gets tiresome and burns you out after a while.
EaglevsFalcon said:
Everything is a competition for me, no matter what is. I'm just wired that way. Admittedly, the first few times I played in my current money game I really felt the pressure and crumbled a bit as a result. I just tried too hard. Only lasted my first few weeks tho, and I settled in afterward. Even if I'm playing a casual round in a random pairing, I'm always competing against my own expectations
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UVaWahoo said:
Typically, I would say that tournament play is more stressful for me over a casual round. Even then, it depends on the nature of the tournament. If it is single stroke play, its almost like a casual round. However, for some reason, I find match play to be stressful-to the extent that I try to avoid match play. Yea, I know, please don't ask me why. Additionally team play in Ryder Cup styled tournaments are rather stressful--best ball, alternate shot or singles. I genuinely fear that I may let the team down. Match play and team tournaments, I'm like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
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I'm really of the opinion that I am much better at match play than stroke play. Example,would be a tournament round I played last month, stroke play was 89 but mixed in with that was an 11 on a par 4, also a triple and 2 doubles. So for those 4 holes I was +14 the other 14 holes only +3.
 
I enjoy competitions and the pressure a lot, but if I had to choose between friends and a competition on a sunny Saturday, I'd pick my friends. There's always a bit of competition there too.
 
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