THP Event Prep - Do you do it?

CBaker

Winter is coming
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There has been a lot of discussion recently about prepping for THP events. So it brings up a bigger conversation I think.

How do you prep for THP events? Do things change for you, or do you go about business as usual?

When does that prep start? Do you only start once you get selected, or do you start prepping once the event is announced just in case?

Do certain events cause you to prep harder than others? For example, do events such as the Gauntlet, The Cup, or The Grandaddy cause you to up your prep more than usual?

Just curious to hear the whole forum's opinions on prepping for events with some big ones coming up.

Also...if you're already in an event that is coming up...how are you currently preparing?
 
I'm always trying to hit the ball better than the day before, but getting into a THP Event turns my prep into high gear. Doesn't mean the results are always what I want but the extra effort is put in for sure.
 
RR is my first THP event and I will say yes I am preping for it! Been practicing almost everyday and as soon as the weather breaks I'll be playing rounds 3-4 times a week.
 
Damn right I prep. Up my range time and focus big time


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Prep definitely takes on a new meaning when I have something to prep for. I find that it's easier to find focus and "make time" to practice (or hit the gym) if I have something to motivate me. Although most things in my life are like this.
Regarding THP event prep, if it's a team event it adds a bit of accountability as well, which is helpful. I'm big on "process" meaning I tend to plan out and attack.
 
I do not. I am always trying improve my game but nothing changes if I get into an event.
This not be the popular answer but it is the truth :)

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I play better when I play more. It's pretty simple. It can't be too much or I seem to struggle but if I can play twice a week and hit balls at least once a week I usually get to my peak. I think the Gauntlet was the most I've ever prepared for an event in terms of play and i think it translated well to the course. The Grandaddy was the most I've practiced my swing without hitting balls in my life. Usually come thanksgiving the clubs are put away until spring but this year was different and I think that's going to help me this spring. I shouldn't have to spend a ton of time shaking the rust off
 
Short game, short game short game!
 
Short game, short game short game!

This. Usually I'll spend extra time around the putting green and stuff around the green. Long game does no good if the short game isn't there, and usually a good short game lets me free up the long game.
 
Short game, short game short game!

This winter I've rolled more putts and hit more chip shots in my living room than all other off seasons combined lol I hope it pays off
 
This. Usually I'll spend extra time around the putting green and stuff around the green. Long game does no good if the short game isn't there, and usually a good short game lets me free up the long game.
Absolutely. Short game confidence frees me up to swing confidently with longer clubs. Knowing I can get up and down is huge. When I get scared to hit a shot nothing good comes out of it
 
This. Usually I'll spend extra time around the putting green and stuff around the green. Long game does no good if the short game isn't there, and usually a good short game lets me free up the long game.

You mean you don't practice bs punch shots from the trees?
 
This winter I've rolled more putts and hit more chip shots in my living room than all other off seasons combined lol I hope it pays off
No doubt it will!
 
I am a.Team Michigan hopeful. This would be my first THP event.. As my season was ending I bought a launch monitor to hit over winter indoors.. Needless to say I have hit more balls than ever.. I have changed just about everything from last year and with the exception of putting.. Chips, pitches.. Full swing.. Got some rounds in out west and Ithe wedges & irons are much improved.. Driver launch & spin are better as well.. Excited for 2016 & RR Ohio vs Michigan!


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My personal prep will start to ramp up in about 2 weeks when I buy an unlimited range pass. Either way I will be prepping since I am playing the city tournaments this year. Will probably play 1 single day one and a doubles one b4 the weekend of #THPRegionalRivalry

Last season I dropped like 10 strokes off my handicap but that was at one course and didn't travel all that well so I am changing it up this season. Right now I am just doing light cardio, body weight exercises, over speed/under speed training and stretching and putting. Right now I am only doing about an 1.5 hours a day. I usually try to mix it up so I do things like, 10 full out swings with a heavier club, do sit ups, go do about 100 vertical feet of stairs. Go back inside and do 10 full out swings with just the shaft. Then pushups and some light dumbbell exercises. That would be considered 1 rep for all that and I try to do a few reps a day.

This is going to be my plan going forward golf wise. I am open to changes but I feel like this will be a good 8 week plan.

This also my putting practice routine so when I say practice putting outdoors this is what I do.
25 straight putts from 3 feet, 25 straight putts from 5 feet. 19/20 lag putting in 4 foot circle from 25 feet, then 18/20 from 35 feet starting over if I mess up any of them.

Week 1
Get on a launch monitor and get the average carry distance of every club
Video and send to my friend who is a PGA teacher and have him tell me what I am working on or should be.
5 days of the week do my putting routine.
45 min of chipping and pitching under 50 yards. Do that 5 days
4 hours of range time for 5 days in the week.
1 round of golf
1 day off

week 2.
Video work for 4 hours on range to see if what I think I am doing is actually what I am doing.
5 days putting, 5 days 45 min of short game.
1 round of golf
4.5 hours full swing on range 4 days
1 round golf with some sort of stakes or with people under pressure.

Week 3
4 days putting
3 days at 4.5 hours full swing
4 days short game
1 round of golf used as practice playing multiple balls ect.
1 day of RR simulation where I wake up early, spend 30 min on the range and play 36 exactly how the day will go when RR happens.

Week 4
3 days of golfing 18 and figuring out my optimal 30 min range warm up routine.
4 days putting
3 days short game
3 days at 2 hours range time

Week 5
1 day video work and getting evaluated.
3 days short game
3 days putting
2 days full swing
2 rounds of golf

Week 6
1 day of RR prep waking up when I will have to and playing 36
1 round Sleepy hollow
2 days putting
2 days short game
2 days at 2 hours full swing

Week 7
4 days short game
4 days putting
2 days at 5 hours full swing.
1 round
1 round at Boulder

week 8
3 days full swing at 4 hours
3 days putting
3 days short game
36 holes shawnee hills practice round
launch monitor session seeing if my carry yardages are the same
May
Practice round Boulder
Practice round Sleepy Hollow
Practice round Shawnee hills
3 days at range per week 5 hours each on non tournament weeks
3 days short game/putting non tournament weeks
May 15th, single day stroke event shawnee hills
May 21st big met 2 player event

June-
sync my body clock so I am ready to go for RR
Practice round boulder
36 hole mock run
practice round boulder
practice round seneca
2 days range at 4 hours
3days putting
3days short
practice round boulder

June 11th- Crush MI's hopes and dreams then buy them a beer
June 12th - single day event Seneca

Hopefully I will be able to do that money wise, might have to cut back on a few of those practice rounds but hopefully not.

I am very curious to see how much my game improves

Will also be exercise 5 days a week through out all that.
 
there really wasn't any prep to do for liita last year since it wasn't heavily competition based.

but if i got into an event with a lot of match play, i'd play a lot with my buddy who is around the same cap as i am, and i'd play him in match play every time. it's not a strong suit of mine, as i prefer to just play my game instead of competing against anybody other than the golf course.

i might be tempted to exercise a little more to try to get a little stronger and maybe curb some of the soreness i'm prone to feel. and depending on the lead time, i'd consider getting serious about allergy shots since that is the #1 thing that takes me out of a round.

i might get a check-up lesson with my pro, or maybe impose on freddie to give me a small tweak. no big overhauls.
 
The upcoming Regional Rivalry will be my very first official THP event, and I'm excited for it!

I've already upped my commitment to fitness - every morning is 15-20 mins of pilates and stretching to keep my back limber and work on my flexibility. At the gym I'm focusing more on cardio than I was before in order to be ready to play 27 holes of golf. I'm also focusing in on my core and legs a lot more as well.

When it comes to golf, I've been playing putting games with my son in the living room almost every day and it's already paying off on the greens. I'm making a point to get to the range at least once a week right now, even if it means hitting off of mats. My weight shift ALWAYS needs work, period. As such, I've also got a lesson scheduled for this week to set up a practice routine to prep for the event.

Once the courses open up more around me, I plan to put in a lot of practice rounds where I can work on my short game. There's a par 3 course about 15 mins from my office that I can hit on lunch breaks to specifically work on bunker shots and putting as usually I'm the only one on the course when I head there. When I'm able to get in rounds with friends (and teammates) I want to put myself in pressure situations and work on the mental aspect of the event as well.
 
My personal prep will start to ramp up in about 2 weeks when I buy an unlimited range pass. Either way I will be prepping since I am playing the city tournaments this year. Will probably play 1 single day one and a doubles one b4 the weekend of #THPRegionalRivalry

Last season I dropped like 10 strokes off my handicap but that was at one course and didn't travel all that well so I am changing it up this season. Right now I am just doing light cardio, body weight exercises, over speed/under speed training and stretching and putting. Right now I am only doing about an 1.5 hours a day. I usually try to mix it up so I do things like, 10 full out swings with a heavier club, do sit ups, go do about 100 vertical feet of stairs. Go back inside and do 10 full out swings with just the shaft. Then pushups and some light dumbbell exercises. That would be considered 1 rep for all that and I try to do a few reps a day.

This is going to be my plan going forward golf wise. I am open to changes but I feel like this will be a good 8 week plan.

This also my putting practice routine so when I say practice putting outdoors this is what I do.
25 straight putts from 3 feet, 25 straight putts from 5 feet. 19/20 lag putting in 4 foot circle from 25 feet, then 18/20 from 35 feet starting over if I mess up any of them.

Week 1
Get on a launch monitor and get the average carry distance of every club
Video and send to my friend who is a PGA teacher and have him tell me what I am working on or should be.
5 days of the week do my putting routine.
45 min of chipping and pitching under 50 yards. Do that 5 days
4 hours of range time for 5 days in the week.
1 round of golf
1 day off

week 2.
Video work for 4 hours on range to see if what I think I am doing is actually what I am doing.
5 days putting, 5 days 45 min of short game.
1 round of golf
4.5 hours full swing on range 4 days
1 round golf with some sort of stakes or with people under pressure.

Week 3
4 days putting
3 days at 4.5 hours full swing
4 days short game
1 round of golf used as practice playing multiple balls ect.
1 day of RR simulation where I wake up early, spend 30 min on the range and play 36 exactly how the day will go when RR happens.

Week 4
3 days of golfing 18 and figuring out my optimal 30 min range warm up routine.
4 days putting
3 days short game
3 days at 2 hours range time

Week 5
1 day video work and getting evaluated.
3 days short game
3 days putting
2 days full swing
2 rounds of golf

Week 6
1 day of RR prep waking up when I will have to and playing 36
1 round Sleepy hollow
2 days putting
2 days short game
2 days at 2 hours full swing

Week 7
4 days short game
4 days putting
2 days at 5 hours full swing.
1 round
1 round at Boulder

week 8
3 days full swing at 4 hours
3 days putting
3 days short game
36 holes shawnee hills practice round
launch monitor session seeing if my carry yardages are the same
May
Practice round Boulder
Practice round Sleepy Hollow
Practice round Shawnee hills
3 days at range per week 5 hours each on non tournament weeks
3 days short game/putting non tournament weeks
May 15th, single day stroke event shawnee hills
May 21st big met 2 player event

June-
sync my body clock so I am ready to go for RR
Practice round boulder
36 hole mock run
practice round boulder
practice round seneca
2 days range at 4 hours
3days putting
3days short
practice round boulder

June 11th- Crush MI's hopes and dreams then buy them a beer
June 12th - single day event Seneca

Hopefully I will be able to do that money wise, might have to cut back on a few of those practice rounds but hopefully not.

I am very curious to see how much my game improves

Will also be exercise 5 days a week through out all that.

I dont mean this as a knock or slight, but I am guessing you are not working?
 
Depends on the event. Nothing special for invitationals, etc. Morgan Cup & Grandaddy have had a plan behind them for prep.
 
I dont mean this as a knock or slight, but I am guessing you are not working?

Unemployed at the moment. Going to get off my ass and get one but I normally wait tables or bartend so won't make a difference that much because I will have either plenty of time in the am to play if I work lunch and all the time in the world when I work nights. Helps the condo I am living in was bought by my mom in cash for me and my sister when she is in town. No kids no wife. I really wish I could still just be playing poker which is what I did before black friday online.
 
I do not. I am always trying improve my game but nothing changes if I get into an event.
This not be the popular answer but it is the truth :)
Same here. I want to drop my handicap regardless so I try to practice, take lessons, and play as much as I can afford (time/money). Being selected for a THP event can sure light a fire under your bum for motivation though!

I will convince my playing partners to try a few new scoring formats though so I get a feel for them prior to RR if I get in.
 
I have only played in one competition event for THP and didn't add any extra prep. I'm working on my game to get better so for THP events nothing changes for the most part.
 
This may not be a popular answer but I change very little. I do go to the range a heck of a lot more so that helps out of course.

I always question when people use handicap as a benchmark on how much they improved I would argue that the person that is always within a stroke or two of their cap has the most control in their game. The guys that drop a ton but then proceed to still have rounds 20 strokes over their cap a good amount to me are not truly at a good point in their prep.

Have control of your game and set specific goals not handicap goals. The handicap will fall as it will.

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I just want to know how you get into these events!?

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