9 Ways to Give Yourself a Competitive Edge on the Golf Course

Finish the phrase with us: practice makes perfect. But here’s the thing, we’re not aiming for perfect, and we also don’t think you always need to practice intensely. Instead, we’re looking for constant improvement and we have nine ways you can give yourself that competitive edge besides practicing all the time.

Practice is great, but it’s not the only thing that will help you outperform your competition at a golf tournament or other competitive event. Even the best golfer can have an off tournament because they haven’t prepared, mentally or physically.

These are things that have worked for us and many of the other women we talk to. Try them out and let us know how you do in your next tournament!

9 Ways to Gain a Competitive Edge in Golf

Yes, practicing will help you improve your overall skill level and help you perform well in tournaments. But it’s not the only thing that matters. Here are nine ways to get a competitive edge on the golf course.

1. Play in tournaments

Getting out and competing as much as possible is a fantastic way to grow your skills. But you need to get out of your country club and immediate environment and try something new and different. The more diverse your golf experience, the better prepared you are for each new tournament.

2. Post every score

If you don’t post all of your scores, you’re not getting a full sense of your handicap and true skill level. If you’re only posting high scores to try and fool other people about your skill level, they’ll see through it.

And if you’re only posting your low scores, it’s artificially calculating your skill level. These “vanity scores” do not show your real skill and no one is going to fall for it either. Another way of keeping a vanity score is by playing the same course with the same people over and over again. You’ve got to switch it up, try new courses, post all your scores, and get a real sense of your current skill level.

3. Play different courses

By trying something new, you are naturally improving and expanding your skills. Courses vary in their difficulty, terrain, slope, and other conditions. If you practice at a wide variety of golf courses, you will become a more well-rounded player. You will also be more prepared for a competitive tournament in an environment you’ve never been in before.

4. Play with different people

If you’re always playing with the same people, you get too comfortable. And then when you are going into a tournament or new scenario, you don’t have the practice of being with new people! And when you’re with people you don’t know, there is a little more incentive to prove yourself and do your best.

5. Course management

Know when to be persistent on a hole or know when to take an unplayable and just move along. If you made an error and had a bad shot, don’t compound that error by making three more bad shots. Sometimes you need to know when to just pick it up and continue on.

Course management comes the longer you play and more experienced and mature in the game you are. Learning to weight the pros and cons of your next move is an important way to manage the course.

6. Get fitted for clubs

If you’re a beginner, it’s okay to start with the beginner set. But if you do love the sport and know you’re going to keep playing, it’s worth investing in your own clubs that are adjusted to your height, swing speed, and more. It will help you take your game up to the next level and accomplish more than you’d be able to with the generic beginner set.

And this doesn’t have to break the bank! There are a ton of affordable options out there, so look around and go for it.

7. Stay hydrated and get good sleep

If you’re playing in the summer or out in the heat—being hydrated and rested makes an enormous difference. If you’re playing in a tournament, make sure that you start hydrating in the days before your tournament, too. It’s going to make a big difference—trust us.

We have a friend that says, “get your sh*t done today.” That means your groceries, errands, laundry, and everything… get it out of the way so you can focus on doing your best in the tournament. Same thing with water and sleep! Get it sorted out now in preparation for playing in a tournament.

8. Build muscle and endurance

When you’re playing in a multi-day tournament, it’s tiring. It’s not just about the first 18 holes, it’s about the next two days of 18 holes! And a lot of time, your performance comes down to the last few holes and seeing how you can push through and endure through your exhaustion.

Working on your cardio, endurance, and resistance training means you can hit the ball further and stay in the game longer.

9. Show up early

Try to show up at least an hour early so that you can warm up, check-in, prepare, engage with other competitors, and just get ready to compete. If you’re showing up right on time, it’s hard to switch gears and just jump into the tournament.

The flip side of this, though, is that if you show up too early you may have a lot of nervous energy going into the tournament and it’s hard to wait! Generally speaking, thought, showing up early can provide that advantage you need by giving you some time to prepare for the tournament.

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There it is! Nine ways to get a competitive edge on the golf course that don’t require hours and hours of practice every day. These tips help you become a more diverse and more prepared golfer, which will help you put your best foot forward at the next tournament.

Resources

Tori:
Instagram: @tori_totlis
TikTok: @tori_totlis
Website: CompeteConfidenceGolf.com

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