First Tournament Blues

I played in my first tournament of the season on April 21st at Hawk's Landing. It's a challenging, wooded course which is usually very fun to play. I say usually because I was not having fun at all during the tournament. I think that was obvious to my cardmates, unfortunately.

I don't normally sign up for tournaments earlier than the beginning of May because the weather can be too cold, especially in the mornings. I have Raynaud's which means when the temps drop below 50F my hands & feet can feel extremely painful and I lose sensation in my hands- my fingers are especially susceptible to this.

Temps at tee-off for the first round were in the 30's and I was struggling to keep my body warm, let alone my hands. I had a glove on my off-hand and hand warmers for my throwing hand, but even that was almost useless because it was very windy all day long. I struggled off the tee and had no touch on my upshots or putts because of pain and lack of sensation in my hands.

Take-aways

I really enjoyed seeing and catching up with some of the ladies who drove in from Canada and the Rochester area. I saw a couple ladies from my Women's Virtual Putting League in person which is always nice because we see each other virtually most often. We were able to sit and chat during the pot-luck lunch which was a nice break from the tournament itself.

I learned that even if I don't want to drop out of a tournament, sometimes I really should if the weather is going to be too cold. My body just cannot handle being outside for eight hours in temperatures that cold! But a portion of me always hates to see money spent go to waste and I knew I wouldn't be refunded my entry-fee, so I forced myself to play which was the wrong decision for me that day.

My practice round a few days prior to the tournament went well, I just wasn't able to execute my game-plan due to the weather. And because the weather was so cold, my attitude was one of "I don't really want to be here" which wasn't conducive to good play. So I learned, again, how much my attitude going into a tournament and during a tournament can really affect my play.

What's Next

My next tournament is coming up quickly- May 5th, the Bond Lake Open. It's a great course that's mostly open, with several more technical holes thrown in that require either a power forehand or a turnover backhand. The women I'm playing against all throw 50-100' further than me which means I really need to dial my shots in to be competitive. Most importantly, I need to stick to my game plan!

I've done a little field work and am working on a few things. But I just need to trust my body to do what it knows how to do. That's my priority going into this weekend!

I'm reading a new-to-me book that is teaching me news ways of thinking about things, learning, practicing, and competing. I'll delve into it here when I finish it up.

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