15 Tournament Golf Tips From a +2 Handicap

Tournament golf is a different beast—the nerves are higher and the putts feel longer. Every shot suddenly matters more.

Whether you're stepping into your first local club event or grinding through a high-stakes amateur tournament, one thing is clear: success in competition requires more than just a consistent swing. I’ve competed in more than 360 days of tournament golf since 2017 and want to help you speed up success. 

To perform your best under pressure, you need the right mindset, strategy, and preparation. In this post, you’ll learn battle-tested tournament golf tips to help you manage nerves, sharpen your focus, and shoot lower scores when it counts the most.

Tournament Golf Mastery: Perform Like a Tour Pro

Bobby Jones summed up tournament golf perfectly, “There is golf and there is tournament golf, and they are not at all alike.” 

Here’s why competition feels so different:

• Pressure: Every shot counts. There are no mulligans or “gimmes.”
• Distractions: New courses, playing partners, or slow play can throw off your rhythm.
• Expectations: You want to play well—maybe too badly—and that can create internal tension.

But here’s the good news: tournament success is a skill, not a gift. The more you prepare for it, the more comfortable and confident you become. And that’s exactly what the rest of this guide is about.

1. Play More Golf (The Right Way)

If you want to perform well in tournaments, you have to simulate tournament conditions in your regular rounds. That means:

• Keeping an official scorecard. No “take another” tee shots or mulligans.
  
• Playing by the Rules of Golf. Count penalty strokes, putt everything out, and play it as it lies.
  
• Treating casual rounds more seriously. This helps normalize pressure so it doesn’t feel foreign when the stakes are real.

The best way to get better at tournament golf… is to play more golf like it’s a tournament.

2. Get a Yardage Book

Want to play smarter and score lower? Use a yardage book. It’s what the pros do—and for good reason.

Tools like PuttView Books show you:

• Exact yardages to key targets and hazards.
• Green slopes and contours for better reads.
• Hole layouts so you can map out your strategy in advance.
  

Having a plan on every hole helps remove indecision and frees up your mind to focus on execution. A yardage book is one of the smartest investments you can make before a tournament.

3. Improve Your Pre-Shot Routine

Nerves are inevitable in tournament golf. The antidote?

A rock-solid pre-shot routine. When you have a consistent pre-shot process, it helps: 

• Block out distractions.
• Build confidence before each shot.
• Focus your mind and body on the task.

The best players in the world repeat the same routine every time—because it creates consistency under pressure. Don’t wait for tournament day to develop one.

Build it into your practice and casual rounds so it’s automatic when it matters. If you're stuck or want to learn how to create a routine like a pro, make sure to check out Pre-Shot Like a Pro. 

4. Play a Practice Round

You wouldn’t take an exam without studying, right? So don’t show up to a tournament without scouting the course first.

A practice round helps you:

• Choose smart targets off the tee.
• Identify which clubs to hit and where to miss.
  
• Get familiar with green speeds, elevation changes, and trouble spots. 

Even just walking the course and taking notes can make a huge difference. Go in with a plan so you're not guessing under pressure.

If you're strapped for time, go to the practice facility and spend time at the chipping or putting green too. 

5. Practice the Right Way

Tournament success doesn’t come from pounding balls on the range without purpose. If you want to improve under pressure, your practice must reflect what happens on the course:

• Work on your weaknesses, not just what’s fun or easy.
• Less block practice (same club, same target), more variable/competitive practice.
• Avoid big swing changes close to a tournament. Focus on scoring, not swing mechanics.
  

Your practice should build confidence, simulate pressure, and sharpen decision-making—not just technique. 

6. Learn DECADE Golf

If you haven’t studied DECADE Golf, you’re leaving strokes on the table, especially in competition. Playing well under tournament pressure means having the discipline to aim away from flags, hit the right club off the tee, and stay composed. DECADE can help with all of those issues and more. 

This Tour-proven system that teaches course management, target selection, and shot discipline based on real data—not emotion.You’ll learn:

• Where to aim based on your shot pattern.
  
• How to think like a Tour player before each shot.
• How to reduce double bogeys and avoid blow-up holes.
  

Most tournament golfers lose strokes from poor decisions—not poor swings. DECADE gives you a system to play smarter every round. Read my full DECADE review or watch the video below. 

7. Arrive Early and Set the Tone

Tournament day is not the time to rush. Arriving early gives you:

• Time to register, warm up, and settle your nerves.
  
• A chance to get into rhythm with putting, chipping, and full swings.
  
• A mental edge—because you’re in control, not scrambling and starting the day flustered.
  

Give yourself at least 60–90 minutes before your tee time. Think of it as a slow build to peak performance, not a frantic sprint to the first tee.

8. Stop Setting Score Goals

Want to shoot lower? Stop chasing numbers.

Score goals like “I want to break 80 today” put unnecessary pressure on your round. Instead of focusing on the process—your routine, strategy, or mindset—you start obsessing about results.

Tournament golf is about:

• Committing to your plan.
• Playing one shot at a time.
• Letting the score take care of itself.
  

Detach from outcomes and focus on execution. The more you chase a number, the more likely you are to unravel when things don’t go perfectly.

9. Use a Three-Hole Mentality

Every golfer hits a rough patch. The secret to great tournament players? They don’t let one hole ruin the day.

A “three-hole mentality” helps you:

• Stay present instead of spiraling after a mistake.
  
• Break the round into small, manageable chunks.
  
• Bounce back quickly and keep your score from getting away.
  

Play three holes at a time so you can reset often. Treat each mini stretch (1-3, 4-6, 7-9, etc.) as a fresh start.

10. Master Your Self-Talk

The way you talk to yourself during a tournament matters more than you think. Negative self-talk leads to tension, fear, and doubt. Instead:

• Talk to yourself like a coach, not a critic.
• Use neutral or positive cues like “Commit,” “Trust,” or “One shot at a time.”
• Learn to reset after bad shots with a post-shot routine and encouraging words.
  

You can't control every swing—but you can control your response. And your response shapes your next shot.

11. Play Your Game

In tournament golf, trying to be someone you're not is a recipe for frustration. Learn your unique mental golf personality through the Mental Golf Type system, which helps you:

• Build pre-shot routines that match your wiring.
• Stay in your ideal performance zone during competition.
  
• Understand your natural decision-making and focus patterns.
  

When you understand how you perform best, you stop trying to copy others and start playing your own game with confidence.

12. Learn How to Breathe

Your breath is the bridge between your mind and your body—and in tournament golf, it can make or break your performance. Using tools like the NeuroPeak Pro NTEL Belt, you can train your breathing to:

• Slow your heart rate and manage nerves.
• Improve focus and emotional control.
• Enter a flow state more often under pressure.
  

Whether or not you use the tech, the principle stands: deep, consistent breathing helps calm your mind, settle your body, and keep you grounded over every shot. Read my full Neuropeak Pro review here. 

13. Fuel Your Body

It’s hard to play smart golf when you’re tired, dehydrated, or running on fumes. Adopt this simple rule: eat  every three holes—the same time you fold the pin sheet. 

• Eat light, energy-sustaining snacks like a banana, protein bar, or trail mix.
• Sip water (and electrolytes) consistently throughout the round.

Fueling your body = fueling your brain. And the brain is your greatest asset in tournament golf.

14. Never Complain

Tournament golf can be tough—bad lies, slow play, annoying pairings, poor conditions… but complaining kills momentum and focus. The best golfers keep an attitude of gratitude, no matter the situation:

• Stay solution-oriented, not problem-focused.
• Embrace the challenge, even when it’s not ideal.
• Remember: your energy follows your attention.

Want an edge most players ignore? Stay positive. Stay composed. Stay in the game.

15. Learn from Every Round

Whether you shoot 68 or 88, the best players always debrief. Use each round—good or bad—as data to get better. Ask yourself:

• What did I do well?
• Where did I lose shots?
• What mindset or routines helped me perform under pressure?

Create a post-round assessment routine, and use what you learn to refine your preparation and strategy for the next event. Tournament golf is a journey—and every round is a valuable lesson if you’re willing to look.

Closing Thoughts 

It tests your focus, discipline, and emotional control in ways casual golf never will. But with the right strategies—like the ones above—you can walk onto the first tee confident, composed, and ready to perform.

If you’re tired of showing up unprepared… making the same mistakes… and letting nerves ruin your scores, it’s time to change that.

Inside Tournament Golf Formula, I break down:

• How to dominate tournaments with the right mental game and prep.
• The most common mistakes amateur players make—and how to avoid them.
• Practice plans tailored for tournament players (from a +2 golfer who has played 360+ rounds under pressure).
  

Whether you’re playing in your first event or trying to win your flight, this program gives you the roadmap to compete with confidence and consistency.

🎯 Ready to take your tournament game to the next level?

Click here to learn more about the Tournament Golf Formula now.

Let’s make your next event your best one yet.