Golf is often thought of as a leisure activity but signing up for a competition changes things… in a fantastic way. Whether you’re an aspiring golfer, seasoned player, or someone who is getting started later in life, competitive golf has a ton of advantages.
What’s great about competitive golf is that you can do it at any age. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you had to play college golf to sign up for events. If you’re committed to this great game, you can sign up as long as you meet the handicap requirement.
Plus, there are tons of events or formats for every type of golfer.
Key Takeaways
- Playing in competitive golf events – whether it’s a member guest, club championship or state event – has a ton of benefits.
- One of the biggest benefits is that it gives you motivation to play, practice, and keep your game sharp. Having something to look forward to will ensure that you stay committed and disciplined to a practice plan.
- You’ll also get healthy competition and more social interaction to connect with like-minded golfers.
- Plus, it’s fun and might lead to playing new golf courses, staying active, and learning countless mental skills.
Keep reading to learn 10 reasons to play competitive golf regardless of your age.
1. Motivation to Practice
I’d argue the biggest reason to play competitive golf is so you have something to look forward to and practice toward. Otherwise, it’s easy to skip a driving range session or miss a speed training session when you don’t have a formal round coming up.
Think about it like a beach vacation coming up… having an upcoming trip is good motivation to workout and clean up your diet. The same thing goes with a golf tournament. Having something to circle on your calendar and work toward is very motivating.
These extra practice sessions will also likely help you improve your game too. Not only are you showing up to the course or range more often, you’ll likely be a lot more focused as well. This way, you’re actually improving your game and not just going through the motions on the range.
2. Promotes Healthy Competition
Tournament golf offers a unique opportunity to get some healthy competition, which can benefit you on and off the course. Competition is everywhere when we’re young but tends to fade as we get older thanks to a busy work-life schedule, and not as many sporting events.
However, golf can be competitive at any age and any skill level. I’ve played in events where they have a “super senior” division for players who are more than 80 years old!
Healthy competition will help you strive for personal bests and provide motivation to focus during the round.
3. Builds Mental Toughness
Golf is a mental game and tournaments take it up to the next level.
Playing competitive events can help you learn more about your mental game and make improvements if necessary. You’ll have to deal with pressure, tougher conditions, and sometimes challenging playing partners. But with a strong mental game, you can overcome any adversity.
If your mental attitude needs help, make sure to read these articles next:
4. Improves Course Management
Another benefit to competition is learning proper course management skills.
Depending on the type of event, the pins might be cut in more difficult positions and/or played at longer distances. This will force you to make better tee box decisions and approach shot strategy.
Once you improve your course management strategy in tournaments, it’ll usually transfer to your game in normal rounds. Which is why so many golfers who regularly play in tournaments begin to lower their handicap through better decision-making.
5. Meet Like Minded Golfers
As motivational speaker Jim Rohn said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Whether it’s fitness, career aspirations, and even your golf game – the people you’re around will help or hurt your ability to achieve goals.
If you’re playing golf with people who can’t break 100 or 90, but you want to get to single digits or better, you might need to play with different golfers. When you play with more skilled players, you can learn a lot about their game and what you need to do to improve.
When you play in tournaments, you can meet skilled golfers and if you make a good connection, play with them outside tournaments too. It’s not to say you need to ditch your normal golf buddies, but sometimes playing with others can help you level up.
6. Win Money and Prizes
While there is a cap to how much amateur golfers can earn to keep their status, you can still win gift cards or shop credit (up to $1,000 per event). You can use this money to buy new golf clubs or, if it’s credit, apply toward future events.
Other tournaments might have special prizes or a skins pot too. If there is a skins pot, you can win cash as it is considered separate from your tournament earnings.
In multiple tournaments I’ve played in, I’ve got a skin that paid for the entire tournament (and more). My advice is to always enter into a skins pot because you never know what might happen on the golf course.
Learn more about skins in golf here.
7. Play New Golf Courses
A huge perk with competitive golf tournaments is that you might get to play courses you would never have access to. Sometimes they’re hosted at private clubs and/or bucket list golf courses.
For example, I play the San Diego City Championship, which is a 2-day tournament at Torrey Pines. Getting a tee time on this US Open venue is nearly impossible as an out-of-state resident, but in this event, you get a round at each course. Getting to play these iconic courses in pristine conditions in a tournament is amazing.
With a lot of tournaments you also get a practice round so you can get an extra round too. Sometimes they let you bring a guest, so you can also bring a friend and make it a fun day on the links.
8. Learn More About Your Game
Competitive golf tends to bring out all of your game, sometimes not always in the best light. But if you have the right attitude, you can learn from it and sharpen that area of your game.
For example, you might always hit your driver good at the range or causal rounds, but a big slice happens in tournaments. If you track your stats and analyze them, you’ll start to find the weakness and then make a plan to address it. In this case, it might be a mental issue and practicing your pre-shot routine is all you need to do.
Ultimately, you will learn a lot more about your game from tee to green (and mental skills too).
9. Makes Normal Rounds Easier
Once you play in a few days of formal competition playing by the rules of golf, it’ll also make a casual day much easier. You won’t feel nerves nearly as much and feel a lot more comfortable on the course.
Plus, if you decide to add in a Nassau or small money game with friends, you’ll be able to hold up better under pressure.
10. It’s Fun
The final reason that I can’t forget to mention is the fun that you can have in competitive golf events. There’s not much more rewarding than seeing months or years of hard work pay off under pressure. When you hit a clutch drive or make a big putt, it’s encouraging and motivating to keep working hard on your game.
My Experience
Tournament golf has changed my life – in the best way possible. After becoming a scratch golfer again after a 10-year hiatus from the game, I knew I had to sign up for some competitive events. That was 2016 – since then I’ve played more than 300 days of tournament golf (including Q-School pre-qualifying).
I’ve won a few, finished last a few, and had a lot of middle of the pack tournaments. But I’ve also met tons of new people, played amazing golf courses, and tested my game under pressure. And I’m convinced it’s one of the main reasons I’m now a plus handicap.
Almost every golfer I meet who signs up for competitive events loves it. While it’s not for everyone, I definitely think you should add it to your golf bucket list. If you’re like me, you’ll fall in love with it and want to add more to your schedule each year.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know more about the endless benefits to tournament golf, it’s time to sign up for something.
Start by searching your local golf club or country club to see if they are hosting any events or know of any nearby. Then, check online at your state association website or other amateur tours like the Amateur Players Tour.
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