One month til worlds

[allinpflop]

I have less than one month before heading to Charlotte for am worlds. I have been super busy this year with work and my wedding. Because of that I really haven't been able to play very often. I haven't played any sanctioned events this year. Tips or advice to get ready to play some good golf in Charlotte? Feel like I need to be as efficient with my time as I can and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GLong]

practice putting and upshots as much as possible. get comfortable with your driving and play conservative off the tee.

 

[Widdershins]

Compete.

Tournaments, leagues, one-on-one battles with players better than you. You need them all. Even if you manage to sharpen your game, you are not ready for Worlds until you can thrive in the competitive aspect. The pressure of Worlds gets to many players, even those who are regulars of the tourney scene. You can't afford to have a bad round or a few getting back into the swing of playing under pressure.

I will be joining you in Charlotte, though in old guy Pros. Lack of tournaments is not my weakness. Usually in anticipation of Worlds I putt a lot and spend more time practicing shots than playing rounds. This year I have 2 areas of notable concern. I lost my favorite Buzzz a couple weeks ago and the various replacements have not worked out as well as I have hoped. The other is acclimation to hot weather. We have not had any really nasty days (heat + humidity) yet so as soon as they happen I need to get out in them.

I plan to get to Charlotte about a week early to learn (and chart) the courses. I wish I could play the courses a month early to know what kind of specialty or trick shots I might need and to know if there are any really risky shots for losing discs.

 

[1978]

Charlotte is tight and wooded. There will be few shots over 300' required. If you are in advanced men almost none. Eastway, bradford, nevin, and renny are your only real courses with any longer shots.

Practice hitting lines, max D on putters and make sure you have a shot for everything, sidearm, rollers, thumbers and tommys just in case you are off the fairway. Find your most wooded course and only practice there.

 

[Thizzle J]

Charlotte is tight and wooded. There will be few shots over 300' required. If you are in advanced men almost none. Eastway, bradford, nevin, and renny are your only real courses with any longer shots.

Practice hitting lines, max D on putters and make sure you have a shot for everything, sidearm, rollers, thumbers and tommys just in case you are off the fairway. Find your most wooded course and only practice there.

I have played the Clash and the C.A.C. this year and I kind of agree with you but there are plenty of shots over 300' and they will be tight as well. We played from blue pads quite a bit in ADV so I wouldn't say that there is almost none over 300'. If you are playing ADV(MA1) then the shortest courses are Winget and Kilborne. I haven't played R.L. Smith (Only one I'm playing in Worlds blind) but the others have 400+' holes with tight lines. Hornets Nest has a couple par 4s and 5s, Elon has some beasts too. But yeah, you better be able to hit a line or you're toast.

 

[Spinthrift]

I agree with Mark/1978. But as Thizzle says, there are a number of holes over 300 feet, but that doesn't mean you should be driving to hit 300+ feet. Charlotte courses are about hitting your gaps and landing zones, clean approaches and solid putts. You didn't say what division you're in, but regardless, your get-out-of-trouble shots will be key, and tourney tension most often shows up in putting and finesse shots.

Maybe more important than practicing your shots is honing your mental state. You will be tested, and losing your cool only makes subsequent holes more testy. This should be about having fun. Focus on your target, trust your throw and accept the results.

 

[Widdershins]

About one week til I leave for Worlds.

Last Thursday was the hottest day of the year (over 100 degrees) and I played from noon til dark to acclimate to the heat. I felt better than I thought I would and surprisingly did not cramp up Thursday night. Tomorrow is a tournament with the prediction in the mid 90's so I will see if I hold up in serious competition. More important, tomorrow is the first day of July. I gave up beer for June so I am really looking forward to July.

I spent a couple hours playing one hole over and over last Wednesday. I brought 8 mids out to a short, tight tunnel hole, threw them all, retrieved them and putted for a few minutes then returned to the tee pad and did it again and again. None of the mids will perfectly replace my lost gem but I feel a lot more confident with the shot. My mid tunnel shots were flying well Thursday and today (Friday off except for cross training).

I may stay up past midnight just to slam a beer. Here comes July.

 

[sloppydisc]

It hit 105 in Raleigh today and Charlotte was probably the same. The heat shouldn't bother you too bad in the woods as long as you stay hydrated. The other thing to remember is bring a birdie bag or your choice for getting a good grip. The humidity and heat makes sweaty hands normal, and grip is in an issue. I don't mind the brutal heat, but I do lose my grip occasionally. Good luck. I'll be sure to avoid the Charlotte area that week.