Tournament/slow play/mindset
This past weekend was our member/member tournament. I played fairly well on day 1 - not my best, but I felt fine about the outcome. My group was fast, maintained pace, and moved through the round on pace.
On day 2, two of the ladies in my group were extremely slow players. By hole 4 we were 2 complete holes behind the group in front of us. Of course, we were informally put on the clock and the Marshall began following us. However, two of us were fast players and felt a little frustrated at the pace of the other 2. We tried to encourage faster pace, without being rude. By hole 7, we were three holes behind and were warned again. Next time we would have to skip a hole - effectively eliminating our group.
At that point, I began rushing everything… and I mean everything. The two slower players kept playing slowly… getting distance on everything, 4-5 practice swings, slow to tee off, etc. Basically, my game went to hell in a hand basket. The other “faster” player also began rushing and her game suffered as well. I ended up shooting higher than I’ve shot in many months.
So- I need advice. What do you do in these situations? How do you handle not only slow players in tournament play, but how do you handle stressful/pressure situations on the course? I should have been able to maintain focus and maintain my game, but I couldn’t do it.
Sorry this is so long, but I truly need advice on how to gain a better tournament mindset so my game is more consistent when the pressure is on. Thank you in advance!