As the winter months slowly pass, and each day the sun stays up a little later, the itch to get back out on the course starts to kick in. This is also the time of year where preparation for the upcoming college golf season should kick in. These vital areas of preparation could prove to be your team’s difference in winning a tournament or falling short:

1) Prepare Your Equipment

Each year the best brands in golf upgrade the performance of their golf equipment with new technology. This doesn’t mean your whole bag has to be replaced, but swapping an old wedge or a 3-wood with one of the latest models can be a valuable difference.

2) Prepare Your Body

Many of the best professionals in the world also are in some of the best shape when compared to their competitors. The most vital physical attributes to have for a powerful a golf swing are flexibility and core strength.  There are many different routines and drills that focus on these drills such as TRX workouts, yoga exercises, and various weight training programs.

3) Prepare Your Mind

One of the most overlooked aspects to being a successful competitive golfer might be how you think on the course. While this is something that should be maintained throughout the whole season, starting before your first tournament can set the tone for the whole year. Look ahead to the courses you will be playing and play them in your head.  That way when the tournament comes, you’ll have a game plan for how you want to attack the course.

4) Plan your Practice

How you practice translates into how you play. Having a plan on what you are going to practice and when, is the key to getting the most out of your practices. Planning your practice helps you focus on certain areas of your game that may need more work than others. With a focused pre-season practice schedule, you can enter the first tournament of the year with confidence knowing you are prepared.  

5) Set Goals

Having a goal of what you would like to accomplish during a season can be a huge step towards success. Goals create a clear focus; properly thought out goals  clearly set out your intentions and desires. By setting both individual and team goals, you know you are always working hard for a reason.  Whether it be just to play in a certain amount of tournaments or to win a national championship, goals are a great motivator.

Hopefully goals will be reached and more importantly, everyone enjoys the process!