How to Prepare for a Big Golf Tournament: A Coach’s Playbook
By Chris Smeal, PGA — Head Coach, Future Champions Golf
Every great tournament performance starts long before you step onto the first tee. Over two decades of coaching junior golfers — and helping hundreds advance to collegiate golf and beyond — I’ve learned that the best preparation combines physical readiness, strategic planning, mental strength, and disciplined routines. The players who show up confident and prepared aren’t lucky … they earned it. Future Champions Golf Tour
Here’s how I guide my players — whether they’re stepping into their first big junior event or preparing for the biggest challenge of their season.
1. Build Your Routine — and Practice It Like a Ritual
Tournament preparation shouldn’t be random. Start with a weekly practice structure that prioritizes purpose over quantity:
- Purpose-Driven Practice: Every session should have a clear goal — whether it’s dialing in lag putting, mastering distance control with wedges, or simulating pressure tee shots. Future Champions Golf Tour
- Mock Competitive Rounds: Play practice rounds under pressure, keeping score and focusing on course management rather than just hitting balls. Future Champions Golf Tour
- Warm-Up Systems: Have two warm-up routines — one for when you have plenty of time and one for when time is short. This helps you stay consistent no matter the schedule. Future Champions Golf Tour
The smartest players don’t just practice — they prepare with intention.
2. Know the Course — Before You Arrive
Before tournament week:
Study the course online. Understand where trouble lurks and where birdie opportunities exist. Visualize your course management plan.
Try to simulate the tournament setup in practice — it builds familiarity and confidence. Knowing a course ahead of time turns what seems unknown into another challenge you can conquer.
3. Perfect Your Daily Tournament Ritual
On tournament days, stress and nerves can sabotage even the best ball-strikers. The solution? A consistent daily routine:
- Arrive early enough to warm up without rushing.
- Use your range time strategically: find your swing and ball flight for the day, and build confidence one shot at a time. Future Champions Golf Tour
- Dial in your putting: speed and feel, especially from short range, must become automatic. Future Champions Golf Tour
- Relax your mind: even elite competitors get nervous — learning to breathe and stay calm is part of preparing to compete. Future Champions Golf Tour
Remember, routines are confidence generators.
4. Prioritize the Short Game and Putting
In tournament golf, shots inside 100 yards and putts inside 10 feet often decide your score. Too many golfers overlook the short game in favor of the big swing — but the opposite approach wins tournaments.
A strong short game doesn’t just save shots — it stops bad rounds from becoming disasters.
5. Sharpen Your Mental Edge
Golf tournaments are physical — but they’re won in the mind.
- Focus on one shot at a time.
- After a mistake, reset quickly — give yourself 10 steps to let it go and move forward.
- Don’t be intimidated by competition — compete with belief in your process. Future Champions Golf Tour
I preach it to all my players: confidence isn’t something you find — it’s something you build.
6. Balance Preparation with Recovery
In the week leading up to competition, smart players know that less is more:
- Reduce intense practice the day before.
- Focus on loose swings, feel shots, and good rest.
- Eat well, hydrate, sleep well — your body must be ready to respond under pressure.
Tournament preparation isn’t just about training harder — it’s about training smarter.
7. Have Fun — Stress Kills Performance
Golf is a game — and the best players play like it’s a game. Not in a careless way, but with joy, curiosity, and confidence. Screaming at yourself, overthinking every swing, or carrying tension in your shoulders doesn’t help you score. The players who smile, breathe, and focus shot-by-shot consistently outperform those who tighten up. Future Champions Golf Tour
Final Thoughts
Preparing for a big tournament is about building a system. It’s about habits, confidence, strategy, and a calm mind. It’s also about understanding that great preparation gives you freedom in competition — freedom to be present, fearless, and ready to play your best.
Whether you’re playing in your first major event or trying to peak at the right time, remember this: you don’t rise to the level of your goals — you fall to the level of your preparation. Prepare well.