What You Should And Shouldn't Do in Your Monthly Medal

The vast majority of us only keep a proper scorecard when we are playing in a monthly medal. Most of us usually play matchplay in weekly fourballs and will often pick up the ball when things go awry.

Medal play is a very different game, when every shot counts.

And that means we should prepare differently and tackle the whole process differently. But how many of us actually do that? 

How many of you make the time to warm up properly before taking part in a monthly medal? By warming up, I am not talking about a few meaningless stretching exercises, half a dozen putts and three practice swings at the edge of the first tee.

If you want to give yourself a chance of producing your best form you really need to get your body ready - and that means following a proper stretching routine.

Here are a few suggestions:

Hamstring/Calf Stretch

Stretching hamstrings and calf muscles helps ensure proper low body posture and prevent lower back pain. Getting your hamstrings and calves warm before play is essential.

Toe-Touch Stretch

This will loosen tight back muscles and help with loosening the hamstrings. 

Elongation Stretch

To lengthen core muscles hold a golf club above your head and reach for the sky. More flexibility in your core muscles will help you rotate during the golf swing.

Club Reach

Lower back muscles, glutes and legs can be lengthened with this stretch.

Forearm Stretch

Your forearm flexor muscles and extensor muscles should be loose and warmed up after this stretch. Strong forearms that feel flexible allow for a better wrist hinge.

Right then, you have now done all of the above. What next?

Proper Preparation

Head to the range and hit some golf balls. For many club golfers, this will involve immediately reaching for the driver and hitting the ball as hard as possible. Don’t do that. Start off with your short irons, swinging gently, and then work your way through the bag. Try to give yourself at last 30 minutes on the range.

And then head for the putting green and hit putts from varying distances to get a proper feel for the pace.

When you get to the first hole, it is all too easy to reach for an old ball. Why would you do that? If you have warmed up properly there is absolutely no reason not to pull out a new or nearly-new ball, otherwise you are telling yourself that you are expecting to hit it out of bounds or into that water hazard.

Smart Course Management

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Plot you way around. Do not keep reaching for the driver. There is a par five on my course that had become my bogey hole - you have to a drive through an avenue of trees and anything going right finishes in the water. After endlessly finding the trees or the water, I have now started hitting a three wood. And guess what? The ball finishes in the middle of the fairway.

If you can consistently put the ball in the right place it is going to give you a chance of making a score.

When you hit a wayward drive (and we all do) and it ends up in thick rough or trees, hit a provisional. Spending three minutes looking for lost ball and then having to march back to the tee is only going to wind you up and get you hot under the collar. And hitting a provisional speeds up play.

Don't Get Distracted by Playing Partners

If you are playing with somebody who consistently hits the ball 20-30 yards further than you, just accept it. Do NOT ever try to go after it to keep up with them. That will only end in disaster.

And speaking of playing partners, there are going to be times when you are drawn with somebody who is going to be throwing temper tantrums, slamming clubs into the ground and bemoaning his or her luck. Do not get sucked in. Just ignore it all.

Keep Your Focus

If you do have a poor hole don’t let it get you down. Try to keep your focus. If you don’t, you will only go from bad to worse.

When you come off the 18th green, check your card properly - and do not forget to sign it! I speak from bitter personal experience on this one. Being disqualified after a good round for failing to sign your card is soul-destroying.

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