Your first golf tournament can feel like a big step, even if you play casual rounds every week. The good news: club tournaments are welcoming, most players remember their own first event, and a little preparation goes a long way. Here is what to expect.
Before the Day
- Confirm your registration and handicap. Check your name, handicap and class on the tournament's player list.
- Find your tee time and flight. On the VCD Golf App, open the tournament, go to the Player List, choose By tee time and type your name to see your whole flight.
- Know the format. If it is Stableford, read Stableford scoring explained so you know when you can pick up.
- Check the dress code. Most clubs expect a collared shirt and proper golf attire.
On the Day
- Arrive early. Give yourself time to register, meet your caddie and warm up on the range or putting green.
- Understand the start. In a shotgun start, every flight starts at the same time from a different hole, so you may begin on hole 7 and finish on hole 6.
- Get your scoring link. If players enter their own scores, the organizer will give your flight a link or a QR code to scan with your phone camera, and sometimes a 4-digit PIN.
Keeping Score
Agree in your flight who enters the scores, and do it hole by hole rather than at the end. Check each other's numbers before moving on; it is much easier than fixing them later. With the VCD Golf App, every score you enter shows up on the live leaderboard, and you can tap Leaderboard and come straight back to your scoring page.
Etiquette That Matters
- Keep up the pace. Be ready when it is your turn, and keep up with the group in front.
- Stay quiet and still while others play their shots.
- Look after the course: repair divots and ball marks, and rake bunkers.
- Shout "Fore!" loudly if your ball is heading toward anyone.
- Be honest with your score. Everyone counts their own shots, and the game depends on it.
After Your Round
Sign off your scores with your flight, then follow the live leaderboard while the last groups come in. Results and awards usually come shortly after the final flight finishes. Win or not, you will have played your first tournament, and the second one is always easier.
Keep Learning
Curious where to play next? See our guide to the golf courses in Davao City and the wider world of golf in the Philippines. And if you catch the tournament bug, read how to organize a golf tournament for your own club or friends.
