I'm also training for my first Tri (9/1). My Tri is a Sprint, a 1/4 mile swim. For training, I don't do flip turns. BUT, I also don't stop at each end and push off. I do a sharp, swimming, u-turn. I figure that touching/pushing off after each lap is sort of a mini-rest, so I want to replicate as best I can the idea of swimming straight thru.
Good luck to both of us!