Getting the 1st tee shot away with style and finesse is something every golfer dreams of. Most pray they make half decent contact and the ball goes forward. There is definitely a mental build-up to that first shot of your round.
Whichever level of golf you play, the dreaded 1st tee nerves can be damaging to both your enjoyment levels, as well as your score. Feeling like you’re in control of the moment could be the answer to you actually enjoying the experience a bit more. Here are 7 ways you can ensure the 1st tee isn’t a place of nightmares.
Take The Pressure Off
Golfers place a huge importance on this first shot. Getting off to a good start is often deemed to be the pinnacle of a golfer’s round. It sets the benchmark and can really create momentum, or simply release pressure on the player.
The first thing we have to do is not attach too much importance to this first act. A messy start doesn’t mean disaster, Rory McIlroy went on to win his first green jacket at Augusta after a pushed drive found a fairway bunker and resulted in a double bogey at the 1st hole in his final round. Following his win he said that he felt the double took the pressure off. It let the air out of the can of nerves he’d been feeling going into that final round.
So remember that a nervy start can in fact take the pressure off the round and release tension you may be carrying. Don’t pin too much on it and vocally remind yourself you’ve got to start this round somewhere so embrace it.
(Image credit: Howard Boylan)
Reassess Your Expectations
In the car on the way to the course, take a moment to remind yourself why you play this game. What is today’s game about? This goes hand in hand with the previous point, but it’s important we acknowledge what we want from golf at this moment. Today, what do I want golf to give me?
This is something I do in the car on the way to a game. I assess my life at that moment and how realistic it will be to play my best golf. The noise of life can be turned up to a fairly full blast at times, and when it’s like that golf needs to be an escape, not another challenge to add to the mounting pile of already existing challenges.
Decide in the car that you’ll take a few great drives, a few great putts, you’ll enjoy the company and the…
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