1st tee nerves- what do you do.

The moral of the story....

Never tee up on the 1st with a brand spankin new ball. Asking for trouble

I disagree, the first at my old club and the first on all 3 9's at my place are pretty safe unless you have a shocker, plus it's easier to find a spanking new sparkling ball than a scrubber.
 
I always get a little bit of energy from the first tee and the last tee compared to others. I guess its the expectation of the round ahead, the impending excitement.

I try to treat the first tee like any other, the only time I have really felt nerves are at big forum meets when I have not got a lot of recent golf under me! Teeing up in a big comp at my club was nothing, dead easy, I had done it week in week out. Going to a new course in front of all you lot when I have no idea what is going to happen is the only thing that ever got to me!
 
The first tee is a daunting place whether it's a bounce game, major medal or just 10 people watching in deathly silence!

So what do you do to conquer your fears/nerves and ensure a good start?

I follow my pre-shot routine, pick a starting line and hit the ball. If it goes pear-shaped, so be it.
 
I follow my pre-shot routine, pick a starting line and hit the ball. If it goes pear-shaped, so be it.

Walk to the ball, hit it, life goes on.

I recently topped-sliced-blocked one off the 1st at driving ranges club championship infront of my teaching pro, crowd etc.

Ended up shooting +2 gross that 9 and +6 gross overall, might even have won something! THB it was a bad swing and I hit it really well the rest of the day.
 
Don't really get them in bounce games, as we all tend to start the banter and pee taking from the moment the car door opens.

As for Comps, I get worried if I don't have a bit of first tee nerves. No nerves tends to mean i'm not paying enough attention to the game that day.

I just try to stick with my routine, pick a small target in the distance, deep breathe and off we go. No point worrying about the result of the shot as once it's hit nothing can change it.
 
I don't really get 1st tee nerves. Tend to ensure I see the club hit the ball but other than that, no difference to the other tee shots really.
 
Maybe it's a product of age but, like Snelly, I don't have first tee nerves. That said, I have certainly had "legs turning to jelly" first tee moments in the past. I had to deputise for my Club Captain in the County Captain's event at Hollinwell some years ago. We were all announced onto the tee - it was awful. I also, when numbers are short, get roped into our Winter Alliance team. In my first appearance my 3-ball consisted of me, a 2-handicapper and a professional - and again we were announced onto the tee. I think that I can now cope with any first tee situation.
 
Make sure I'm in the last group. Like I am tomorrow.

But then you've got the issue of the 18th green when you'll have a bigger crowd watching you from the clubhouse area. I had this in a society day yesterday, but thankfully I hit a lovely pitch to about 10 feet from the pin to finish nicely.
 
Learn to love the shots you hate..........I used to dread most tee shots. I was hitting a rescue off the tee and could get it out there, but the pressure to nail every drive was getting to me. Everyone was saying you dont need a driver, you hit it far enough with that rescue, but trust me it was hard and I dreaded teeing off. Best thing I ever did was buy a driver, can't wait to get on the tee now and whack one over the horizon. So you need to find a way to love that shot you hate, doesn't really matter how you do it, just find a way.
 
Good score on the go nerves yes, first tee nerves no.

Nearest i've come to them was on the first at The old course st andrews, but then thought to myself whats you bad shot? Hook or a pull prime position there.
 
Top