First Tee Fear

[Region3]

I still get nervous on the first tee. Not because I'm bothered what people think but because it's (usually) the first swing of the day and I've no idea how I'm hitting the ball yet.

The right club off our first is probably fairway wood or long iron, but I often take driver just because there's more club to hit the ball with.

 

[richart]

A couple of weeks ago we had the final of the Mixed Foursomes in front of us. The two men played off 1 and 5. The 1 handicapper hit the biggest hook which was last seen heading towards the rubbish two fairways away. The 5 handicapper then proceeded to carve his drive into the nearby houses. Both ladies then had to play 3 off the tee from the mens tee, and both hit straight down the middle of the fairway.

Everyone gets first tee nerves, but some hide it better than others.

 

[bobmac]

It's all about confidence.
If you stand on the first tee and think "where am I going to duff this to", chances are you will duff it.
If you have been hitting it well recently and have just hit some beauties on the range and you stand on the tee and think "watch this" and smile inwardly, you have more chance of hitting it well.

 

[richart]

It's all about confidence.
If you stand on the first tee and think "where am I going to duff this to", chances are you will duff it.
If you have been hitting it well recently and have just hit some beauties on the range and you stand on the tee and think "watch this" and smile inwardly, you have more chance of hitting it well.

What about when you have 40 forum members giving you stick on the tee, hoping you are going to duff it. So glad you are hitting the first tee shot at Blackmoor Bob.

 

[dangermouse]

iku - one of the best things you could do is to go to the first tee early one day and just watch several other groups drive off. You will be amazed how many "good" players will make a mess of the first tee. I regularly play with a guy off 8 who hits between 25 and 40% of his 1st tee shots OOB left.

The fear of making a mess of it when new to the game is because you feel stupid - like you don't belong. Spend an hour on the tee watching others tee off, and you will soon see its those who boom it straight down the middle who don't belong, and messing up your tee shot occasionally is what the average golfer does! I've been playing 2 years and did this - have felt much more comfortable ever since, because i'm not embarrassed when it does go wrong, i just laugh at myself and get on with it.

 

[GB72]

iku - one of the best things you could do is to go to the first tee early one day and just watch several other groups drive off. You will be amazed how many "good" players will make a mess of the first tee. I regularly play with a guy off 8 who hits between 25 and 40% of his 1st tee shots OOB left.

The fear of making a mess of it when new to the game is because you feel stupid - like you don't belong. Spend an hour on the tee watching others tee off, and you will soon see its those who boom it straight down the middle who don't belong, and messing up your tee shot occasionally is what the average golfer does! I've been playing 2 years and did this - have felt much more comfortable ever since, because i'm not embarrassed when it does go wrong, i just laugh at myself and get on with it.

I agree with this, I have no first tee nerves if someone in the queue in front of me has duffed one. There are no end of howling shots on our first tee (I have been responsible for several) so it just does not worry me any more. I have seen them hit the pro shop, the clubhouse and the car park and rumour has it that one has ended up on the A1. One of mine ended up 20 yards behind me in the practice net. The main thing to me is not whether I duff my tee shot is whether I get myself under control and take a sensible swing at the second shot to get back in play after a bad one off the tee (and the answer is no I normally take a wild slash at it trying to make up the distance and duff it 30 yards forward).

 

[ademac]

We have a nice 229 par 3 opener into the wind with OOB right and a pond short left and trees coming into play about 30 yards short and right. Not an easy shot at the best of times but as the first hit of the day it is pretty tough. Everybody has mucked it up at some point and the best thing to do is either reload, or find it and hit it again and move on.

I agree with the comments about making sure you are loosened up if possible (hit a few on the range or in the net) and stick to your pre-shot routine. Trust the swing, aim and fire

I remember this hole well and it was the scariest tee shot I have hit so far!
The GM forum meet I played in there a few years ago, hadnt been playing very long, a fair few strangers from the forum watching plus some GM staff and bloody photographer!
I was shitting a brick!!
Always think of that shot when I have a few watching and it relaxes me!
Oh and I hit it ok, 3wood short n right but at least it went past the ladies!!!

 

[G1BB0]

for the record I nailed my 1st drive (with severe jelly leg syndrome), topped my approach to 5 feet and 1 putted for a birdie

it was all downhill from there though