First tee jitters...

[AndrewG]

We have a hellish par 5 first hole, a slight dogleg left, with OOB 5 yards to the left of the ideal line - a shot to the right hits a slope moving away to the right well away from the fairway. The first 200 yards is actually well uphill. A good drive is needed to get up to the brow of the hill and give you the chance to get over the bank which cuts actross the fairway at about 150 from the green...

More often than not I'll hit a truly awful drive, if not oob, it'll be topped and scuffed into the rough, or 50 yards up the fairway. In stableford its not so bad as I almost always NR it, and can live with it - but this Sunday is a medal, and this hole will always cost me, and put the scuppers on the next few holes while I try to recover my composure.

Should I just take a couple of mid irons instead of a driver, just to keep it in play, and go for a gross bogey (net par for me)?

 

[Imurg]

Why not?
Or 5 wood it twice and short iron it on.
Too many times on long holes we reach for the driver without much thought. Don't know your handicap but if you get a shot on this hole and you normally have trouble with it, play it as a par 6. Don't be embarressed by not hitting driver. PLay the hole the best way for you to score.

 

[AndrewG]

Hmm - of course, I'm not thinking, if I fluff the 5 iron 3 times, I might only make 150 yards Can't win eh...

 

[JustOne]

I agree with Imurg, there's no need to pull out your driver just because it's a par 5, I'd go with a 3-wood, 5-wood or a recovery club (if I had one) off the tee and simply try to keep it in play.... 180yards up the slope if necessary.

Try to forget the uphill slope is there, make sure you line yourself up correctly and then just hit through into it properly without trying to lift it up the slope.

 

[freddielong]

If this hole is costing you and it sounds like it is, try playing it a different way. It is always better to have a strategy you can be positive with than try to play a shot you don't like and feel negative about.

 

[FourRight]

I find it is always down to if you have warmed up. If you get to the course with enought time to change and then get to the first tee, then you are not warmed up and therefore taking a Driver is nearly always a bad idea. In these cases I always opt for a Rescue club as I find I can hit these well with little or no warm up.

If you have had the chance to hit a few balls on the range beforehand, then you not only have warmed up, but you then know how you are hitting and therefore can make a better judegment at the club you want to take.

Of course there will always be the mental thgouh that you Need to hit a good shot to set you up for the round. I think the key is not to try and hit the ball and to not think too much about what you need to do.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Three things come to mind and echo fourright.

Get there early and hit a few balls on the range/practice ground. Its not a full range session so don't worry about technique or distance etc. Its an exercise to get the body (and mind) ready to play. You're looking for a good connection and a nice smooth tempo.

Improve your mental thoughts. You are approaching the hole with too many negative images which is what the brain is good at. How many time have you stood there and said don't slice it OB and then gone and done it? Its because the brain doesn't recognise don't and just foucess on the slice right bit and does what it can to follow that instruction.

You need to stand behind the ball and visualise a good solid strike. It doesn't have to be long just in play. Trust your swing and take your address. A waggle will get rid of any tension and take a final look at your target and swing. In an ideal world you'll go to the range and start to develop a proper pre-shot routine which will help when you have a tough shot or face a tricky situation.

Finaly have a think about your course management. I'm assuming you're get at least one shot (don't know the SI or your handicap) so it becomes effectively a par 6. Take a reliable club (hybrid, 4 iron, 3 wood etc) and just aim to get into play. Aim to play your 2nd short of hazards and leave a good distance 130 or less in. If you miss the green it still a chip and 2 putts for a 6 nett 5.

Good luck on Sunday but don't worry if you have a bad start as there is time to get it back. Trust yourself

 

[Benntec]

Hey Andrew,

How did you get on today? Did you over come that first hole?