First tee nerves

Just looked at Cleveland and it starts with a 160 yard par 3 so at least you do not have to worry about having to use the big stick.

I think the main reason that people get first tee nerves is for the reason you are stating now. You are playing on Sunday and you are worrying about the first tee already. People worry too much, just get up there and give it rip like you would any shot, who cares if people are watching. i am sure you would not be the first person to stand on that tee and cock it up and I am sure everyone who is watching has done the same.
 
With a par 3 start just use your "go to club" which you feel most comfortable with, don't go for the green with a hybrid or 5 iron if your inconsistent with them, if your go to club is an 8 iron say, use your shots and get to the green in 2 by staying in play and build from their.

Good luck.
 
Khamelion said:
How do you overcome first tee nerves?

Not on your average bounce match, that doesn't count, that's just a relaxing walk with mates. What I mean is society events with a few people watching?

I know I'm going get ome stick for this, but this coming Sunday a few of us are having a round at Cleveland, I'm told that as the newbie :mmm: i'm first off and I fear that there will be a small gallery watching well potential 19 other people. I've never had that kind of audience before and top, thin, fat, hook, slice, sky and a Hilary are all coming to mind.

I'm thinking of ear defenders and blinkers to hide the laughing crowd as I address the ball, so how do you lose the crowd and nerves?
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Dont sweat it mate
U WONT be 1st off, Im sure Captain HOBBIT will take that honour, low man, etc, and Brian isnt the type to take the 'michael' (insert disclaimer*)

And as has been stated, it is a Par 3 start , so hopefully less can/will go wrong than if teeing it up at the 1st with YOUR BRAND NEW CUSTOM FIT TITLEIST DRIVER............:whistle:

Just chill and enjoy , u will have a good day for sure , we are all OK , and Im sure u will sign up for a future meet after sunday.....:thup:







(* disclaimer * ) ........ The part about Brian / Hobbit NOT being the type to take the 'michael' was a BLATANT LIE
He is for sure , 1 of the Nicest Guys u will have the pleasure of meeting and playing golf with , a cracking fella , who will put u at ease, but give him some ammo, and for sure 1 of the biggest wind-ups out there..........:)
 
As everyone else has said just relax.

Something I have only just learnt is to really loosen up before you start the swing... I would put the club down and then everything would tighten up as I had that initial take away move.

Enjoy it mate
 
Fader said:
My advice do what you always do and just take your time doing it.
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HawkeyeMS said:
Best thing to do is join in with the banter and not worry about the result
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There ya have it , its a society outing which should be fun , first tee will be hard enough without trying something different or what your not use to , tee shot is the same as any bounce game , when you step up its just you and the ball , couple of solid exhales (make sure and inhale between them or youl faint ha ha.... just kidding, enjoy )
 
It's just another golf shot, what's the worst that can happen?

Just off the top of my head, at forum meets off the first tee I've....

Daisycutter left into the heather at Blackmoor
Slice to within 5yds of OOB at Blackmoor
Slice to wrong fairway at Kenilworth
100yd top at Woodhall Spa, twice
Miss-hit left into hazard at Ascot
Pulled left - lost ball - at Beau Desert

There's probably other too, but you get the gist of it.

The long and short of it is.......... who cares?
 
Get there early, warm up properly, hit a few shots esp with the club you'll use on the first tee. Then just replicate that on the tee. Don't try and pull off a wonder shot - swing smoothly for a solid strike with the correct club. And don't worry about it, it's just another shot!

Everyone there will have duffed one at the first in front of a crowd so just enjoy the banter....
 
Region3 said:
It's just another golf shot, what's the worst that can happen?
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I share Garys view on this.

Our 1st hole is a 340 yard par 4 up hill. Last qualifier, nobbled my opening drive about 130 along the ground. To much laughter from my partners. 2nd shot was a 3 wood to about 30ft, to not much laughter and a few "Great shot"'s.

Nobbing your first drive isn't the end of the world, nor your round. Plenty of time to make it back.
 
Region3 said:
It's just another golf shot, what's the worst that can happen?

Just off the top of my head, at forum meets off the first tee I've....

Daisycutter left into the heather at Blackmoor
Slice to within 5yds of OOB at Blackmoor
Slice to wrong fairway at Kenilworth
100yd top at Woodhall Spa, twice
Miss-hit left into hazard at Ascot
Pulled left - lost ball - at Beau Desert

There's probably other too, but you get the gist of it.

The long and short of it is.......... who cares?
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:D are u trying to reassure him, or plant further seeds of doubt :D





But u are right , nobody really cares , we have all done most of those before , but it does set the tone for the day , bit banter , if somebody does make a right Horlicks off the 1st tee shot
Its society golf , social and FUN , so u just take it for what it is
 
moogie said:
:D are u trying to reassure him, or plant further seeds of doubt :D





But u are right , nobody really cares , we have all done most of those before , but it does set the tone for the day , bit banter , if somebody does make a right Horlicks off the 1st tee shot
Its society golf , social and FUN , so u just take it for what it is
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It can set the tone as in be an icebreaker, or start the banter off.

It certainly doesn't set the tone for the way you will play for the rest of the round. I did quite well at some of my examples. :whistle:
 
Region3 said:
It can set the tone as in be an icebreaker, or start the banter off.

It certainly doesn't set the tone for the way you will play for the rest of the round. I did quite well at some of my examples. :whistle:
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Yep, I meant about the Banter

Its easy enough to recover from a bad 1st tee shot, or indeed a bad 1st hole, plenty more out there to get it back
 
Cheers guys, so the form is, relax, take a few warm up swings with the club I'm going to use off the first tee and loosen up.

The reality will be legs shaking, sweaty palms, 10 billion thought processes going on, so the best bet would then be to pick the ball up and throw it towards the hole, but in doing I probably pull a muscle or dislocate my shoulder.

I'm sure it'll be fine :mmm:
 
Khamelion said:
Cheers guys, so the form is, relax, take a few warm up swings with the club I'm going to use off the first tee and loosen up.

The reality will be legs shaking, sweaty palms, 10 billion thought processes going on, so the best bet would then be to pick the ball up and throw it towards the hole, but in doing I probably pull a muscle or dislocate my shoulder.

I'm sure it'll be fine :mmm:
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As I often say to myself - this is why I play the game. If I wasn't nervous where would the buzz come from? It would be boring, mundane. Embrace the buzz! Remember to take good deep breaths, most people take shallow ones (just filling the top and front of the lungs), try to get air deep into your back and abdomen, breathing this way naturally releases tension.

Then at the moment of truth pick a specific target (should be easy if its a par 3, either aim for the pin or a specific tiny area on the green if youre not attacking the pin), don't step up until you are thinking only of that, then trust in your swing to send the ball there. Imagine it soaring perfectly towards the pin and the appreciative applause of the gallery :) Thats the positive image you stand tall with, forget everything negative youve read here and nail it.
 
Khamelion said:
Cheers guys, so the form is, relax, take a few warm up swings with the club I'm going to use off the first tee and loosen up.

The reality will be legs shaking, sweaty palms, 10 billion thought processes going on, so the best bet would then be to pick the ball up and throw it towards the hole, but in doing I probably pull a muscle or dislocate my shoulder.

I'm sure it'll be fine :mmm:
Click to expand...

I've always found that talking down your game rather than up helps, no expectation then.

Unlike Timgolfy who made many posts on how far he hit the ball, blah, blah, then duffed it on the first meet he attended;)
 
If it makes you feel any better, whatever you do can't get any worse than this...

A few years ago at our annual society weekend away, I had the pleasure of hitting the first tee shot of our group of 30. This doesn't bother me, I've done it loads of times before. So amongst all the banter I take my swing and looked up to watch my ball flying down the middle of the fairway but it was nowhere to be seen. I turned to the masses to see if anyone had seen it but everyone was as bemused as me. I bent down to pick my tee up only to see the ball buried in the sodden ground about 6" in front of it. For a brief second, I thought about pretending I hadn't seen it but what would be the fun in that :D
 
First time I played with my friends from my old work I was playing off 20 at the time against mostly people who hadn't played in years so I was expected to be good. Top my first drive off the tee and was the first to mess up my opening drive in front of everyone, nobody saw me play really well after that though but it's all good fun.
 
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