hints for nervious first tee tomorrow!!

[Bratty]

3 7irons gets you to the green (assuming 140yards) and a two putt gives you a five! Even if you three putt or have to hit a chipshot, you're one better than "normal" and off and running! Ignore the others with driver and take a club you can hit... if that happens to be a 7 iron, then so be it.

Good luck, and just remember to enjoy yourself. Once you've got this under your belt, it gets a LOT easier.

 

[19thagain]

Jack Nicklus tells how he never tees off at St Andrews without his knees feeling weak with fear.

Be like Jack, feel it, hide it and pretend you don't have it and with a wee bit luck you will harness it and hit a superb shot!!

Good Luck!!

 

[backspin22]

Unfortunately, mate, nerves will probably have to conquered by experience and only time will do that. You will have some fantastic rounds where you have done enough to win after 13/14 holes and then your bottle will go. It will happen more than once or twice...... and it happens to us all.
Do remember though that we have all been through it and we sympathise. If you mess up your first tee shot no-one will care except that they feel for you. Nobody will laugh* or get annoyed.
*The only time laughing occurs is between good mates whose rounds are already shot to sh*t - gallows humour. The good thing about golf is that most of the other players are on your side. Go out and enjoy it.
Hangovers are good for nerves - they focus your mind on the pain and nausea rather than on the shot!

 

[Mattyboy]

If the trouble for you is down the right, tee up on the right and play away from it, and vice versa.
Also, I prefer to hit a driver under pressure as opposed to a 3 wood or hybrid for the simple fact that a driver has a larger clubface and therefore has more chance of it making contact with the ball (seriously!). Also a driver will get you closure to the pin and therefore, if in the rough, you have a much better chance with a wedge than say a 6 iron!

 

[beatle]

I was in the same position as you only a few months ago, where I hadn't played in a comp before, ever. So it's only natural to be slightly nervous or apprehensive.

What I found helped me was allowing myself a reasonable amount of time to warm up / practice first. Not too much as you don't want to get knackered before you reach the first tee, but enough just to loosen off. Either go in the nets, or practice your chipping to help you get the swing going and perhaps knocking a few balls around on the pratcice green.

Lastly when I got to the first tee, I told the guys I was playing with (who I didn't know incidentally) it was my first time in a comp and would they mind keeping me right. Instantly, the pressure was off slightly as they knew not to expect a 300 yard drive down the centre of the fairway. Everyone has been in that position and probably most remember what it was like themsleves. Don't try and blast it, just get it away and you'll be fine.

 

[Richie13]

cheers for the comments guys! im more than liekly take a 7i off the tee never done it on the first and i hit it pretty good, most likely jinxed myself with that now tho lol

 

[Paul_Stewart]

Jeff Sluman's first tee shot after the winning the US PGA was a 40-yard duff.

 

[nowtfancy]

i used to get really nervous, even in friendly games with people i knew well, then i read on here about just spending some time around the first tee.

Just watching a few groups go off made me realise that rubbish first tee shots can be quite regular!
Now i really look forward to & enjoy the first shot whatever the outcome, rather than thinking thank god that's out of the way!

 

[RGDave]

Just do whatever you normally do.

I think he's looking to do better than make a 7

If I may be completely patronising... ...

Which club other than a driver do you feel most confident with? Play that club/shot

You don't want to hit three 7 irons, 'cause you will miss the green with the 3rd one.

Can you do 50/60/70 yards reliably? If not, play the 2nd shot to leave a full wedge.

The 1st hole at my old(est) club in Birmingham was a 440 yarder with two ditches, S.I.1 until they swapped the two 9s.

My plan was just to get the ball away (3 wood or 5 wood) and not slice it into the trees! 7i or 8i over the first ditch, short of the 2nd, leave full wedge.

Simple. You've only got to hit ONE good shot and not 3-putt to make a 5!

 

[Richie13]

thinking about it more i think my plan is 7i off the tee should be 140ish yards down the fairway 2nd shot use my 3h to clear the ditch that runs through the fairway about 180yards from the pin and 3rd shot should leave me a wedge in

just asking this Q has made it glaringly obvious that i lack any sort of course management

when i dont slice the driver i can clear the ditch from the tee but when dont i slice

my issue is slowing down and swinging smooth

 

[StrangelyBrown]

just asking this Q has made it glaringly obvious that i lack any sort of course management

It took me a long time to not automatically grab the driver on any hole that's not a par 3.

However, for the last few weeks my hand has been forced by hitting the big stick sideways, if it leaves the tee at all.

 

[chiv]

Richie
either use your 3 wood ...or your 3 wood. If you're slightly wayward always less likely to be in the messy stuff and you will still have a 2nd shot for green/just off. Chip/2 putts and walk off with a smile.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My advice would be to get there early enough to hit a small bucket of balls on the practice ground and be loose for when you go out. It's good to be a little nervous but don't let the fear grip you. Trust your swing and take a nice smooth practice swing. Stand there and focus on where you want the ball to finish. Trust it and swing.

At the end of the day its one shot. Hit it, find it and hit it again. Relax, have fun and the score will be what it will be so no point getting too wound up about it. The more you think about the negatives the more you'll focus on them

 

[Bratty]

In contrast to Homer, while that works for him, I can't play well if I practice in any way other than maybe on a putting green.

On every occasion that I've been on the range beforehand, I suck. And I mean really suck!

I'd be careful of doing too much different from usual, just in case you're the same as me.

 

[rosecott]

one thing i do hate is the honour going to the lower handicap players on the 1st. so you watch 3 cracking drives go off and pile extra pressure on yourself!!

for one hole can they not give the honour to us lesser beings??

Why do the lower handicap players go first?
Rule 10 says that the honour on the first tee goes according to the draw - if no draw then it's decided by lot, a coin toss or tee peg toss. Handicap does not come into it.

 

[Bratty]

So, how did you do, Richie13?