First Tee Jitters
By Jamie Faidley under Mental Game
Many golfers feel great when hitting balls on the range, but head to the first tee and start to experience nervousness (see dealing with nerves for ways to relax). This anxiety can lead to a poor shot to start the round. Some golfers then move on to their next shot, recover, and get on with their day, but others have their whole rounds ruined by a poor tee shot to start the day. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
Getting Prepared to Play
Golfers who experience first tee jitters are not mentally prepared. You have to start preparing yourself to hit your first tee shot well before you stick the tee in the ground and setup to the ball on the first tee box. If you have played the course before, start visualizing your first tee shot on your drive out to the course. Here is what I recommend.
Imagine yourself approaching the box and starting your preshot routine. Picture standing behind the ball and picking out your target (a bush, bunker, yardage marker, whatever) and then approach the ball and enter your setup. Picture looking up from your address to the target, bringing your eyes back to the ball and initiating your swing.
Imagine what a good swing feels like, then visualize how the ball comes off the club and flies through the air, where it will land at and where it will stop rolling. Be as descriptive as possible. Are there any hazards that you safely avoid, what is your normal ball flight, how high do you normally hit the ball, how far does it normally go, and how far does your ball typically roll?
You have likely played the first hole at your home course several times, and even if it was by pure luck you have hit a great shot off the first tee at some point. Visualize that shot.
If you have not played the course before and the first hole is a new frontier for you, step up and take a look at it as soon as you get out of your car. Make sure you know what club you are going to hit and how you want to play the shot, then start visualizing the perfect play.
This mental rehearsal is going to positively reinforce a great start to your round. Your mind doesn’t know the difference between vivid visualizations and real experience. You are training yourself to be successful with this drill.
Practice Range
Do you hit balls at the range before playing? If so, end your session by hitting ten balls exactly like you are going to hit your first tee shot. If you are hitting a driver, hit the driver, but if the first tee requires another club off the tee then finish your warm up session by hitting those clubs.
As you look out to the range, visualize yourself hitting down the first fairway. How tight is the hole? Is there a certain ball flight you are going to need? Pick out a couple of targets to mark as the edge of the fairway so you can put a little bit of “pressure” on yourself. Find a target similar to what you are going to aim at on the first tee.
If you hit the perfect shot with a couple of balls left in your bucket, leave on the successful note. You want to carry those positive feelings with you to the first tee.
Try these two techniques and watch the first tee jitters be a thing of the past.
