1st Tee Jitters
1st Tee Jitters are an amazing feeling! Golf can be exciting! The anticipation of a first hole birdie, or first- & second-hole birdies, we could shoot a new low, we could hole-out for eagle on the first par 5, we could even get an ace on the first par 3!!! That’s a lot of pressure on a round that hasn’t even started yet, but those are the good thoughts. Alternatively, you could shank the first drive into the water, your friends might laugh at you, and you could be well on your way to a 120. So, what does it take to ensure we start the round off well? Here’s what you need to know.
- Ensure you are properly warmed up. When I say warm, I mean a bead of sweat is on your forehead. This ensures that your body is optimal temperature for physical activity, because after all, that’s what golf is. Swinging cold is not the way to start the round, especially with 1st tee jitters, and if you always “play better by the third hole” it’s because you weren’t warm until you got there.
- Focus on the positives. A horse in the Kentucky Derby has blinders on for a reason. The jockey wants the horse focused on the lane and the finish. The other horses don’t matter. Just like the fairway and the green. If your focus is diverted to the water and the trees and the bushes, you are telling your mind to put the ball there-and in most cases it will.
- Understand and execute the swing. The easier idea is to know where your ball is going. Setup alignment, ball position, grip, posture, and mobility all have correlating effects to where that ball is going to go. I tell clients all the time, from the ground up everything is ROUND. Earth-round, balls of feet-round, ankles-round, knees-round, hips-round, shoulders-round, elbows-round, wrists-round, fingers-round, golf club grip-round, golf shaft-round, bulge and roll of the clubface-round, golf ball-round. How are you going to hit it? Straight is usually the response I get. Straight means ZERO side spin on the golf ball. It’s not impossible, but it’s not likely. That means know how to bend the ball back to center as the picture illustrates. It’s very easy to do!
- Commit to the decision. Once your body is in movement of the swing, there’s no changing your mind. Swing like your life depends on it. The majority of error is you’re still making a decision as you’re swinging, and that is not enough time for the brain to tell the body what to do, and have the body make adjustments on the fly. Make your decision first, then swing and commit to it. Watch this video from Top Speed Golf.
That sums it up. Hope this provides you with a better understanding of crushing those 1st tee jitters and getting that first fairway finder!
-David