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First Tee Jitters

iPutt

By iPutt,
in Golf Talk

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iPutt Dedicated Member

iPutt

Anyone ever get really nervous on the first tee when everyone is watching. I know with my nerves I could never cut it in the PGA (my skill probably would hold me back a bit too lol) but I always mess up pretty bad. To make it worse, yesterday my friend stressed to me how important it was to make good contact on the first tee of the course we were playing at (Eisenhower Red if anyone was wondering. They played one of the senior PGA tournaments there a few weeks ago) because everyone watches and judges. And of course what do you know I make horrible contact and skid it into the bushes. The thing is after that I hit drive after drive over 200.

So does anyone else feel this way?

l Bag l TaylorMade Stand Bag

l Driver l TaylorMade '07 Burner 9.5* l 3-Wood l Titleist 910F 15* (D1 shaft setting)

l Hybrids l TaylorMade '07 Burner 19* : TaylorMade '10 Rescue 22*

l Irons l TaylorMade r7 5-PW l Wedges l Titleist Bob Vokey 52* 56* 60*

l Putter l Scotty Cameron California Del Mar 34" l Balls l TaylorMade Penta TP

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Smallville Great Member

Smallville

I used to MANY years ago when I was just starting. Now it doesn't matter; as Travis said a lot of the people watching are worse than me. I actually look forward to putting my first tee shot right out in the middle of the fairway. Sometimes I'll drop down a club to make sure I get a good shot if it's a tight hole. Even so, it still sucks when you duff one off #1, luckily it happens less and less the more you play.
My Equipment:
Northwestern 3-, 5-, 7- and 9-wood;
Goldwin AVDP Irons (5-10 plus PW);
U.S. Golf 60 degree wedge;
See-More Putter; Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000 Rangefinder;Golflogix GPS.
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NM Golf Super Member

NM Golf

In big tournaments I still get them. Just take a deep breath, go through your preshot routine like normal, and bust it. Nothing better to start a round off with than a crushed drive right down the middle.

Danny    In my :ping: Hoofer Tour golf bag on my :clicgear: 8.0 Cart

Driver:   :pxg: 0311 Gen 5  X-Stiff.                        Irons:  :callaway: 4-PW APEX TCB Irons 
3 Wood: :callaway: Mavrik SZ Rogue X-Stiff                            Nippon Pro Modus 130 X-Stiff
3 Hybrid: :callaway: Mavrik Pro KBS Tour Proto X   Wedges: :vokey:  50°, 54°, 60° 
Putter: :odyssey:  2-Ball Ten Arm Lock        Ball: :titleist: ProV 1

 

 

 

 

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NI4NI Dedicated Member

NI4NI

No outside pressure should exceed the pressure you put on yourself to play your best each stroke. I seem to get tight in the tee box right after I birdied the previous hole (I force myself too much to keep the momentum going). Conversely, I seem to be a lot more fluid once I double bogey the previous hole (seems like it can't get much worse).

Sounds like I have it backwards, but this is how it goes for me during a round - guess I should always pretend that I blew up on the previous hole to keep the pressure from getting too much.
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DLR Established Member

DLR

I always get nervous on the first tee especially if I am playing in a scrample where everyone tees off of #1 and Im in one of the first groups. However, I normally end up hitting a nice drive when I feel pressured for some reason. Then my game goes downhill from there. I dont know, I cant explain it.

Sasquatch 4950 460 Driver
19 Degree A30S Boxer FW Hybrid
X-20 4-PW
56 SW, 60 LW
Tiffany Putter NXT Extreme Ball

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mdouet Established Member

mdouet

Ever try a beer before teeing off (assuming your of legal age)? I played my second round yesterday and knocked a cold one back before hitting the first tee, and it really relaxed me and got me off to a much better start than my previous round.
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Eore Great Member

Eore

i just pretend its another hole, and that i have the ability to hit a drive to impress the club scrubbers and cart girls.

but after hitting that house on 1, i may need to try something else

driver- R580XD 9.5*
3 wood- m/speed
hybrid- cft ti 4h
irons- fp 4-gap
wedges- 54* and RAC satin 56* 12 bounceputter- 1/2 Craz-Eballs- DT Carry, e5, anything found thats is good shapeshoes-adidashome course - nothing - uh oh. perhaps pleasant view againschool...

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bigoak Dedicated Member

bigoak

You are supposed to have jitters on the first tee. Transfer your nervousness into focus. Hit it at about 80 percent of your face with a good backswing and a good follow through. But Focus and do what you know how to do. No tricks and do not try to pull a swing out of your hat that you have not practised

Taylormade Driver HT
Taylormade 3 HT

Mcgregor 7w
Vulcan irons 5-P
Solus 53 61

Vokey 56

Scotty Caneron Flange/ Ping Cushin

Srixon ZStar

71 gold tees

bring cash

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Jay-Bird Great Member

Jay-Bird

Harness the nerves into focus before your shot. Shake out your arms, stretch, take practice swings and breathe. Keep focused on the shot, not the outcome. Think positive. Golf is a mental game.

driver: FT-i tlcg 9.5˚ (Matrix Ozik XCONN Stiff)
4 wood: G10 (ProLaunch Red FW stiff)
3 -PW: :Titleist: 695 mb (Rifle flighted 6.0)
wedges:, 52˚, 56˚, 60˚
putter: Studio Select Newport 1.5

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wagon b0y Member

wagon b0y

I used to in high school golf matches.

I don't really now when i play with my buddies.

In my Vantage Bag:
Driver: Burner Superfast 9.5*
Woods: Steelhead Plus 3 and 5
Irons: Forged 300 4-PW
Wedges: CG12 52* and VR 56*Putter: SabertoothBall: TP Red

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yeis20 Well Established Member

yeis20

I love having folks watch me, makes me focus and want to perform.

Taylormade TP 2010 9.5 Fubuki stiff
07 Burner 5W stiff

Adams F11 Ti 3W Adilia NVS Stiff
Bobby Jones 21* & 25* Hybrid
AP1 4-gw
CG14  60*::X forged Vintage 56* Ping b60 putter Balls: Bridgestone B330, ProV, Goals: Shot par over 18 holes, Best shot: Par 5 18th hole, Alling Memorial New haven CT; holed my 2nd shot for an Albatross! (June 20th, 2008)

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Harold Well Established Member

Harold

I primarily play as a singles golfer so what I do is when I am #1 with a new group of people is think back to the last time I played and am at #18 right before I hit. When you have hit drives on 18 holes with strangers they aren't really strangers at that point. My drives off of #1 recently tend to be no worse or better than any other shot. More often that not I get workable shots. It's one of many so don't put too much pressure on the opener. Plus no one cares. I know when my partners are lining up for the first time I am thinking about my second or first shot, not yours. I'm just watching because it's proper etiquette.
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Smallville Great Member

Smallville

Harold-

I hope your also watching to follow their ball; it's likely that they are doing the same for you. Sooner or later you might be glad they did.

This weekend I played as a single and I made sure I helped my playing partners know where their ball went.
My Equipment:
Northwestern 3-, 5-, 7- and 9-wood;
Goldwin AVDP Irons (5-10 plus PW);
U.S. Golf 60 degree wedge;
See-More Putter; Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000 Rangefinder;Golflogix GPS.
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GaijinGolfer Super Member

GaijinGolfer

I get nervous on the first tee no matter if Im all alone or if the whole world is watching. I just focus on my target, having good tempo and just making a nice, easy swing.
The jitters have somewhat diminished as Ive gained more confidence in my game, but I still get butterflies in my stomach every time on the first tee.
I think that if that feeling ever went away, it would mean that Im bored with golf and no longer have the drive and passion for the game that I currently have and it would be time to move on to something else.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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iPutt Dedicated Member

iPutt

  • Author
Ever try a beer before teeing off (assuming your of legal age)? I played my second round yesterday and knocked a cold one back before hitting the first tee, and it really relaxed me and got me off to a much better start than my previous round.

Hahahaha that's probably a good idea.

But yea like most everyone said hopefully it'll get better as I get more confident.

l Bag l TaylorMade Stand Bag

l Driver l TaylorMade '07 Burner 9.5* l 3-Wood l Titleist 910F 15* (D1 shaft setting)

l Hybrids l TaylorMade '07 Burner 19* : TaylorMade '10 Rescue 22*

l Irons l TaylorMade r7 5-PW l Wedges l Titleist Bob Vokey 52* 56* 60*

l Putter l Scotty Cameron California Del Mar 34" l Balls l TaylorMade Penta TP

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shortgrass lover Well Established Member

shortgrass lover

I love for people to watch me off the tee. I use it as positive energy, as a chance to "show-off", b/c I hit it farther than most kids my age

Callaway FT-9 Tour 9.5* with Prolaunch Blue S| Adams InSight XTD A3 15* FW | Adams IDEA a3 hybrid irons | Callaway 52* X-Tour Forged wedge | Titleist Bob Vokey SM56* | PING Day putter

Favorite Ball: Srixon Z Star X

Home Course: Majestic Pines GCage: 16

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Fraser Dedicated Member

Fraser

I used to. At my old club there was a car park a bad slice off the first tee...I just never wanted to hit it there! Playing with friends though it never really bothered me.

Now I'm only a little jittery if I'm playing with someone I don't know, or have a bit of an audience!

In the Matrix XTT Standbag:

Driver: Biggest Big Bertha 11*
Fairway Wood: Steelhead Plus 3 Wood
Irons: T-Zoid Titanium Insert irons 3-SWWedge: Vokey Spin Milled Oil Can 60.04Putter: Pro Platinum Laguna 34" w/ British Open '04 headcoverBall: ProV1 Rule35 Playing again after a three year hiatus...

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