when i play behind a slow group and have to wait to tee off for the next hole, then the group behind us comes in and watches us tee off... i ALWAYS ground it/shank it/etc... :mad:
i know its probably mental (ive been playing for about 2-3 months so im relatively not so confident..) but am i the only one?
Last edited by JimSomebody : August 3rd, 2004 at 02:14 PM.
It's inevitable that you'll occasionally be backed up on the tee and we've all experienced that "crowd pressure" when it's finally our turn to hit. The tendency is to rush your shot because you don't want the group waiting on the tee with you to be slowed any more than necessary. I find that if I slow way down as I walk to the tee markers, slowly tee the ball, then take a deep breath before I hit the shot, my results are much better. Think slow...not fast. You're probably going to be waiting to hit your second shot anyway, so why not concentrate on making a good swing, instead of rushing to stay ahead of the group eyeballin' you on the tee!
Besides, when you nail your shot down the middle, or hit the green on the par 3.....the eyeballin' group will be impressed and probably not push you so hard!
^^^^ Leaguegolf made a great point to start slow straight from the walk to the tee. I am definately going to try that.
The best cure I have found to these pre shot jitters, is to have fun, joke around, it is a game remember. The guys behind you have had the same feeling before, say hi, make yourself out to be the worst golfer in the world and then you can't possibly fail!
Once you hit it within 3 feet of the cup with everyone watching the jitters will instanly go away. Just keep the positive mental image next time you tee off in a crowd.
I have a theory about slow play. If you have players ahead of you that are really holding you up, wait until they are not quite out of your range yet, and tee off. DO NOT YELL "FORE"!!!!! If one of them gets hit, fine, then they get the message to speed up (or if you're lucky, you'll scare them right off the course :) ) and if they don't get hit, then you're in a bit of bad luck because one of them will probably notice and, in retaliation, pick up your ball.
^^^^
The above suggestion was entirely satirical and not meant for serious experimentation. DO NOT shoot golf balls at other players!!!
yeah i used to have the same jitters when golfers watch me tee off and i am new as well so my advice that works very well for me is to practice your preshot routine at the range or even in your living room and do the same thing every single time and then wehn you play do it again and fro me if i am concentrating on my tee shot and setting up to the ball in my way as i do always then you really shouldn't be thinking about them at all but rather you should be thinking about your shot and the line thjat you have chosen to hit it at....
hey it works for me and yesterday i had about 6 holes where other golfers were watching me tee off and i would say 4 or 5 were just amamzing and one that was not so good but you have to remmeber that most golfers hit bad shots so they do it too....
This is a VERY uncomfortable situation, we've all been there before. What helps me is to imagine that I'm a PERFORMER, a golfer who has the ability to hit a great shot, and perform in front of the little group. This seems to help with the confidence level, and walk up to that tee box EXPECTING to hit a great shot.
Of course - it doesn't always work out that way, but a lot of the times, it does, and it feels really good.
This is a VERY uncomfortable situation, we've all been there before. What helps me is to imagine that I'm a PERFORMER, a golfer who has the ability to hit a great shot, and perform in front of the little group. This seems to help with the confidence level, and walk up to that tee box EXPECTING to hit a great shot.
Of course - it doesn't always work out that way, but a lot of the times, it does, and it feels really good.
yeah great feeling when you step up there and hit it well and the guys behind you say "great shot"
Last week two young guys were up on the first tee ahead of my group. Three really old fellows had just teed off with drives sprayed in all directions and at various distances. Before the old guys were even out of range, the young guys teed it up, and I expected the worst.
What happened next was a surprise. The first young guy hit his ball so far right that he never came within a hundred yards of the old guys, and the second 20-something hit his ball maybe 10yards, and again, and again, and again--zigzagging and digging his way up the fairway. If it were my course, he would have been ejected for the damage he was doing and for not replacing his divots. By the time he got to the green, he must have hit 15 shots! I looked at my buddies and just shrugged. I thought that we were in for a very long, unpleasant day.
Surprisingly, after the fourth hole we never had to wait again to hit a shot, and we were playing well and moving right along. The old guys played quickly, and the young guys did too. We completed the round in under four hours, a shocking result based on the first tee expectations.
I too suffer from these nerves with people watching me. But all the advise above is good. I find that taking my time really helps me. As said above, you will probably have to wait for the second shot anyway!!
wow...thanks guys...i like what someone said about waiting for ur second shot anyways, since thats true.. ill try a lot of ur suggestions and start hitting the middle of the fairway and the greens... thatll shut up the group behind.. heheh
August 2nd, 2004, 08:58 PM
The tendency is to rush your shot because you don't want the group waiting on the tee with you to be slowed any more than necessary. I find that if I slow way down as I walk to the tee markers, slowly tee the ball, then take a deep breath before I hit the shot, my results are much better. Think slow...not fast. You're probably going to be waiting to hit your second shot anyway, so why not concentrate on making a good swing, instead of rushing to stay ahead of the group eyeballin' you on the tee! 
i hope she got the extended warranty!!!
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