Being ready to play on 1st tee

BoardsMember

Just read an interesting quote by Adam Scott, "It's something that at any time could help me, a guy with experience like Steve. We have talked about my mindset because I was playing well at the time of all the majors this year, then shooting myself in the foot in the first round. I was leaving myself too much work to get back in."Steve wanted me to go to the 1st tee today like it was the 72nd hole and I needed three to win, to switch myself on from the 1st hole. That was a good trigger he helped me with."


It begs the question, how do people on here prepare for single competitions on their home course? What do you do to make sure that, hitting your first drive, your first approach shot, your first scramble, that you are as sharp and focussed as you would be if it was matchplay and the final hole and you're at all square.


I know if I could achieve that, I'd shave a shot or two off most rounds. So, any thoughts? More into getting the state of mind ready, rather than warm up drills, but open to all approaches that achieved the desired results.

Benicetomonty

Bobby Jones said (of matchplay, granted) that more matches were lost out of carelessness over the first few holes than you could imagine. As much as anyone, I'm guilty of arriving to the course within 5 minutes of teeing off and having time only to roll a few putts. I do try to hit a few balls before playing however, even if it's only some pitches, just to get to grips with how you're actually feeling over the ball on that particular day. Hitting shots into a the net isn't a bad idea either; I once heard the practice being described as 'freeing the muscles but not the mind' which has an element of truth to it, but cracking a few drivers out of the middle of the club will mean you can focus on hitting a good shot from the get-go, instead of just being happy to make contact!

GreeBo

BoardsMember wrote: »

Just read an interesting quote by Adam Scott, "It's something that at any time could help me, a guy with experience like Steve. We have talked about my mindset because I was playing well at the time of all the majors this year, then shooting myself in the foot in the first round. I was leaving myself too much work to get back in."Steve wanted me to go to the 1st tee today like it was the 72nd hole and I needed three to win, to switch myself on from the 1st hole. That was a good trigger he helped me with."


It begs the question, how do people on here prepare for single competitions on their home course? What do you do to make sure that, hitting your first drive, your first approach shot, your first scramble, that you are as sharp and focussed as you would be if it was matchplay and the final hole and you're at all square.


I know if I could achieve that, I'd shave a shot or two off most rounds. So, any thoughts? More into getting the state of mind ready, rather than warm up drills, but open to all approaches that achieved the desired results.

I try to finish my warmup by using whatever club I'm going to use on my first tee.

slave1

I like that ad on TV where the various pros describe their hardest shot in golf and talk about the high draw, into the wind etc.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
Hardest shot in golf is your tee shot on the first, it's nightmare

charlieIRL

slave1 wrote: »

I like that ad on TV where the various pros describe their hardest shot in golf and talk about the high draw, into the wind etc.
NOT EVEN CLOSE
Hardest shot in golf is your tee shot on the first, it's nightmare

Especially if there is a crowd at the first tee box!

ssbob

slave1 wrote: »

Hardest shot in golf is your tee shot on the first, it's nightmare

Tee shot on the first with 5 or 6 watching ya...............

In all seriousness, I often f88k up the 1st hole which in my course should be a straight forward bogey at worst!

alxmorgan

I try to get there early to warm up but my thinking on first few holes is to play within myself to ease my way into my swing that day.
Ray Floyd talks a lot about it in the Element of Scoring and it makes sense to me.
Not point (me anyway) trying to force a bird on the first (even though it is a relatively easy hole on my course) and ending up taking a high number and putting myself in a bad frame of mind for the remainder of the round.
I have the 3rd on my course in my mind as when it's really time to play.
1 and 2 are just about not making mistakes and giving me time to feel my way in.
Can't make a good round in 2 holes but shure can ruin one

bustercherry

I decide how I want to play the hole, pick a spot on the fairway/green, visualise that shot only and hit it. I don't think about anything else, like getting a good start, points on the board, scoring, forcing shots, playing conservative etc....
When I used to do this, I almost certainly never hit the shot I set up for.

People watching doesn't bother me at all and far too many people let 1 bad shot ruin their round/enjoyment.

EDIT: Also some people spend far too much time warming up or hit far too many balls. Hit 20/25 balls and get a feel for alignment, balance and rhythm (I like to play a few different shot shapes too); some pitches/chips, again just to get a feel for alignment and rhythm; and putting should only be on getting a feel for your alignment and the speed of the greens. More and more I am seeing people with elaborate warm up routines which are more like practice drills; spending over an hour working on their swing. These people play muck as they end up having too much going on in their head on the first tee.

BoardsMember

Interestig posts. I was really interested in the focus or mental readyness, rather than warm up routines. I have started to score better in recent rounds and I'm definitely focussing better during the round. Sometimes takes a while to get into the zone focus wise, and our place the first 4 are easy and you need to be level if you want to score well. I suppose it's about hitting one shot at a time, but really focussing on the first shot, and take it from there. We dont really have scope for hiting anything more than chips close to first tee, and with kids not easy to grt there early for proper physical warm up

Thanks all.

PRAF

Would love to say I'm focussed on the next shot, or trying to visualise making a birdie on the 1st, but the reality is usually quite different.

My thoughts on the first are usually one of the following:
- Don't hit it into the water
- Don't hit it out of bounds
- Did I lock my car or not?

charlieIRL

I like to get to a course early and get a small bit of putting practice in - nothing worse than hitting the first green with no idea what the pace is like. Then again how often are the greens the same pace as the practice one?!!

Do a small bit of exercises to loosen up after that.

Only things going through my mind on the first tee "man I love playing golf no matter how bad I am at it!" or "This beats work anyday!"

FANTAPANTS

charlieIRL wrote: »

I like to get to a course early and get a small bit of putting practice in - nothing worse than hitting the first green with no idea what the pace is like. Then again how often are the greens the same pace as the practice one?!!

Do a small bit of exercises to loosen up after that.

Only things going through my mind on the first tee "man I love playing golf no matter how bad I am at it!" or "This beats work anyday!"

couldnt be more true

slave1

charlieIRL wrote: »

Only things going through my mind on the first tee "man I love playing golf no matter how bad I am at it!" or "This beats work anyday!"

Exactly, my one is bad day golf is better than good day in work

8under

I know some players try to prepare well for their game but I am amazed at how many players turn up with only minutes to spare, no warm_up , no ball striking, no putting practice before they tee off. Then they complain at how "unlucky" they were at the first few holes / game.

To be fair, I have arrved late in the past due to work commitments etc, genuine reasons but whenever possible I would always try and get to the club early to prepare with warm up swings and practice putting.

To me it seems that most amatuers don't pay enough attention to pre-game warm up routines and expect to play realy well every time. I don't think that's possible on a consistent basis.

Look at the pros - yes I know it's a different level, but they spend a good few hours preparing for each round. Most (but not all) amateur golfers just seem to turn up at the last minute and ..... well you know the rest. what do they expect ?

FixdePitchmark

I've never gone to a range before a game of golf in my life. A few putts and a stretch. The game is long enough as it is (for me).

I've got out of a car and hit great shots on first. crap ones too. I think some of the stuff here is OTT for mid to high handicap lads. practising a poor swing 20 mins before can't help.

Anyway - know it is not the said thing, but the carry on of some lads with their gear and warm up and 2 yds front left of pin and all the gear is a bit much for me.

Just get up and hit it - practice with a pro, at the range, on the course. Not into a net or range with 10 mins to go - to find the answer. Cramming for the leaving cert that is.

---

No, most likely I'm wrong. :eek::eek::eek::P

Borisss

Having a stretch and a few putts and swings is plenty. Get loose.

The biggest obstacle on the first for the majority is the audience not the ball.

Leading to a poor opener, a stressed second etc etc.

GreeBo

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I've never gone to a range before a game of golf in my life. A few putts and a stretch. The game is long enough as it is (for me).

I've got out of a car and hit great shots on first. crap ones too. I think some of the stuff here is OTT for mid to high handicap lads. practising a poor swing 20 mins before can't help.

Anyway - know it is not the said thing, but the carry on of some lads with their gear and warm up and 2 yds front left of pin and all the gear is a bit much for me.

Just get up and hit it - practice with a pro, at the range, on the course. Not into a net or range with 10 mins to go - to find the answer. Cramming for the leaving cert that is.

---

No, most likely I'm wrong. :eek::eek::eek::P

I don't see how warming up in the net can be considered "trying to find something" .
It warms your muscles up and helps with timing, can't see your issue with it tbh.

Mr. Larson

I'm very focussed and confident on the 1st tee. I take about 6 putts to get the pace, hole 2 or 3 3 footers and take 4 chips then it's off to the tee area. Few practice swings with driver, sometimes a few 6i into net then off I go.

My problem is maintaining the focus I have on 1st tee. No coincidence the 1st is my index 18, always score well on it. I lose my way as the round progresses somehow.

moycullen14

Mr. Larson wrote: »

I'm very focussed and confident on the 1st tee. I take about 6 putts to get the pace, hole 2 or 3 3 footers and take 4 chips then it's off to the tee area. Few practice swings with driver, sometimes a few 6i into net then off I go.

My problem is maintaining the focus I have on 1st tee. No coincidence the 1st is my index 18, always score well on it. I lose my way as the round progresses somehow.

+1000

Usually have a nice gentle swing on the first leading to an ok result. My problems start when I loosen out - then its all over the place like a mad woman's sh!?te

Don't get me started on practice greens that bear no relation to the course - grrrr

staker

moycullen14 wrote: »

+1000

Usually have a nice gentle swing on the first leading to an ok result. My problems start when I loosen out - then its all over the place like a mad woman's sh!?te

Don't get me started on practice greens that bear no relation to the course - grrrr

How true is that statement!

I'll take 3 wood and 7 iron to the net,hit 9 balls with each,down to the putting green,3 putts at 3 different pins from inside 6 foot, and onto the tee.
I find if I start over doing too much before a round I lose rhythm and compound bad stuff(in my head:p).

GreeBo

The speed of the practice green shouldnt really matter. All you are trying to do is get a feel for your stroke. If its faster or slower than the main greens, once you have a consistent stroke you will adjust as you go and putt better an better the more you go on. How many of us putt better at the end of a round compared to the start?
I know I dont always, due to an inconsistent stroke.

soundsham

Have to disagree
why is that if your first putt is 30 to 40 feet you should have to guess the most important part of putting.

michael1930

In my opinion the best way to prepare for a round of golf is to sit on a bench at the first tee for 10 mins before your start time, avoiding all thoughts of your worldly problems and all thoughts of the details of how you will play. Just chat to the people who pass.

Don't try to do anything.

This process will tune you in to a 'golfing' frame of mind.

TheDoc

1) Sign in, quick chat with pro/assisstant pro
2) 5-10 putts on the putting green. Not focusing on holes or speed or anything, just on my stroke. I find most practice greens completely different to the courses pace and growth
3) Some light wedge work. Bout 10 minutes with my gap wedge and then few shots with wedge over bunker. Keep with wedge until I've hit three good shots of each in a row.
4) Stretching out
5) Over to the nets and hit a few 8 irons
6) Stretching out some more
7) Hit some 6 irons until I feel comfy I'd hit 3 solid strikes in a row.
8) Clean clubs I've used quickly, get ball ready, tees and stuff in my pockets, glove out

Head up to the tee, take a seat, light a smoke and watch the group before me tee off.

I try to get out 30-40 minutes before tee off. Thats my normal routine, there only a few actual things there I do for a specific reason, the rest just habit.

Have to say, rarely **** up my first shot of the day, rarely. Can regularly **** up my second shot, although at the same time, its normally wedge over water into cross winds most of the time, who wouldn't