Instruction
5 ways to overcome your nerves on the first tee
I have a recurring dream (seriously!) that I’m playing in some Tour event and my name is announced on the first tee. I wave, the crowd is on both sides of me, and I step up confidently, but I cannot get the ball to stay on the tee. Every time I try to tee it up the golf ball just falls off. Right hand… falls. Left hand…. falls. Both hands? Falls. Of course, I don’t know I’m dreaming, but I’m mortified. Well, thank goodness it is only a dream and it never became a reality. But I often think of this whenever I see some younger player or journeyman playing in a big event paired with a big name. I don’t know how they do it!
So imagine you’re magically transformed to the first tee on Sunday at Augusta National in your first Masters showing; you’re paired with your co-leaders Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. They both step up and rip it down the middle, 300+ yards, and the 20-deep crowd is roaring loudly. Now, it’s your turn… how would you handle it?
One of my close friends, Casey Wittenberg, has played Tour golf for the last 10+ years. You may remember him because of a top-12 finish at Augusta as an Amateur out of Oklahoma State, or maybe as the Leading Money Winner and Player of the Year in 2012 on Web.com Tour, or maybe you remember him as the guy paired with Tiger at the Olympic Club on Sunday at the 2012 U.S. Open.
Obviously, I watched intently during the Sunday final round, Tiger and my friend Wittenberg in a twosome; remember, this was Tiger in his heyday. Casey has the honors on the first tee and he steps up and rips one down the middle like he’s done a million times before. I think I was more nervous than he was. I couldn’t wait to ask him what he was thinking and how he put everything out of his mind to hit such a wonderful shot.
So in this article I want to share with you the things that he told me and how he coped with one of the biggest rounds of his life, with the biggest star of our generation, and under the intense pressure of the U.S. Open final round on TV for millions to see. Hopefully these thoughts help you with your first tee nerves; whether it’s playing in a tournament, or a golf league with your buddies, or with just the starter watching.
1) Slow Down
You must resist the urge to move too fast and let the adrenaline take over, which throws you out of your rhythm. Take a few practice swings focusing just on tempo. It may also help to get a song in your head that relaxes you. Your brain may be going a million miles an hour, but take a few deep breathes and slow down your thoughts and movements. It’s easy to let your swing get too quick on the first tee given the extra adrenaline and wanting to “get it over with,” so slowing down will help you hit a more relaxed tee shot that has a better chance of finding the fairway.
2) Put things into perspective
I know this is difficult to understand at the time, but a first tee shot counts just the same as any other shot throughout the round. Over the course of 18 holes, chances are that the first tee shot will have very little effect on your score or finish in the event. Whether you hit it in the rough, fairway, bunker or trees, you can still make par. And if you hit the ball out of bounds, well, you get an extra drive to warmup and get settled into your swing for the day and you can always make up the strokes throughout the round. One drive does NOT a round make.
Plus, if you duck hook it or slice it off the planet, now you know to make an adjustment for the day!
Perspective comes through experience and experience comes through mistakes and learning from them; I’ve learned that the less I worry about that first tee shot, the better drive I hit, and the more pressure I place on myself, the worse drive I hit. So why make that one shot such a big deal? Give yourself a break, it’s just one stroke.
3) Focus on your routine
All you can control is yourself and the ability for you to put yourself into a position mentally and physically where you have the possibility to hit a good shot. And the first thing you must do is focus on the things you can control, such as your routine… you know, the way you approach every single shot. It should be the same one you always do, take the same amount of time once you begin it, and have all the right pieces in place before you pull the trigger. If you re-arrange it or add another waggle or two, you will throw yourself off and diminish your ability to do what you know you can do.
Focus on what you can control and not the outcome.
4) Take a timeout if you need it
Yes, you must stay in your routine, but if you find yourself panicking or letting the demons take over, then back off and start again. Take a few deep breaths, or whatever you need to do to relax as best you can, then get back into your routine. As stated earlier, you have a high probability of moving too fast whenever you get nervous so “slowing down” might make you go back into your normal routine.
5) The first tee is all style points
No one remembers where you hit the ball on hole No. 1 when the tournament is over, they only remember the winner. No one cares about the guy who hit the pop up, or the 314-yard drive on the first tee. The first tee only gives you style points, not your final score. Hitting the fairway is nice, but it’s not a death sentence if you don’t. So relax… as best you can!
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Nigel Kent
Jun 4, 2018 at 9:13 am
I was by the left-hand rope where most 1st-tee drives finished in round 1 of the 2003 Open at Royal St Georges .Wet ,windy, a fairway 18 yards wide at that point,shaped like a hog’s back . Tom Watson hit his 2nd from about 8ft away , made par .Then up steps Tiger, hits a 2-iron into the wispy 12″ rough on the right. Ball-spotters, marshalls,30 or 40 people at the ropes, NOBODY saw it !While they’re searching Tiger & caddy wander as slowly as they can from the tee (5-minute search time doesn’t begin til they get there.) In the end it’s a lost ball , buggy-ride back , 3 off the tee , Tiger takes 7 (triple bogey).
In the interview after his round Tiger just brushes it off with something like “If you told me I’d be 3-over for the round, I’d take it . It’s just that those 3 went on the 1st hole “
CW
May 14, 2018 at 6:07 pm
I HAVE THE SAME DREAM!!! Not on a tour event specifically but certainly on a nice golf course with people I care about watching…
Cam
May 10, 2018 at 10:36 am
I find picking a target in the sky above the fairway – like a cloud – is a lot easier objective to go for – just do a pre-swing towards it and it puts me in the right positions to get off the mark.
ogo
May 9, 2018 at 11:27 pm
Take a good swig of bourbon whiskey and all your nerves will calm down… and many pros do just this …. believe it 😮
scotty
May 10, 2018 at 10:22 am
Aye…. a wee dram of Scotch whiskey will wash away all yer fears on the first tee … guaranteed.
Joey5Picks
May 9, 2018 at 3:54 pm
“… and you can always make up the strokes throughout the round.”
No, you can’t “make up” strokes. If you hit the first tee shot OB, then birdie the next 17 holes you didn’t “make up” for that tee shot. Your score is 2 strokes higher than it would have been, period.
Elliot mcdongle
May 9, 2018 at 7:30 pm
I think we all understand the “literal” sense of that. But if you parred 17 holes and doubled one, would you rather post the double bogey on hole 1 or hole 18? Probably 1
OG Golfer
May 9, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Threesomes are a rare sighting on Sunday at Augusta… but I’ll try to imagine.
Al Czervik
May 9, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Let me suggest #6: pregame heavily.
TheCityGame
May 9, 2018 at 1:01 pm
You hadn’t come out of your dream when Tiger hit one 300 down the middle on 1 at Augusta.
He’s the left trees like 10 times out of 10.
Ron
May 9, 2018 at 11:59 am
I’ve found the first tee to always one of my better shots of the day because you can slow down your mind and body and let the adrenaline do the extra work. Focus on a smooth swing with good tempo and you’re golden.
James T
May 9, 2018 at 2:20 pm
Great point! This was also Jack Nicklaus’s advice… let the adrenaline supply the power, just make a smooth swing.
For me, I like to yak it up and make jokes with my foursome to take my mind off the drive. I’ll be talkin’ right up to the final waggle. Almost always works.
Xav
May 9, 2018 at 11:06 am
I would say playing a higher lofted club such as a hybrid, fairway wood or long iron off the first tee to have a higher probability of putting it into play. I found if I swing a hybrid off the first tee and remind myself to swing easy I usually get my round off to a good start. It may not be a high towering long drive but I get the mojo for the round flowing as opposed to making a higher risk, aggressive shot with driver. And inevitably shanking it. I would also add that one should also ignore what others are doing around you in terms of pulling driver. Stick to your strategy and strengths.
TheCityGame
May 9, 2018 at 1:04 pm
Have you ever teed off in a stroke play tournament on a 450 yard par 4 first hole and just watched the first 7 guys in your flight pound driver down the middle?
And you’re going to punch a 4 iron out there 200 yards?
The whole point of this article is to get away from having to do what you suggested.
Xav
May 9, 2018 at 4:21 pm
First Tee Jitters are first tee jitters regardless of the club you have in hand. You think Tiger wishes he could have some re-does with a more consistent club in his hand. No one wants to go OB and lose 2 strokes at the starting gun. I don’t care what the 7 guys in my flight have done an how well they striped it. It’s my match, my strategy and my end result that count.
3PuttPar
May 11, 2018 at 10:24 am
Amen to that brotha! At the end of the day you’re playing the course (excluding match play). My strategy, go to a reliable shot/club that you know will take one side of the first hole out of play.
I fade the ball with my woods and hit my long irons straight with maybe a baby cut. If I know I have room down the right, I’ll hit driver, 3 or 5 wood knowing that I’m 99.99% of the time not going left. If there’s trouble right, I don’t care if its a 600 yard par 5…I’m hitting 4 iron and keeping one in play.
Get one out there that is playable. In this game, you’re only as good as your misses. Don’t let nerves on the first tee bully you into playing a shot that feels like a gamble.