The 1st Hole Accuracy Challenge

first-hole-accuracy

Recently we talked about the mental game of golf, and one situation that can wreak havoc on your accuracy for mental reasons is teeing off on the 1st hole of any course. In many rounds I’ve played with people I’ve never met before, in foursomes assembled by the golf course, the pressure of wanting to make a good first impression and hit a solid, accurate tee shot on the first hole is a killer.

While it’s never easy to overcome this pressure and hit it well off the first tee, there are a few things you can do to make it easier. One approach is to use a 3 wood or an iron instead of a driver. This increases the margin of error and gets you in the fairway. It takes some of the pressure off and lead to a more reliable shot.

Take a few relaxed practice swings at half speed feeling the right motions. Doing so will make sure you’ve cleared your head on this clutch 1st tee shot. Also, a bit of brain exercises never hurt. You can do this by visualizing a good shot. Pretend you’ve already made the shot and feel the relief and pride that follows a good shot. Check out our earlier post for more tips, which can really come in handy on the proving grounds of the 1st tee.

image: Panoramio, user Edgy01