First Tee Jitters

Preparing to launch this new site, I have been aware of a certain anxiousness about posting for the first time. Being a newcomer to the blogosphere, I am feeling awkward about standing up here, in front of the world, club, I mean keyboard, in hand.

How perfect! My first topic was going to be "first tee jitters"! As a mental game coach, I am often listening to stories describing intense and unnerving fear taking hold of players as they start their rounds, especially when the 1st tee gallery is larger than usual. For many of us, standing on the tee box waiting to start our rounds can be a wild mixture of thoughts and feelings such as; "can I hit the ball as far as the first two long-ball smackers?," "will I wiff it into the water on the right?," "who are those people watching over there?" Or, "I'm not warmed up enough!" "Remember the last time and my quadruple bogey?" Learning to deal with these distractions can be a valuable skill for any player, recreational to competitive.

Here are three commonly used techniques for calming the First Tee Jitters:

* Become Aware - Utilize your ability to sense, listen and notice any of the signs of distractions. Become aware of the noises before they interfere with your swing. Much of what fills your mind is automatic and habitual. Becoming aware allows you to be present, interrupting the process of your habits and giving you a new chance to focus on what really matters, your target.

* Breathe - Easy, deep, "soft-tummy" breathing helps to focus your mind and body, establishing a clear, calm and energized readiness. This will also help you to concentrate on the target. Concentrating on your breathing replaces the automatic and unthinking habits of your unconscious mind, giving you the control over your actions.

* Pre- shot Routines - Yes, of course, one more time! I am sure that you have heard this already a thousand times, but the value of a simple pre-shot routine cannot be over-emphasized. It is a sequence of mental, visual and physical reminders which all act to trigger a well practiced familiarity with the shot you are about to make. When you step into this sequence, you can make a clean break with the distractions, whatever they are, and enter into a zone - a performance zone. In this "zone", you are free to concentrate and more enabled to execute your task.

It's easy! Start the next time you play a round. Remember these three elements, use them on the first tee and then employ them with every shot you make throughout the day.

Don't expect miracles to happen, right off. Be patient, practice and be open to learning what will work for you. The whole idea is to find ways to help you clearly focus on your targets.

Let me know how it goes for you as you begin to eliminate the First Tee Jitters!