Being nervous on the first tee is natural for the athlete who is passionate. Nerves mean your care. Controlling your feelings is essential. And enjoying the moment is a must. The best way to control your nerves is to realize that you are in charge of every golf shot that you play. Do not try to push away or overcome your feelings, embrace them. Trust yourself. Smile and always be excited for your event. Besides, you prepared yourself, right?
Here’s a great tip to help you control your state of mind. Before reporting to the first tee for your assigned starting time, conclude your driving range warm up with five drives. Put yourself, mentally, in the moment, by practicing your pre-shot routine, including visualization and your practice swing. Pretend you are hitting your first shot of the day. Then, do it again, methodically, mentally and physically, four more times. Smile. Take deep breaths. Focus on the target. Imagine it is your teetime. And most importantly, have fun. Be happy, feel confidence and trust your ability to prepare yourself.