This article was machine-translated from the Korean original. Read the Korean original
My heart races when I stand on the first hole tee box. My playing partners are watching from behind,
The group ahead is still on the fairway, and the caddie is waiting with the clubs in hand.
My head tells me to "take it slow," but my body is already in a rush.
And usually, that first shot determines the day.
It is natural to be nervous. Even professionals get nervous. It is just that professionals know how to handle it.
01Why does trembling ruin a shot?
When you are nervous, three things happen in your body at the same time.
| What happens in the body | Effect on the shot |
|---|---|
| Breathing becomes shallow and rapid | upper body tense, shoulders stiff |
| My heart is beating fast | The swing rhythm is faster than usual |
| Narrowing of field of vision | I end up staring only at the ball instead of the goal. |
The key is rhythm. The problem isn't the tension itself, but the fact that tension makes the swing faster.
Since you're doing a swing in 2 seconds when you usually do it in 3, there's no way you'll hit it.
0230 seconds on the tee box, try this
- I take a long breath.Exhaling comes before inhaling. Inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 6 seconds, twice.
- Take a look at the goal.Look at where the ball will land, not the ball. Your field of vision widens.
- Practice swings are just onceDoing it multiple times actually makes you overthink. Just do it once, at your usual rhythm.
03The reason why the exhale comes first
When we are nervous, we instinctively inhale. However, inhaling wakes the body up even more.
Conversely, a long exhale calms the body.
Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds. Twice is enough. 20 seconds on the tee box.
This method works for many people. Try it first.
If your hands are still trembling, you can look at the following.
04Try gripping it again.
When you get nervous, you grip the club tightly. If you tense up your hands, your forearms stiffen, and if your forearms stiffen, your shoulders stiffen.
Try putting the club down and picking it up again. Just doing that will drain your strength.
People say that the strength of a mouse is "enough to squeeze toothpaste but not enough to get the contents out."
05The first hole is a hole where you let go of your greed.
The desire to play well on the first hole is the biggest enemy.
- You don't have to stick to a driver. You can start by landing the ball on the fairway with a wood or utility club.
- You can sacrifice distance. A bogey on the first hole is fine. The out-of-bounds is the problem.
- You don't need to be conscious of your playing partners. Everyone is busy thinking about their own shots.
If you get through the first hole safely, your body will loosen up starting from the second hole.
The goal of the first hole is not a good score, but to get through it safely.
06If it's already ruined
Let's say your first shot went out of bounds. Most people do this in that situation.
"I have to make up for it" → Hit the second shot hard → Miss again → The whole day falls apart
Don't try to make up for it. You've already lost the hit, and it can't be recovered.
The remaining 17 holes are much longer.
- Forget the numbersPlease don't count the strokes right now. You can count them after the round is over.
- I'll just look at the next shot.It's not about making up for it, but about where to place this shot right now.
- Grab a safe club.When it shakes, it's the direction, not the distance.
07To summarize
Don't try to get rid of the trembling. It won't go away.
Instead, as long as you maintain the rhythm, the shot will go out even if you are nervous.
Exhale deeply, look at your target, and take a practice swing.
These 30 seconds change your day.
However, if your hands tremble particularly on the first hole, it might be because your body hasn't warmed up yet.
It helps to try doing the 10 minutes before your round covered in [[LINK:L01]].
In the next part, I will cover how to avoid hitting behind the ball on uphill and downhill slopes.
