First Tee Do’s and Don’ts: Don’t Ruin Your Round Before It Starts

If you’re not stepping up to the first tee with high hopes, are you even a golfer? We all dream of that perfect opening drive right down the center. The first tee shot hits differently and you only get one chance at it. Use these tips to make your first swing count and set yourself up for 17 more holes of fun, not frustration.

✅ DO have a “go-to” club (Even if it’s not driver)

If your driver is your best club in your bag, that’s great. However, if it’s one of the worst, don’t feel forced to use it on the first tee. Sometimes, a reliable driving iron, hybrid or 3-wood will do the trick.

Off the first tee, get yourself in the fairway.

✅ DO burn off tension with a couple of over-speed practice swings

From the time you finish on the range to the time you get to the first tee, it could be 10 to 15 minutes. Tension starts to creep up on you and you start thinking about the water hazard down the right side, etc.

Before you hit, stand behind the ball and make a couple of hard practice swings, much harder than you normally would. Use this to release some pent-up energy and get the tension to dissipate from your arms.

✅ DO aim small, miss small

Pick a specific aiming point. The fairway is too vague to choose as the spot you are aiming at. Pick a tree in the distance, a patch of grass or a slope in the fairway you want to hit specifically. If you don’t aim at anything in particular, how can you even know if your shot was good or bad?

✅ DO close out your range session with a tee shot

Most golfers warm up with some wedges, hit through the bag and then maybe even cool down with a few wedges before heading to the first tee. Instead, make your last few range swings with the exact club you plan to hit on the first hole.

❌ DON’T get too conservative (Steering kills distance and accuracy)

Getting in the fairway and getting too conservative are two different things. Pick a club that you can still be aggressive with. Many golfers think that “safe” means taking a slower swing or guiding the ball.

In reality, you should commit to a club (maybe a more controlled one) but still swing freely and avoid steering.

❌ DON’T skip or change your pre-shot routine

You should have a pre-shot routine which should be the same on the first tee as on the 18th. If you rush or slow down your routine, you send mixed signals that make it difficult to hit a great first shot. Consistency in the pre-shot routine is what makes it so effective.

❌ DON’T forget to visualize the shot you want

When nerves creep up on the first tee, it’s easy to think about all the negative things that can happen. You’ll see the topped shot, the roller, the hook, the slice—you get the idea.

Keep those thoughts out of your head and visualize the shot you want to hit.

Putting it all together

If the first tee is still your nemesis, use these tips to help get yourself safely to the second tee without a mess on the scorecard.

• Choose a go-to shot (or club) you trust.
• Make a couple of hard practice swings to release tension.
• Follow your normal pre-shot routine exactly, with a small, specific target in mind.
• Swing with confidence, not half-speed.
• Finish your warm-up with the first-hole club so your mind/body are synced.