NEXT ON THE TEE: TERROR

ACCEPT YOUR FIRST-TEE JITTERS, BUT DON’T SUCCUMB TO THEM

- JOEL BEALL

Every few years a new study is published stating that public speaking is the biggest fear in the United States. This leads us to believe there can’t be many American golfers in those studies’ survey groups. It’s not addressing a crowd most players fear—it’s addressing a ball on the first tee.

Your friends might be dismissive of your affliction and say it’s all in your head, but that’s the point, isn’t it? You look forward all week to playing, only to find yourself overwhelmed mentally right before the opening tee shot. Is there something you can do about it? Absolutely, says performance coach Greg Cartin, who counsels athletes in the Boston area. The first step in tackling first-tee jitters is understanding how they manifest.

“A lot of it is excitement,” Cartin says. “Your body has a natural reaction to this emotion, and rarely is that reaction to embrace the moment.”