Week 13: Focus on the first tee

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The anxiety that comes with your first tee shot is a product of your thoughts.

Your initial drive usually brings an audience ... and anxiety. Follow these tips to master your mental approach at the 1st hole tee box.

The first shot is always the hardest. It is finally your turn, and you are anxious to get the round off to a great start. As other golfers are waiting to play, you are providing their entertainment for the time being. But the anxiety that comes with your first tee shot is a product of your thoughts, not the thoughts of others. Here is a simple routine that will ease the stress of trying to make a perfect drive on the first hole.

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Practice first

If you have a 6 a.m. tee time, it may seem impossible to get to the course even earlier to hit a few practice balls. It will, however, make a world of difference when you are hitting the first shot of the round. Even a professional golfer does not walk to the first tee of a tournament without hitting some practice shots first. If you choose not to practice first, all the anxieties that come with your first swing are magnified. Is my ball placement right? Am I using a proper grip? Is my swing fluid? The place to ask those questions is on the practice tee, not the first tee.

Don't watch them watching you

You may feel like the entire world is judging your first shot. But chances are, most people are not even thinking about you. They are thinking about their own swing. Make an effort not to watch any of the other golfers teeing off. When it is your turn, you will feel as though people are behaving the same way. Remember, this is just one of the many shots you will take today. Most of the time, you will feel like no one is watching. This should not be any different.

Take your time

You have been patiently waiting your turn. It is natural to feel as though you want to get that first shot up in the air right away to show empathy for your fellow golfers. But why should you be penalized when every one else is taking their time? Take your practice swings, and then take a relaxed stroke at the ball. Think about it. The designers of the first tee have set you up for success, not failure. It is usually a straightforward hole, without difficult doglegs or hazards. You can usually pick a smaller club if you do not want to use your driver. You can tee the ball up to give yourself a perfect lie. Think positively and you are more likely to achieve a positive result.

Develop a relaxing routine

Watch any great free throw shooter in basketball and you will begin to see common approaches. They take the ball, dribble it the same number of times, set their grip, take a deep breath, and then shoot. Whatever their actual routine is does not really matter. It provides the shooter with a comfort through repetition. The same will be true of your golf shot. Develop a routine that helps you relax teeing the ball, gripping your club, taking a deep breath. If you do it consistently, you will find a rhythm to your swing.

Have a plan

The odds of you hitting the ball from your driver to the hole in one shot are astronomical. Make your odds a sure thing. Pick a reachable target on the fairway, one that requires a nice easy stroke. Make sure it is in a place that will leave you in a good spot for your next shot. The person who drives the longest does not always have the best score. That honor is usually reserved for the person who plays smartest. Let the other players drive for distance. Chances are, if you take a relaxed approach, the longest drive will be yours.

If you are focusing on your knee pain instead of the first tee, you might be suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. If you are living with OA, various treatments do exist, such as ORTHOVISC®, which provides up to six months of knee pain relief. Made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joints, ORTHOVISC® is injected into the knee joint where it acts to replace you natural joint fluid, to help cushion, protect and lubricate your knee. ORTHOVISC® is a proud sponsor of PGATOUR.com. Talk to your doctor to see if ORTHOVISC® is right for you.

Or visit our Web site at www.orthovisc.com for more information on how to maintain your knee health to help you keep playing the game you love.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ORTHOVISC® is for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy. ORTHOVISC® is not for use in people with known allergy to hyaluronate preparations, to gram bacterial proteins, with infections or skin diseases in the area of the injection site or joint. Common side effects include joint pain, back pain, headaches and pain or redness at the injection site.

This is a paid placement by DePuy Mitek, Inc. The opinions expressed above are those of DePuy Mitek, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the PGA TOUR.