First time being announced on tee

[Pooh_Bear]

They do it in all the state tourneys I play in. I'm usually so hopped up on bloody mary's and xanax that I don't really hear it. Or care.

[BB28403]

It gets easier and easier. Play well

 

Especially when the announcer hates you because of some past incident with his hot daughter and so he says your name wrong on purpose. You can’t let stuff like that get in your head. It’s just you and the target

[Hehateme]

One of the few times I have ever said to myself "o lord let me hit the ball" lol

[RSinSG]

One time in a Senior Tour Celebrity Pro-Am. It was 3 days and two amateurs played with a different celebrity or pro each round. First day, first tee I'm paired with Duke Snyder - yes The Duke Snyder. We're all playing from the same tees so we're all in front of a fairly large gallery. I'm nervous to begin with and then after Duke cracks a huge drive they announce my name. This was in the 80's and my miss at the time was to the right. First hole was water on the left so I'm a little relieved, but when I address the ball I notice my hands are shaking like I have Parkinson's. Take a mighty swing and snap hook it into the lake. Terrible feeling.

 

Second day I played with Bert Yancy a senior PGA pro and very unfriendly guy. Third day it was Gale Sayers. He was just learning the game and was a terrible golfer but fun to hang around with.

 

I'm sure it gets easier with time but it was way out of my comfort zone. Its hard to imagine how the pros deal with all the pressure of playing inside the ropes week after week for such high stakes.

[Birdie Mac]

I was in the gallery at a Champions tournament a dozen years ago, and Bernhard Langer approached the tee on the first hole. The announcer calls out, "On the first tee, Long Hard Banger!", and immediately turned beet red, fumbles out an apology and re-does the announcement. Bernhard was staring a hole through the poor guy. No doubt he had been fooling around with some friends and said exactly what he didn't want to. Funny for everyone but the two of them.

[malamig]

Man, that a feeling I havent had in a very long time.

[Pooh_Bear]

One time in a Senior Tour Celebrity Pro-Am. It was 3 days and two amateurs played with a different celebrity or pro each round. First day, first tee I'm paired with Duke Snyder - yes The Duke Snyder. We're all playing from the same tees so we're all in front of a fairly large gallery. I'm nervous to begin with and then after Duke cracks a huge drive they announce my name. This was in the 80's and my miss at the time was to the right. First hole was water on the left so I'm a little relieved, but when I address the ball I notice my hands are shaking like I have Parkinson's. Take a mighty swing and snap hook it into the lake. Terrible feeling.

 

Second day I played with Bert Yancy a senior PGA pro and very unfriendly guy. Third day it was Gale Sayers. He was just learning the game and was a terrible golfer but fun to hang around with.

 

I'm sure it gets easier with time but it was way out of my comfort zone. Its hard to imagine how the pros deal with all the pressure of playing inside the ropes week after week for such high stakes.

 

Yeah your story's next level. I never really have a gallery when they announce me in tourneys. If there are a bunch of people around I can see how bad things start happening. Like twenty years ago I was in a three way playoff for the city championship. There were a bunch of people watching. I drove the green so had an eagle putt. One guy made a routine par and the other had an eight footer for birdie. I hit a lol putt that missed by six feet. The guy missed and here I had this six footer for the win. I stood over the ball and my legs literally started shaking to the point I was concentrating more on not falling down than I was on making the putt. This is coming from a guy that had won multiple club championships, made US Junior, the final in State Junior etc. I was thinking to myself I don't like this at all. That putt still haunts me to this day and it was twenty years ago and I actually made the putt and the feeling of discomfort still bothers me lol. I actually gave up competitive golf for 15 years shortly after. It was bizarre.

[SurfDuffer]

The first time for me was playing in the Shoprite LPGA Pro-Am. The first tee has bleachers all down one side and there were about 100 people watching. I'd never done anything like that before. Holy crap was my heart pounding. The first hole on that course is just a fairway wood off the tee for me and I remember looking down at the clubhead and thinking "Just don't wiff". Thankfully I hit a good shot.

[Zigzog]

I don't like it at all, don't really see the need for it as generally nobody cares who I am!

 

Played a good few years ago in the British Amateur, I have a very Scottish name and he made a complete mess of it: I actually laughed out loud at the time and I think it made me relax a bit :)

[golf_bhoy]

Two instances come to mind on this topic, from both ends of the spectrum results-wise:

 

First was the only time name was announced, was a men's open in a smaller town. Was pretty nervous as I've only played in a handful of tournaments. Proceeded to cold top a hybrid and make a smooth 10 on a relatively straight forward par4 opening hole (with no penalty strokes! solid.) Settled down after that playing the next 7 holes in even par, but never recovered from the poor start.

 

Second instance, name was not announced but it was probably the most nervous I've been on the first tee. Was teeing off at Carnoustie a month or so after the Open in 2007. Had caddies (only time I've ever taken a caddie) and a small crowd mulling about, as the first tee in pretty close to the clubhouse. No range so first swing was for keeps ....Just ripped and hoped on a driver... made solid contact but had no idea where it went, the swing and follow-through were a complete blur.

 

Ends up piped down the right side of the fairway about 70-80 yds from the green. Caddy just takes my club and say "Looks like you've played before." That was a sweet feeling.

[ChipNRun]

First time actually was four years ago when I started playing in the local Senior Amateur circuit.

 

Rather than being nervous, I felt pumped! The hole was a 520-yd. par 5 with tee shot over a lake. I lined up the shot quickly, launched five seconds later. I cleared the lake with ease and ended up in the first cut, left.

 

I was the only one in my group who found his ball without a search in the deep trees. Rest of round was hot and cold (mostly cold)... but that first drive was sweet!

[Schley]

Me and my buddies used to announce each other's name before teeing off sometimes and did it at Torrey Pines which was the first time. I was so embarrassed I topped my drive about 10 yards and re teed only to toe a 50 yard worm burner right. Thanks Dave!

[augustgolf]

I don't like it at all, don't really see the need for it as generally nobody cares who I am!

 

Played a good few years ago in the British Amateur, I have a very Scottish name and he made a complete mess of it: I actually laughed out loud at the time and I think it made me relax a bit :)

 

I know the feeling.

 

My name is Polish, without all the X, Y, and Z's - but still difficult to pronounce correctly, unless you have had it spoken to you.

 

Playing HS basketball, I would be on the foul line, when the announcer would say: "shooting for (....), #14, aldkjgoiuojasajdoi oalkgfjoifoa

 

Once, I was laughing so hard, I had to give the ball back to the ref, while I tried to regain my composure.

[ckay]

First tee on Bethpage Black is a similar feeling.

[2putttom]

Was announced on the tee at the Country Club of Hilton Head about 20 years ago. No tournament - I was playing with a member of the board, though. They did it for everyone, apparently. I heard my name and thought WTH - did a park in a HC spot?

that's because the other players wanted to know the name of the man that would be buying the drinks later. ..... " put this on Ferguson's bill "