Starting Fast

[hangontight]

Strategies or ways you have got your junior to start strong?  Too often my son seems "asleep" for the first 3-4 holes.  I dont think its nerves, he is pretty level and steady.  Its weird, you can see it in his body language, focus, and energy.   How about headphones / music before round ? (hype music, calm music, whatever) before round.  He does this for football, soccer, and basketball and usually comes out hot, it just never really seemed fitting for golf to me.  Heard a podcast yesterday with Stewart Hagestad - said he never listens to rap music except right before match play rounds....hmmm.  Anyone else overcome or improved on starting slow?  

 

 

[heavy_hitter]

Dr. Rob Bell says to never listen to music while playing or warming up.

 

I call it the unpuckered factor.  Thinking about doing tshirts with slogans.  Have a couple of bad holes and their word not allowed becomes unpuckered.  My kid tends to pucker up and tense up.  Squeezes those cheeks real tight.  Once he loosens it up he is fine.  Interesting enough, when he plays with kids he knows he is fine.  If he gets into conversations with new players he didn't previously know, he is fine.  If he doesn't talk all round it is a miserable day.

[hangontight]

1 hour ago, heavy_hitter said:

Dr. Rob Bell says to never listen to music while playing or warming up.

 

I call it the unpuckered factor.  Thinking about doing tshirts with slogans.  Have a couple of bad holes and their word not allowed becomes unpuckered.  My kid tends to pucker up and tense up.  Squeezes those cheeks real tight.  Once he loosens it up he is fine.  Interesting enough, when he plays with kids he knows he is fine.  If he gets into conversations with new players he didn't previously know, he is fine.  If he doesn't talk all round it is a miserable day.

@heavy_hitter I have heard the same from Bell.  But it has to be an individual thing.  Obviously it works for Hagestad.  It works for my son with other sports so I am going to try it.    Unpuckered is right on the money.  But my son does it even in casual rounds with me or with friends he knows.  I dont think its a comfort or nerve thing.    Just needs a kick in the  to get going it seems.    At the end of the day thats it, just getting your mind comfortable and fired up (or calmed down, whatever works) to lock in.    I also had the idea to frame up a goal to have at least 1 birdie in first 3 holes.  When he does get an early birdie it always kickstarts him and he is fine , so starting out aggressive may be worth the risk of an early bogey.  

[tiger1873]

So many causes here you will  probaly get a ton responses on all the reason in this Thread!!!!

 

You mentioned tired when on the tee? Is he nervous and just doesn't show it on the outside??? I say this because a lot kids have that issue and in some cases they can't sleep the night before.

Edited August 24, 2020 by tiger1873

[heavy_hitter]

3 minutes ago, hangontight said:

@heavy_hitter I have heard the same from Bell.  But it has to be an individual thing.  Obviously it works for Hagestad.  It works for my son with other sports so I am going to try it.    Unpuckered is right on the money.  But my son does it even in casual rounds with me or with friends he knows.  I dont think its a comfort or nerve thing.    Just needs a kick in the  to get going it seems.    At the end of the day thats it, just getting your mind comfortable and fired up (or calmed down, whatever works) to lock in.    I also had the idea to frame up a goal to have at least 1 birdie in first 3 holes.  When he does get an early birdie it always kickstarts him and he is fine , so starting out aggressive may be worth the risk of an early bogey.  

 

Getting an early birdie in theory sounds great, but to me it gives added pressure to get it.  Then if you don't what happens from a psychological standpoint?  I know at home mine will make it happen within the first three holes because the Par 5 is a gimmee for him.  Tournament time on an unfamiliar course makes it harder.

[GunGun]

When you say he seems asleep, do you mean he is hitting bad shots or just not playing attacking golf ? What is his handicap and what is his avg score ? 
 

[leezer99]

Lexi was having some issues with feeling anxious on the first tee and getting off to a good start.  The GOAT gave her some pretty good advice.

 

 

[heavy_hitter]

7 minutes ago, GunGun said:

When you say he seems asleep, do you mean he is hitting bad shots or just not playing attacking golf ? What is his handicap and what is his avg score ? 
 

 

Very few juniors keep handicaps because they simply don't matter.  The only time it means something for a junior is when they are trying to get into an USGA event.

[GunGun]

Regardless of skill level I think we more talking about the mindset right ? You start playing and you want to enter the zone and many players don't enter the zone until after few holes. There are many ways to start hot and ready and it is often different per individual. Pre tournament routine is important and can involve music and more to set the mood. Many players have a rule that the last shot on the range must be good and so on.

I personally always end my warm up routine with some easy putts, just watching the ball go in the hole for few times. I always play the first three holes on the saver side of things, I want to putt for birdie but I'm not attacking some hardcore pin placements to do so. If I aim to hit the three first greens and get three easy pars I'm more likely to get a birdie than if I go with the mindset of getting a birdie in the first three holes and actively aim to make that happen. Ofcourse a par 5 in the first three changes that as every par 5 I want to be attacking the pin in the third short preferably with a putter.

Also worth thinking about that my pre tournament routine starts 24hours before I compete - what I eat, what to do before bed and more.

[hangontight]

1 hour ago, heavy_hitter said:

 

Getting an early birdie in theory sounds great, but to me it gives added pressure to get it.  Then if you don't what happens from a psychological standpoint?  I know at home mine will make it happen within the first three holes because the Par 5 is a gimmee for him.  Tournament time on an unfamiliar course makes it harder.

Good point. Maybe shape it up as bonus challenge - if you get it great , if not all good. Something to hone in his focus out of the gate.   Even then you are right, letting go and moving on if he doesn't get it easier said than done. 

@GunGun Not really bad shots, but will tend to make a tentative swing sometimes.  More so not being focused in. No handicap.  As heavy said, no need.  Kind of stuck a few strokes over par typically.  Hits plenty of fairways and greens, just doesnt make enough of the birdie putt opportunities when he has them.   Seems a bit content to settle for par, which is a separate issue.