Of all the shots in golf I hate miss-hitting, the one I hate the most has to be my tee shot. If you think about it, I set up the conditions and generally have an open landing area. So, why would I have trouble hitting off the tee? I am not sure about your game but if I am to miss, it is usually a pull to the left side of the fairway. Most of the time I get away with my miss-hit, but from time to time I find trouble and have to play a Seve-like shot to prevent a high score. Such is the nature of my game.

When I think about it, I realize that I am a bit rough on myself for missing the odd tee shot. I mean, even the pros hit a ridiculously poor shot from time to time.

There are a number of ways to prevent poor shots off the tee, like changing to an easier club to hit. However, considering my hitting percentage, I still choose to hit my driver most of the time. If I miss the fairway 40% of the time and of that number I hit into trouble 50% of the time, this means I am in play with my driver 80% of the time. I can live with that result every day of the week.

There are days when I never miss a tee shot, yet on other days…..well, I am playing out of tough positions. All. Day. As with all things, my drives average out; sometimes I must ride the wave of inconsistency until its end. But, it is important not to panic and make unnecessary adjustments to my swing thinking it will improve the situation. In reality, as I am sure you can attest, making adjustments on the course only worsens our play.

Hitting the ball off the tee is very important to set up each hole. Understanding that the risk/reward aspect of every shot may cause us to change clubs. Personally, I am confident hitting my driver and will do so when given the chance. However, even my driver will sit in the penalty box if it fails me repeatedly during a round.

How about you? Do you worry about your tee shot enough to adjust your play or do you let the ‘big dog eat’ whenever possible?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!