Imagine standing on the first tee and peering down the fairway.

What do you usually see?

Well, if you're not prepared, you may be staring at a fairway that looks smaller and smaller as you size up your options.

Not being able to settle into your first drive can be a frustrating experience.

But there are a couple of things you can do to make sure you stop the bleeding before it starts.

First, most of us are time challenged, and that makes it tough to warm up before playing. Even if you can't hit the practice range, you can still get loose before you hit the first tee.

Here's something I saw Greg Norman use to warm up before a round.

With no time to hit the range, he took out a sand wedge and took long, full swings to stretch and loosen up. Using a wedge makes sense since it can simulate a weighted club.

While not the same as a full warm up, you can stretch the muscles you'll use on the course. And feeling physically ready helps with focus and concentration.

Now, you need to get be able to make that all-important first shot.

Watch tour pros and you'll see that they use a pre-shot routine to slip into a state of concentration.

Without being squarely focused on your shot, any distraction has the potential to destroy your chances for a decent drive.

Richard Coop's book, Mind over Golf: Play Your Best by Thinking Smart, is an excellent book that covers the pre-shot routine and explains how to work one into your game.

If getting off the first tee is a persistent problem, try these tips and see if they don't make a difference.


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