i am a 13 year old boy and i am starting to do jr tourneys and i get a little nervous with the crowd watching me. how can i stay focused on my game not the audience?

Use an iPod.

At the age of 13 you start to get the experience of playing socially and during tournaments. the main thing to concentrate on during any golf game or practice session is your ROUTINE. I hope this helps.

Have a good one…

I taught my son from a young age and he played many jr tournaments and won many. State champion as a senior, WAC freshman player of the year and much more. That was to just show you I know what I am talking about. here is what you need to do.
Develop a routine and stick to it. when you are on the range practicing, don't just drag and hit the balls. Work on your routine also. Set a ball up ready to hit, then step behind it as you would on the course, pick your spot in front of the ball, align the club and hit it. Evaluate what the ball did and adjust. Then rinse and repeat.
What this does is you are developeing a routine that you can take to the course. when the pressure is on, you can then just think about your routine and nothing else, other than making a good swing. This will remove the crowd from your thoughts and focus you on the task at hand.
Develop your own routine and stick to it during practice. I am saying to be doing your routine 75% of the time you are practicing. Then when it is crunch time in a tourney you are ready and your routine will keep you focused on the task at hand.
If you need to work on your game or putting improvement, my son and I have written a book that will help you take it to the next level. Visit http://www.puttlightsout.com, enjoy
Hope that helps,
Steve

As Steve said, develop a routine and stick to it. Plan ahead and if something doesn't go according to plan, adjust. as you step up to the ball ask yourself what your target is and hit to your target.

ok… the comment about using an ipod is completely wack and stupid. unfortunately, the first few holes, you are gonna be nervous with the crowd and the tourney atmosphere. but the matter of the fact is, you are gonna get on with the tempo once you settle in. this will happen by 4th or 5th hole. you will be fine. and by 11th hole, you will realize that the crowds are just a part of the golf course. you will be comfortable in no time. and on the first tee, just swing away. lets get real… they don't have that much of an expectation from you. and they don't care about how you do. they only care about their sons and daughters. so know that they don't care and swing away! have fun and good luck!

You will be nervous on the first few holes, if not the first 8holes.

This is natural and is nothing to be worried about because the more tournaments you play you will start to keep yourself under control and won't be as nervous.

I have played in my clubs first team for 2seasons now, and in my first season I was as nervous as you will be.

Just by playing and learning to cope with pressure on putts to win the game etc will help alot.

You might even play better under pressure shots.

If you hit a bad tee shot on the 1st, that is nothing you can do and people are not going to judge you for it.

To stay focused on your game will be hard because you will always have the crowd on your mind. This is something that you will find in yourself over time.

There isn't anything better on the first tee than hitting a real good drive and more often than not you will like the crowd there to see them shots.

Good Luck

I was shaking while teeing no. 1infront of a large crowd during the first time I competed in a tournament. it was a 155-yard par 3. I was afraid that I might hit the ball thin, flat, or I might slice it.

I stepped back , closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I convinced myself to be a show-off. as I stepped up to the ball, I pretended that I was shouting while whispering "Watch this shot.". it worked. I hit the green in one. I walked off the tee box smugly already holding a putter.

Also try to pretend that everyone in the gallery knows nothing about golf.

Good luck in your tourneys.

Enjoy the attention while walking to the tee/ball and then have a style to prepare tfor the shot.

Some of the big names have a little thing the say to themselves. "grip it right", "just like on the driving range", "eye on the ball" … whatever that will bring you back to the job at hand and ignor the crowd … or that playing partner that rips the velcro on their glove as you go for your backswing.

Any tips on focusing in junior golf tournaments?

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