Arrive early. I mean obscenely early. Like, earlier than the worms. Because the starter will assign you a hole number as soon as you check in, and if you’re late, you might get stuck on the hardest, most wind-blasted hole on the property. You’ll thank me when you’re not teeing off into a 40-mph gust with a wedge.
Stretch like a yoga instructor on espresso. You have no warm-up time. None. Zip. So jog to your starting tee, do ten lunges, and swing a club like you’re trying to swat a fly from outer space. Muscles? Who needs ‘em. Just remember: nobody sees your first ball flight. It’s considered a secret handshake of shame among shotgun starters.
Finally, embrace the madness. The shotgun start isn’t just a scheduling trick; it’s a philosophy. Life doesn’t start on hole one. It starts everywhere, all at once, usually with a bad lie and a penalty stroke. So laugh when your drive lands in a divot. Buy your playing partners a round at the turn. And never, ever ask why the 9th hole has a shotgun shell stuck in the flagstick. Some mysteries are best left in the rough.
So next time you see “Shotgun Start” on a tournament flyer, don’t panic. Just grab your clubs, channel your inner chaotic energy, and remember: everyone else is also starting cold, confused, and probably one club short of a full set. Golf is hard. The shotgun start just makes it hilarious.
