How to Tackle First Tee Jitters: 3 Tips from a Navy SEAL

We’ve all felt it. You show up to the golf course, excited for the round. You make your way to the first tee; you place your ball and then it happens…the whole world focuses its attention directly on you and the anxiety of this shot takes over. You proceed to rush through your pre-shot routine, a bad swing thought creeps in, then before you know it, the swing is over and you’ve hooked it left into the trees. The first tee jitters are ubiquitous no matter the skill level, it may be shocking to some of us mortals, but even tour pros are nervous on the first tee. Now I can’t promise to reduce all of your anxieties in life, I can offer three proven Navy SEAL tips to help you tackle the jitters with confidence.

#1 Visualization: See it in your mind’s eye

Visualization is one of the most powerful tools you have on the golf course. The game of golf, much like any high-stakes situation, begins in your mind long before you hit the course. The first tee is that much more important because, as we discussed, we know our nerves won’t be settled yet.

Breaking Down Visualization

If you’re on a familiar course, that’s good news for the most part, as long as you don’t let past failures on this hole creep into your mind, we want an “educated” blank slate for this. Your first action should be to analyze the hole’s layout and identify a line (and shot shape) that provides your best chance to keep the ball in play. Now that we have our line and shot shape, envision that shot with full detail—the ball flying off the face, in the shape you imagined and through the window you drew up in your mind’s eye. Make sure to capture how that shot might feel and hold onto that. That is visualization in a nutshell, seeing what you want to do before you do it. Now, if you’re playing a new course this may be a little more difficult and daunting, here’s a couple of additional steps you might try. I’m pulling these straight from the Navy SEAL reconnaissance playbook. First, we have great access to course imagery. Some courses will provide “flyovers” which shows overhead video of the golf course, this can be made even useful if you can ascertain yardages on these holes via yardage books or other online resources such as Google Earth. So, there is really no reason to fly blind here, inform yourself so you don’t have to put all of that mental weight on your shoulders for the first time standing on the first tee. One additional step I’ll add is, show up a little early to the course and make your way to the first tee before your round. If you can actually walk up to the tee box and take a peak (without interfering with other groups, even better. This all helps paint a picture and the clearer the picture the less our minds will be muddled standing over the ball.

#2 Box Breathing: Control Your Response

Before I was familiar with box breathing, I had instinctively and accidently stumbled on a version of it many years ago during my time as a trainee at Basic Underwater Demolition / “SEAL” Training. In the late 90s and early 2000’s, sport science hadn’t quite caught up to where it is today, but we did have an instinct about the importance of controlling our breathing and heartrate during high stress situations. If you’ve ever trained in “breath holding” techniques, you will inevitably confront the realization that you can hold your breath for longer if you manage your mind and heartrate. While this no doubt works under the water it also works above the water for managing all sorts of high-stress situations. In fact, box breathing is your primary weapon for dialing down anxiety and quieting your mind on the golf course.

What Is Box Breathing?

Box Breathing is a straightforward but extremely effective breathing technique that helps you take control of your parasympathetic nervous system, the part that controls our "fight or flight" response. The method involves breathing in for a count of four, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding the exhale for four. Repeat this a few times, and you’ll be surprised by how quickly your mind settles down.

I can’t stress enough how useful Box Breathing is, not just for the first tee but whenever you need to reset during a round. It’s a go-to technique in SEAL training because it slows down the body’s natural response to stress when adrenaline is high and is a dependable ally in resetting focus.

Next time you’re on the tee and feel those nerves kicking in, take a few deep breaths. Visualize that box pattern as you breathe, focusing on each count. This breath-work technique is also a reminder that you can control your stress response. The more you practice Box Breathing, the better you’ll get at it.

#3 Acceptance: Letting Go Before You Step Up

The hardest, but most freeing, lesson of the three: Acceptance. Before you step up to the first tee, you need to come to terms with whatever happens. Many golfers feel tense because they’re holding onto an unrealistic need for perfection. In golf, you can’t control the outcome - ever. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen - Accepting that truth is the ultimate advantage.

The SEAL Approach to Acceptance

In the SEALs, there’s a mantra: "Embrace the suck." You learn early on that not every mission goes perfectly, and the same is true in golf. Once you accept the possibility of a mis-hit, slice, or even a bad bounce, the fear starts to lose its power. Before your first shot, tell yourself: “Whatever happens, happens” or my personal favorite “F*** it.”

This is a tough concept to master. We’re conditioned to chase perfection, but that pressure is self-imposed. The mental freedom that comes with acceptance is what sets the mentally strong apart from the rest. In the course of my time as a SEAL, I faced dangerous situations (sometimes life threatening) on a regular basis. If I had worried about the outcome every time I dealt with such a situation I would have driven myself nuts. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, the only thing you can control is your mindset.

Acceptance doesn’t mean you’re okay with poor results; it just means you’re willing to let go of control. The course is unpredictable, just like life, and sometimes things don’t go to plan. When you stop fighting that reality, you make space for clear-headed decisions and smooth execution. Golf, in the end, is as much about how you recover from the bad shots as it is about making good ones. So, as you approach that first shot, check in with yourself. Have you accepted the range of possible outcomes? If not, pause. Take a breath, and let it go.

Final Thoughts

First tee jitters are all about anticipation and pressure, and you can overcome them with a disciplined approach: visualize with clarity, control your breathing, and accept any outcome. These three steps form a cycle, each feeding into the next. Visualize to give yourself confidence, box breathe to stay calm, and accept that golf, just like SEAL missions, rarely goes exactly as planned.

So, the next time you’re stepping up to that first tee, remember these tools aren’t just for SEALs, they’re for anyone who’s ready to face a challenge with the right mindset. Be ready, stay calm, and accept whatever comes. Hoolie Up!

Bobby Holland is a retired Navy SEAL who served in the military for +21 years. A passionate golfer, he co-founded Hoolie Golf in 2023. Hoolie offers premium golf polos , golf hats, golf shirts and more for Action Guy golfers. So, whether you have been playing golf for years or just picking up the game, we have something just for you. Go grab yourself some great Hoolie gear. To that end, if you’re U.S. military, veteran or law enforcement, Hoolie offer’s you a standing 20% discount (via GOVX link in checkout) so get yourself some badass golf polos, golf hats, golf t-shirts, hoodies, beanies or whatever your heart desires and save 20%. One more thing, all of our golf polos are sewn right here in the U.S. and our hoodies are American made as well.