Arrive at the first tee with enough time to breathe. You do not need a grand entrance. You need to know where your ball is, where your glove is, and whose turn it is to play.
Say hello and make the round easy
Introduce yourself if there is someone you have not met. Ask how they would like to play the tee shots. Some groups use honours, some use a draw, and some decide in the least formal way possible, which is usually somebody saying, “You go.”
If you are new, say so. Not as an apology. It gives the group useful information and gives them a chance to make the round comfortable for everyone.
Know when to move
Do your last-minute preparation before it is your turn. Put your glove on, choose a club, and make sure you know which way you are hitting. Once you are over the ball, take the time you need, but do not create a second pre-shot routine for every thought you have ever had.
Where to stand
Stand well to the side and outside the player’s eyeline. Stay still while they are addressing the ball. The first tee is often close to the clubhouse, the car park, and several people who have suddenly become interested in your golf. Let them watch in peace.
After the shot
Watch where the ball goes. Help your partners watch theirs. Then move. The tee box is a starting point, not a stage, and there is a group behind you hoping to have their own turn.
The best first tee behaviour is simple: arrive ready, be kind, stay aware, and remember that everyone has hit a poor opening shot. Some of us have done it with an audience.
Make the first tee feel easier
The first tee is one of the moments covered in Nobody Told Me Either, alongside the bits nobody thinks to explain.