Etiquette and integrity are at the very heart of golf. As with the rules, there is enough golf etiquette to fill a book, and such books have been written. You’ll discover that most golfing etiquette addresses slow play, the most common complaint from golfers. If every golfer practiced proper etiquette on the golf course, slow play would virtually be eliminated. Etiquette separates the knowledgeable from the rank amateur. Generally, etiquette is what you should or should not do, while the rules are what you shall or shall not do. Here are some highlights of golf protocol.
Basics of the Game:
FORE!!!
Probably the most considerate thing you can do during a round is yell, “FORE”. A dimpled projectile is traveling at over 100 miles per hour can really do some serious damage to muscles, bones and eyes. If you hear the utterance expelled from someone’s lungs, proper etiquette is to take cover as best and as soon as you can. Most chose to hit the deck!!!
Communications Device:
Avoid bringing beepers, pagers and cell phones on the golf course. If you must do so, turn them off while on the golf course. Also, if your watch beeps, remember to turn it off at the first tee. Having these devices go off in the middle of someone’s swing is considered very rude. You may find yourself talking on the phone and not aware that you are within earshot of the person currently playing. Enjoy the course and the scenery, let the office survive without you.
Moving Right Along:
As previously stated in the rules, golfers are obligated to keep the game moving. Play without delay. Once all the players have sunk their putts, place the flag in the cup and move on quickly.
Bag in the Pro Shop:
Please put your bag/clubs in the area allotted for bags outside of the pro shop, before you go inside.
Up in Smoke:
If you need to smoke on the golf course, remember, to keep the golf course clean. Dispose of the cigarette butts in the proper place, refrain from throwing the cigarette butts on the ground or on the putting green.
Keep it Down:
Respect your fellow playing partners. Talking, moving or even standing to close to a player is poor judgment, not to mention potentially dangerous. You should refrain from whispering when a player is at the tee, taking his or her practice swings and preparing to hit their golf ball. If inadvertently, you have in some way disturbed the golfer during his or her swing, apologize. If you don’t, the rest of the round will be filled with unnecessary tension.
Umbrellas:
If you are using an umbrella, remember that it can make a lot of noise when it is opened and closed. Be careful not to do either when a player is about to hit way.
Carts and Pull Carts:
If you decide to ride in a powered cart, make sure to keep it in the appropriate areas; keep it on the cart path by tees & greens, and use the 90 degree rule (drive the cart on the path until you are 90 degrees from your ball). Always stay on the cart path if the course conditions when you are told that it is ‘Cart Path Only’. Remember that the cart is a motorized vehicle and it requires a driver’s license to operate; never let you small children operate the vehicle!
If you take a pull cart, please keep the cart off of the tee box areas and greens.
At The Tee:
Who tees off first:
In friendly play from of the first tee, decide amongst yourselves the order of play. For more serious play, you may draw straws or some prefer to flip a tee. Proceed by tossing a tee in the air and let it land inside the circle of players. Whoever the tee is pointing to is hitting first and use this process until the hitting order has been established for the entire group. Once the first hole has been completed, the person with the lowest score on the previous hole shall hit first on the next hole. This is called having the honor. If there is a tie, it reverts back to the previous hole and who had the honor on the previous hole. This process take place on every hole until the round is completed.
Which Tee Marker is for You:
Golf courses have multiple sets of tees. Chose the tee color that you are going to play based on your experience and skill. Beginners should be playing from the most forward tees where low handicap golfers will be playing from the back tees.
Stand Off:
When a player is teeing off, the others in the group should be standing together outside of the markers and off to the side to avoid being a distraction. Standing behind a player who is teeing off is akin to reading over someone’s shoulder. It is rude and should not be done. If you have to ask if you are in the way, this too is a distraction. Just use your common sense.
How many practice swings are you allowed:
Practicing your swing is meant for the driving range, practice green and lessons. It is not meant to be perfected on the golf course. Technically, there are no limits on how many practice swings you are allowed to take. For the most part, one or two should be enough. The longer you stand over a golf ball trying to set up the perfect swing, the tighter your body will get and chance of a good shot become slim.
In The Fairway:
Who hits first:
The person who is farthest away from the green of the hole you are playing has the honor. If you find yourself in the same position away from the green with another golfer, decide amongst yourselves who should hit first. This process is the same on the putting green, also.
Taking a Mulligan:
Dropping a new ball after making a poor shot and not taking a penalty stroke is known as a “mulligan”. Even though the mulligan is occasionally taken during a friendly round of golf, it is illegal according to the rules of golf. The truth is taking a mulligan is a big contributor of slow play. So, if you do feel the urge to take a mulligan, add a penalty stoke to your score. This will soon cure your desire to take a mulligan.
Playing Through:
Playing through is allowing the group of golfers behind you to play through and go ahead of you on the golf course. Letting faster players play through is the right thing to do and those that are playing through should see it as a courtesy, not an entitlement. Playing through can occur under a variety of circumstances. As stated, some foursomes play faster than others and can encounter a group at the tee with no one on the green in front of them. This is a perfect place to let a faster group play through. Once a group is offered the opportunity to play through, they should say “Thank You!” and start play. The group playing through should not take a mulligan. If a ball is lost, they should not take a long time to look for it. If the course is particularly crowded and players are waiting at every hole, playing through will not speed up play and the courtesy should not be extended.
On The Green:
Bags, Carts & Clubs:
Before stepping on the green, leave your bags and carts outside the fringe of the green. To speed up play leave the cart, bag or clubs on the way to the next tee box. Please refrain from letting your clubs drop on the putting green. The putting green is very sensitive. Dropping a club on a green can cause unnecessary indentations that will need to be repaired.
Take it easy:
The green is more fragile than the rest of the golf course. Please treat it so. Walk softly, never run on the putting green. Remember to pick up your feet so as not to leave long, dragging cleat marks on the green. Yes, soft spikes will leave scuff marks, too. Also, metal spikes are prohibited on most golf courses.
Repairing Ball Marks:
When a ball is hit onto the green it often makes a deep indention known as a “Ball Mark”. This indentation needs to be repaired by the golfer who hit the ball. This is done with a golf tee or divot repair tool. Depending how the ball landed on the green, it sometimes is very difficult to spot the mark. Once it is discovered, take the repair tool or tee and gently dig around the mark and manipulate it until the divot becomes even with the ground. Then take the putter and tap down on it and make sure it is firmly in place. If time permits, repair any other marks that you see.
Tending the Flagstick:
If you are playing without a caddie, the player closest to the hole tends the flagstick. Do not automatically remove the flagstick, some players prefer it to be left in to help them locate the cup. If the flagstick is in the cup, remove it once the player putts. Do not wait for the ball to get near the cup. To tend the flagstick correctly, hold the shaft at arm’s length. If it’s windy, steady the flag. Also, make sure your shadow is on the same side as the flagstick and is not on the competitors putting line. If no players want the flagstick left in, lay it down on the fringe of the green.
The line of the Putt:
Once the ball is on the green, there is an imaginary line that leads from the ball to the cup. Stepping in the line of your competitors putt is considered extremely rude and should never happen.
Bunkers:
Entering and Exiting a Sand Bunker:
Most sand bunkers are sand traps, sometimes referred to as “the beach”. Bunkers however are a bit more fragile than the sand on the beach and should be treated as such. The lips and rims of the bunkers can be easily damaged, so enter and exit the sand bunkers from the low side of the bunker. Although, you may be tempted, never jump in or climb up the wall of a bunker.
Where to stand:
If your fellow playing partner is playing a shot from a green side bunker, stand out of view and let the person in the bunker take his or her shot. This is one of the tougher shots in golf, so there is no need to increase distractions for your playing partner.
Raking the Sand:
Locate the rake before entering the bunker. Once you have hit your sand shot, retrace your steps and pick up the rake outside of the bunker. Re-enter the bunker and start raking where you hit the ball, continuing to rake backwards till you reach the lip or bunker edge. Always leave rake outside of the bunker.
