Etiquette in Golf

Etiquette in Golf: The Gentleperson game.

By: Bruce Munch

Head Professional, White River Golf Club, Rochester, VT.

One of the unique aspects of the game of golf is that in addition to a set of rules that govern play, there is a code of etiquette that makes the game more enjoyable for you and others around you. In tennis, if two players of different abilities are playing, one experienced and skilled and the other, a new player, neither one will have a very good time. This is not the case in golf. We are playing against the course, not the other players. Beginners can play with pros and have a great time assuming all players observe the etiquette of the game. Here is a basic primer for the etiquette of golf.

While a member of your group is playing a shot, be sure you are not moving, talking or in any way creating a distraction for that player. You are also entitled to the same courtesy from others in your group.

I enjoy playing with golfers of any ability, except those who practice slow play. A deliberate pre-shot routine is necessary for good shot making but it need not create slow play. You can start your pre-shot routine while your playing partners are hitting, as long as this will not disturb their shot. You can get behind your ball, line up your shot, pick your intermediate target and correct club and be ready to play when it is your turn. If you are unsure as to the correct club for the shot, take a few clubs before you walk to the ball. This will eliminate the need to go back to your cart or bag to select another.

When you finish a hole, clear the green quickly so the group behind you can play. Don’t chat, mark your scores or put your clubs away. These things can all be done at the next tee.

Take care of the course. The owners and operators of your local course go to great pains to make sure that the course will be ready for you! You must do your part to be sure it is still ready for those who follow you. If you hit your ball into a bunker, you must rake the bunker after you leave to prevent a later player from having to play out of one of your footprints.

You should not take a divot with a practice swing especially on the teeing ground. Save that for the real thing. Taking a divot on a shot is proper swing technique, but you should replace your divot to prevent other players from having to play from an unfair lie and keep the course looking good.

If your ball makes a ball mark on the green (and we hope you do) repair that ball mark using a proper ball mark repair tool, before you putt your ball. The ball mark will be easy to find because it will be between the place you hit from and the place your ball came to rest. A ball mark that is repaired when it is made will be virtually unrecognizable within an hour. One that is left for 24 hours will take two weeks to correct. Ever wonder what those brown, burned out, golf ball sized circles are on the green? They are un-repaired ball marks from previous, inconsiderate golfers. When you are on the green, repair your ball mark and at least one other. If this good practice becomes contagious, we will all have better greens to putt on.

The greens and tee areas are the most difficult to maintain. Keep golf bags and carts well away from these areas. If you park your cart next to the green, the next player might have to chip from a trampled down lie, rather than a nice grassy lie. You would like a good lie, leave a good lie!

Be aware of where your playing partner’s balls are on the green. When you are on the green, be sure that you don’t walk on the putting line of your playing partners. Even though a footprint may not seem like much to us, Dave Pelz says that relative to the height of a golf ball a footprint may be as large as a street curb, to a human being. I think you will admit that if you were walking and failed to see a curb, it would alter your path. Your footprint can do that to your golf mates putt. Be aware.

Control your emotions on the course. No one likes to play with a player who throws clubs and in general fails to control their emotions. The best players in the world, who are playing for hundreds of thousands of dollars, rarely display excess emotion when they hit a bad shot. The more confident you are with your game, the less emotion you will display.

Remember that golf is a game of misses. The person who misses by the least wins.

Stay in control, be considerate and your golf game will improve!