Golf Etiquette

The Spirit of the Game

 

Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they maybe. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

 

Safety

Players should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs or the like when they make a stroke or practice swing.

Players should not play until the players in front are out of range.

Players should always be alert of greens staff nearby or ahead when they are about to make a stroke that might endanger them.

If a player plays a ball in a direction where there is a danger of hitting someone, he should immediately shout a warning. The traditional word of warning in such a situation is "fore."

 

Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it could also be dangerous.

 

Golf Carts

 

You don't need a driver's license to drive a golf cart on the course, but you do need some common sense and a great deal of respect for the course and the players around you.

 

If you are driving a motorized cart, drive at a moderate speed and keep your eyes open for other golfers.

Depending on weather conditions and other variables courses will post different rules relating to the use of carts. Be sure to obey the course rules regarding carts such as:  Keep carts on paths at all times -- this is a rule that courses use if the ground is very wet and they don't want the tires of the motorized carts to damage the fairway grass.

 

90 Degree Rule - this rule requires you to stay on the cart path until you are even (at a 90 degree angle) with your ball. Then you may drive your cart straight out to your ball. When you've taken your shot, drive straight back to the cart path. Adhering to this rule minimizes damage to fairway grass as well, but still allows golfers to drive right up to their ball.

 

Always, under all circumstances, keep all carts, motorized or pull-carts away from the greens and off the teeing ground. Often the course will post signs giving directions as to where they want you to park your cart; follow the directions.

 

Consideration for Other Players

No Disturbance or Distraction

Players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making any unnecessary noise.

Players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.

On the teeing ground, a player should not tee his ball until it is his turn to play.

Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.

 

On the Putting Green

On the putting green, players should not stand on another player's line of putt or when he is making a stroke, cast a shadow over his line of putt.

Players should remain on or close to the putting green until all other players in the group have holed out.

 

Stepping Over the Ball Path

 

Another thing to notice as soon as you step out onto the green is the location of everyone's ball. The reason you should carefully note where all the other balls are is so you don't step on the path on which someone else will momentarily putt.

 

If you step on the path of a ball lying on the green what will happen is that your footprint will make a little hole or depression right where that golfer is going to send their putt. That depression may cause their ball to go off course, making them miss their putt. They will not be too happy if that happens.

 

The best route to your own ball is to walk behind any other balls laying on the green. But if that is not possible, then step over the imaginary line between any ball and the hole. By walking around or stepping over another player's ball path you demonstrate your awareness of their ball and your courtesy to them as a player.

 

Marking Your Ball

 

When you are on the green the Rules of Golf allow you to mark and clean your ball. The cleaning part helps to ensure you will get a nice even roll on your putt; the marking part ensures that you will put the ball back in exactly the same spot when you are done cleaning.

 

Place a coin or a ball marker directly behind your golf ball, on the opposite side of the ball as the hole. Don't put your ball marker in front of your ball because you may put an indentation in the ground in front of your ball, causing your own shot to go off course when you hit it.

 

If your ball is in the direct path of another golfer's shot, you may move your mark up to a club length to either side. Of course, when the other golfer has played the shot, you must return your mark to the original position.

 

After you have cleaned your ball, if your spot on the green is closer to the hole than any other golfers in your group, hang onto your ball until it is your turn. That way your ball won't be a distraction to someone putting before you.

 

Without disturbing anyone who is putting, you can be evaluating your putt from your ball marker. Then when it is your turn, place the ball on the ground in front of your marker, then remove the marker.

 

Removing/Tending The Flagstick

 

The Rules of Golf tell us that the ball may not strike the flagstick, in the hole when the ball has been played from on the green. (If your ball is hit from off the green and hits the flagstick, that's acceptable) So that means when a golfer is putting, the flagstick must be removed from the hole before the ball enters the hole.

 

To remove the flagstick from the hole, simply pick it straight up to avoid bashing it against the rim of the hole and damaging the edge. Take the flagstick to the edge of the green and gently lay it down so the knob on the end is off the green. If you just drop it on the green it may leave a big gash on the surface of the green.

 

Sometimes, however, due to a long putt or an odd angle or the sunshine or shadows, or who-knows-what, the person putting may not be able to see the hole very well. In this instance another golfer in the group can 'tend the flagstick' for that golfer. Tending the flagstick is a courtesy you extend to the other golfers in your group whenever they need that service.

 

Here is the proper way to tend the pin for another golfer:

 

Stand to the side of the cup, left or right, depending on which side your shadow falls (be sure your shadow does not fall over the cup or across the line the golfer is putting on);

 

Stand about arm's length distance from the cup with your feet away from the hole (to avoid damaging the cup), and be sure you are not standing on anyone else's putting line in the process;

 

With your arm nearest the flagstick reach out and hold the flag against the flagstick to keep it from flapping in the breeze;

 

The last thing that happens regarding tending the pin is that the person for whom you are tending it actually putts the ball. Now as the ball is rolling toward the hole, lift the flagstick straight out, walk quietly to the side of the green and lay it down as described above.

 

Scoring

In stroke play, a player who is acting as a marker should, if necessary, on the way to the next tee, check the score with the player(s) concerned and record the strokes.

 

Pace of Play

Play at Good Pace and Keep Up

Players should play at a good pace. The club may establish pace of play guidelines that all players should follow.

It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If it loses a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind, it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group.

 

"Playing Through"

 

Playing Through another group is one of the most difficult and contentious parts of golf. It is difficult because, often, there is an implication that the group who is "being played through" is guilty of slow play and they typically resent that implication - even if it's true. So if you are going to ask another group to allow you to play through them, do so in a courteous manner and at a convenient time in the round.

 

Here are some tips regarding Playing Through:

Be sure there is room for you to properly play through before you ask permission. (If there is another group immediately ahead of the group you are asking, they will naturally decline to let you through and they will be annoyed that you bothered them.)

Be courteous and quick as you hit your shots in playing through. If you hit bad shots (which often happens because there is extra pressure when you are playing through), don't take any Mulligans, just drop a ball near where yours was last seen and play on.

If you are playing slowly (more than a hole between you and the group ahead of you) and you think the group behind might want to play through, invite them to do so. It might be convenient when you are on a green. Wave them up, stand aside and let them hit up to the green. As they are walking up to the green you can putt out. Then allow them to tee off before you on the next tee.

 

Hitting Into the Group Ahead of You

 

Minding your "Pace of Play" will help you stay with the group ahead and you will be sure not to delay any groups playing behind you. At the same time you are being careful to stay with the group ahead, you must also be careful not to be so close that you hit your ball into that group. If your ball was to hit one of the players in that group it could be very tragic, so be careful that all golfers are out of range before you hit.

Sometimes there are golfers who get very impatient if a group is playing slowly ahead of them; that is understandable. However, it is never acceptable to try to speed up that group by hitting a ball at them to send them a message that you are getting tired of waiting. If you are tired of waiting, walk ahead to their group and ask them to speed up play, but never hit into them.

 

Be Ready to Play

Players should be ready to play as soon as it is their turn to play. When playing on or near the putting green, they should leave their bags or carts in such a position as will enable quick movement off the green and towards the next tee. When the play of a hole has been completed, players should immediately leave the putting green.

 

Watch the shots of everyone in your group. Sometimes people end up hitting straight into the sun or for some other reason they will be unable to see where their ball landed. If you are courteous enough to watch the flight of each golfer's shot they will be very grateful for the help in finding their ball. It will also save a lot of time since you will lose far fewer balls by pro-actively watching where they went.

 

When two players in a cart hit to opposite sides of a hole, drive to first ball and drop off that player with his club, then drive to the second ball. After both players hit, meet up farther down the hole.

When walking from your cart to your ball, take a couple clubs with you. Taking only one club, then having to return to the cart to retrieve a different club, is a huge time-waster.

 

Lost Ball

If a player believes his ball may be lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, to save time, he should play a provisional ball.

Players searching for a ball should signal the players in the group behind them to play through as soon as it becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found.

They should not search for five minutes before doing so. Having allowed the group behind to play through, they should not continue play until that group has passed and is out of range.

 

Priority on the Course

Unless otherwise determined by the club, priority on the course is determined by a group's pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round.

 

Care of the Course

Bunkers

Before leaving a bunker, players should carefully fill up and smooth over all holes and footprints made by them and any nearby made by others. If a rake is within reasonable proximity of the bunker, the rake should be used for this purpose.

 

If your ball lands in the bunker there are a few "rules of golf" and a few "rules of etiquette" for you to know. Here are the main things to know:

 

Enter the bunker from the low side of the bunker nearest your ball (don't climb down the wall of the bunker); (maintaining the high edges of the bunker is difficult and if they cave in it is hard to repair them).

 

Since the rules of golf forbid "testing the conditions," before a shot, don't pick up the sand or kick it around to determine how wet or soft it is (however, you are allowed to "skootch" your feet down into it to get a good stance).

 

Also to avoid "testing" don't touch the head of your club in the sand before your shot.

 

When you are finished with your shot (or shots) from the bunker, use the rake provided by the course to rake out all evidence of your ball, your shot and your footprints.

 

Leave the rake outside the bunker with the rake handle running parallel to the fairway.

 

Repair of Divots, Ball-Marks and Damage by Shoes

Players should carefully repair any divot holes made by them and any damage to the putting green made by the impact of a ball (whether or not made by the player himself). On completion of the hole by all players in the group, damage to the putting green caused by golf shoes should be repaired.

 

Preventing Unnecessary Damage

Players should avoid causing damage to the course by removing divots when taking practice swings or by hitting the head of a club into the ground, whether in anger or for any other reason.

Players should ensure that no damage is done to the putting green when putting down bags or the flagstick.

In order to avoid damaging the hole, players and caddies should not stand too close to the hole and should take care during the handling of the flagstick and the removal of a ball from the hole. The head of a club should not be used to remove a ball from the hole.

Players should not lean on their clubs when on the putting green, particularly when removing the ball from the hole.

The flagstick should be properly replaced in the hole before players leave the putting green.

Local notices regulating the movement of golf carts should be strictly observed.

 

Always rake sand traps after hitting to erase your footprints and damage to the area where your ball was.

 

Conclusion; Penalties for Breach

If players follow the guidelines in this Section, it will make the game more enjoyable for everyone.

If a player consistently disregards these guidelines during a round or over a period of time to the detriment of others, it is recommended that the club consider taking appropriate disciplinary action against the offending player. Such action may, for example, include prohibiting play for a limited time on the course or in a certain number of competitions. This is considered to be justifiable in terms of protecting the interest of the majority of golfers who wish to play in accordance with these guidelines.