Simple Golf Etiquette

Good golf etiquette is a must for any course in the world. Since the game’s inception a whole host of good etiquette rules and how to display proper manners has been built up around the game. These rules are essentially the same wherever you go, but are not always abundantly clear to a beginner. Much like the game itself, these rules take practice. Once practicing these on the course, you will be put in the good graces of the other golfers.

Safety is always the chief concern with any sport, and golf is no different. This branch of etiquette is fairly obvious. Don’t run around the course, don’t use the clubs to have light saber duels with your friends, or yell as someone is trying to putt. Don’t hit your ball into the group ahead of you. Besides being dangerous to the members of that group, it is also considered obnoxious if you are trying to tell that group to “hurry up” by hitting your ball towards them. So, avoid this behavior unless your intentions are to be chased from the course.

As hard as it may be to resist temptation, do not race in the golf carts or turn donuts on the green. It’s also considered bad manners to drive anywhere but on the designated cart paths. However, there is something called the 90-degree rule which states that you may drive onto the fairway once you are at a 90-degree angle to your ball. But, never drive your cart onto the teeing ground or the green. A pack of angry golf course superintendents will beat you with nine-irons if you do. This brings us to a more obtuse area of golfing etiquette – how to treat the grass.

Outside of hippies, no one cares about grass more than golfers. The first thing you’ll want to know is that “soft” plastic spiked shoes are much-preferred over the outdated metal spikes of yesteryear. The metal spikes have a knack for ripping the green to shreds, which has caused many groundskeepers to go prematurely gray.

Another area in this complex web of respect for grass is replacing divots and ball marks. What’s a divot? A divot is that huge swath of dirt you’ll sometimes hit along with, or instead of, the ball. As it flies through the air and plummets back to Earth, don’t just walk on by cursing your golf clubs – be kind to the green. A polite golfer will take the divot and place it back from where it came with a few loving taps. This gives the divot a great chance to grow back without leaving any trace of your wild swing.

Ball marks occur after hitting a remarkable shot from the fairway and your ball lands on the green with a huge plop and upends some of the precious green. You’ll want to make sure the next golfer coming through will have a smooth green, so what you do is whip out the handy dandy green repair kit and gently pull back the grass that has been bunched up and pat it back into place.

The green itself has it’s own set of rules and guidelines of etiquette. When you first get to the green, you’ll want to note the place of the other golf balls. Don’t walk in front of another player’s ball; your shoes will create a depression in the green that could cause their shot to be off. The best course of action is to walk directly behind any other balls in play. If you can’t do that, make a large step over the imaginary line between any other ball and the hole.

If you ever need to clean your ball or to move it out of the way of another golfer’s shot, you are allowed to mark your spot and remove your ball. If you have to remove your ball, simply place down a coin or ball marker and wait for the other golfers directly behind you to make their shots before you place your ball back down.

These are only a few of the guidelines of proper golfing etiquette that you will encounter as you continue trying to improve your game. These rules will ingratiate you to other golfers and will make your golf experience a better one. A polite golfer is a good golfer. And, never forget the golden rule out on the links.