Golf Course Etiquette - A Beginner's Guide

​​Golf looks simple enough when watching someone else play. When you move from observer to player, the truth is revealed. Golf can be a frustrating, emotion-draining experience. When new to the game (and this can include those with a few years of playing experience), the rules and vocabulary of the sport seem overwhelming. On top of that, players of all experience levels are expected to observe proper golf rules and etiquette.

​Basic Golf Etiquette

Do not start golfing without knowing the basics of ​golf etiquette rules

These are not official rules, but they are adhered to by all players as if they were. As with any sport, certain behavior is observed to make the game enjoyable for all those participating. Without understanding proper golf course etiquette, you risk alienating your friends and many others on the course with you.

Below are a few golf tips every golfer should observe:

These are not official rules, but they are adhered to by all players as if they were. As with any sport, certain behavior is observed to make the game enjoyable for all those participating. Without understanding proper golf course etiquette, you risk alienating your friends and many others on the course with you.

​Arrive at the golf course early to give yourself time to warm up. Stretching, taking a dozen practice swings, and checking your golf bag for balls, tees, markers, etc. should not be done on the first tee box.

You should arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tee time. If you arrive just minutes before your reserved tee time, a group scheduled to follow you will be teeing off at your original time and you will be following them. Managing the flow at a golf course is not easy. Delaying the next group to the first tee by just a few minutes will have a ripple effect for the rest of the day. Golf course personnel will keep things moving as smoothly as possible.

You and your friends will be upset starting the golf round later than scheduled, even if it was your fault. The entire day will be impacted by your frustrations as you step onto the first tee 10 minutes later than planned.

​Golf is often referred to as the “gentleman’s sport”. This is due to golfers’ respect for other players, as well as the golf course itself. Men and women can enjoy this “gentleman’s sport”. The name is a reflection of the unwritten rules observed by all who play.

If you’ve watched a golf tournament, you know that it is a “quiet” sport. A good golf shot requires concentration. Distractions will negatively affect a player’s game. If you are the source of that distraction, you have certainly breached proper course etiquette.

Noise isn’t the only distraction. Where you stand during another golfer’s shot is also important. Never stand behind someone when they are making a shot or putt. It is also important to make sure that your shadow is not a distraction.

Proper golf etiquette requires that you respect the course. This is done by replacing divots, repairing ball marks, and raking sand traps. You should also refrain from taking divots during practice swings. The course takes enough abuse from actual shots without the need for abuse caused by practice swings.

You should always check with the golf course to see if they enforce a dress code. Many new and weekend golfers are seen wearing polo shirts sold in the club house. This isn’t because the golfer wanted a souvenir. It’s because t-shirts aren’t allowed on the course, so they had to purchase a polo shirt for the round or not be able to golf at all.

Some public golf courses allow shorts and t-shirts. As you play your round of golf or even on the driving range, watch other players. The ones dressed nicely are almost always the ones hitting the best shots. Clothes DO make the golfer. Dressing nice while golfing exudes confidence and respect for you, the player, and the sport.

​This rule item could have been included in Be Respectful above, but with today’s heavy use of technology, it deserves its own mention. During a golf swing or putt, a cell phone ring or even a text message notification will yield bad results – not just for other golfers, but for you as well. In the quiet setting golf provides, even the noise from a cell phone vibrating is a distraction.

​Golf has too many rules to learn them all. There are also unwritten rules, some specific to the golf course you are playing. As you prepare to start your round, listen to people around the club house, especially those just finishing their rounds. You will undoubtedly hear a few helpful things. You will hear them talking about their experience that day, possibly things other golfers did that annoyed them. If you hear them complaining about a particular behavior on the course or a specific player’s actions, take note. Make sure you aren’t the guy or group others speak poorly of later that day.

​More Golf Etiquette Rules

The above golf guidelines are general in nature. There are many specific guidelines that should be observed. They can be grouped into a few categories – Safety, Pace of Play, and Courtesy.

​Safety

​The following bullets may seem silly and unworthy of listing. You will see soon enough the importance of following these to avoid injury (to yourself and others) and to ensure everybody has a good time.

•    If your ball is heading toward another golfer or group, yell “FORE!” No one wants to admit they made a lousy shot. Typically you are told to be quiet and not distract other golfers. This is the exception to the rule. If you don’t alert other golfers of impending danger, you are not going to be viewed kindly by the wounded or frightened. This is not the time to be shy!

•    Don’t display your anger or frustration. No one else cares that you are having a bad day. There is no need to put on a show or continuously remind others of your misfortune. It is poor etiquette to inflict your emotional pain on your fellow golfers.

•    Do not throw, bend, or break your golf clubs – or any other golf property. There is no place for childish behavior in golf. Remember, golf is a “gentleman’s sport”. Act like one.

Pace of Play

Some golf etiquette applies more to tournament play than to the new or weekend golfer. There are two items that significantly impact the flow of the game and the pace of play.

1.    Honors
This is an integral part of proper golf. The proper etiquette is – the player with the lowest score on the previous hole tees off first.

2.    Farthest from the Hole
This golf commonly known rule determines which golfer is next to take their shot. The player farthest from the hole always hits first. The same applies once everyone is on the green. Off the putting surface is considered farther from the hole than a ball on the green.

These golf rules are followed rigorously during tournament play. However, if you are a casual golfer, it is better to not be the slowest group on the course. To improve the pace of play, if a player is ready to make a shot, that player takes the shot.

This is often referred to as “ready golf”. Instead of politely waiting for the player with “honors” to tee off, anyone who is ready to do so, can – and should. It’s not a race to hit first, it is merely a matter of eliminating wait time. This will improve the pace of your game and the overall flow of the golf course. Agree before starting your round that you will be playing “ready golf”. When more than one player is ready to play, use the golf course etiquette of “honors” and “farthest from the hole” to determine who will play first.

Additional pace of play guidelines:

From the PGA.com archives, November 2019, the following etiquette should be followed to maintain proper pacing during a round:

3.    Plan your next shot as you approach your ball.
4.    One you arrive at your ball, select your club, visualize your shot, and then play your shot.
5.    From the time you select your club until you hit your shot, no more than 30 to 45 seconds should elapse.
6.    If you aren’t ready to play your shot, encourage someone else in your group to take their shot.

To help maintain a good pace during your round of golf:

7.    Do not take mulligans.
8.    Follow the rules for hazard and out-of-bound markers.
9.    Always hit a provisional ball, if your initial shot lands in an area where it might not be found. It is quick and easy to pick up a provisional ball. It won’t be possible to return the spot of your shot and play another ball without disrupting the pace of play for everyone behind you.

The July 2008 issue of Golf Digest listed 10 Rules for Good Golf Etiquette. Their number one list item should be a rule each individual player strives to follow.

10.    Don’t be the slowest player.

Courtesy

From PGA.com:

1.    Replace your divots. If the piece of turf cannot be picked up and replaced, using your foot, kick the sod around the divot, doing your best to remove the hole. If you are using a cart, most courses include a mixture of sand and seed with the cart. Use that mixture to fill the divot

2.    When playing from a bunker (sand trap), enter at the lowest point and walk directly to your ball. Take a rake with you and set it aside while you take your shot. During casual play, if you fail to hit your ball out of the sand after two or three attempts, pick up your ball and place it on the grass. Rake all footprints and swing marks as you exit the bunker.

3.    On the green, do not walk in the area between another players ball and the hole. Replace any ball marks your shot created, as well as any others you see near your ball. Mark your ball if it is near the path of another player farther from the hole. Do not drop your club or the flagstick on the green. Don’t lean on your putter while waiting for your turn to putt. Greens are very delicate, making it easy to leave impressions or marks.

​Less Known Golf Etiquette

​The rules on this list are not mere suggestions. Even though they may be the least observed, they are still very much commonplace and should be followed by all.

1.    Do not place your golf bag in the tee box. Not only can a golf bag or pull cart leave marks, but they are a distraction to other golfers. If walking, when approaching the green, identify an area between the green and the next hole. Place your bag in that location. It will improve pace of play.

2.    If you are using a cart, always stay on the cart path. When you leave the cart to take your shot, take more than one club with you. This will leave you with club options when you arrive at your ball. Running back to the cart to get a different club will cause a delay – and likely irritate your fellow golfers.

3.    Do not spend more than three minutes looking for a lost ball. Three minutes of ernest searching is enough time. If you haven’t located your ball in three minutes, play your provisional ball. You did play a provisional ball – right?

4.    Don’t walk in a player’s “through line” on the green. Many casual golfers are not familiar with the “through line”. When putting, you should always consider the line of putt extended two to three feet beyond the hole. If the putt is hit long, a player is not going to be pleased with someone who has walked in that area prior to the putt.

5.    Finally, “gimmes” are part of the casual golfer’s game. A “gimme” is when a player concedes another player’s putt. It is considered made. Proper etiquette allows a player to concede the putt when it is a simple tap-in. No distance is set for “gimmes”, but a player should not expect to be given an eight-footer with a downhill slope. Even the professionals miss those. If you offered a “gimme”, pick up your ball. Don’t be too proud to take the gift.

​In Conclusion

New golfers may not know that golf has its own set of rules to follow. If you are watching golf as a spectator, the rules being followed by the players might go unnoticed. If you are playing a round of golf with friends, these traditions may seem odd and unnecessary. Following these often unspoken rules of golf helps with the flow and pace of the sport, as well as show respect to not only the people you are golfing with, but other golfers on the course as well.

Golf can be an amazing experience. It only takes one golfer in your group or even in front of or behind your group to ruin the round for everyone. Golf requires focus and concentration. When these are taken away, the joy of golf may get lost as well. Observing proper golf etiquette assures everyone has a pleasant experience. Even if you can’t make a decent shot or make six-foot putts, golf can be rewarding – if everyone plays as a “gentleman”.