Golf Etiquette

In addition to the official rules of golf as determined by the two leading bodies, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA), there is also another set of "rules" or more appropriately customs which aim to impact upon the way golf is played, how the courses are treated and how fellow golfers are treated. This set of unofficial guidelines, breach of which does not lead to any penalties, falls under the umbrella golf etiquette.

Golf etiquette is more than simply a matter of manners as commonly assumed by non-golfers and new golfers and covers such matters as safety, fairness and pace of play and collectively aim at fostering a better playing experience for all. It is in fact an essential part of the game which is best learnt not by reading a manual of any kind but by being out on the golf course and learning from the more experienced golfers that you are both playing with and sharing the course with.

We have listed a few of the most common etiquette customs below.

The Pace Of Play

• Keep the round moving by being prepared to hit your shot when it is your turn. You probably don't like waiting on other groups - don't make other groups wait on you.
• The player who is furthest away hits first in a group. However, in friendly matches (as opposed to tournament play), this rule can be ignored in favor of "ready play" - players hit as they are ready. All players should agree to "ready play" before it is put into effect.
• Do not spend too much time looking for a lost ball, particularly if there is a group behind you ready to play. If you insist on taking the full five minutes alloted to look for lost balls, golf etiquette says wave up the group behind to allow them to play through.
• Always try to keep pace with the group ahead of you. If space opens in front of you, allow a faster group to play through.
• 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.
• Always leave the putting green as soon as your group has finished putting.

Priority

• The person who had the lowest score on the previous hole has the "honour" i.e. tees off first.
• The person whose ball is the furthest from the hole, should always play their stroke first. This applies to fairway/rough and on the green.
• If you lose ground to the extent that the players in front are more than a hole ahead, you must invite the group behind to play through if you have been keeping them waiting.
• A singles match (two golfers) has priority over a fourball, which in turn has priority over a threeball.
• A player on his own has no priority and should always give way.

Course Care

• Always replace divots.
• Always look for and repair the pitchmark your ball makes on the putting surface after it has landed on the green.
• If you have played out of a bunker, ensure that you rake the sand smooth and replace the rake in it's place of origin so as not to interfere with play.
• Do not wheel trolleys across the teeing areas, the greens or into bunkers.

Courtesy

• Don't talk, move around or otherwise distract someone who is about to play a shot.
• Play without delay, but always make sure the golfers in front are well out of range of a good shot. On par 3 Holes, wait until the players ahead have left the green.
• If you are searching for a ball and the golfers behind are ready to play, signal them to play through - it stops frustration and saves time all round.
• When you have all putted out, replace the flag and move to the next tee without delay. Do not mark your card or stand discussing your scores on the green.

On The Green

• Don't step on your fellow players putting lines -- the imaginary line that connects the ball to the hole
• If your ball is on a player's line, volunteer to mark the ball
• If you're ball is not furthest from the cup:
• Mark your ball, either with a plastic marker or a small, thin, dark coin such as an old penny.
• After you have marked your ball, place your putter down at a 90-degree angle with the heel touching your marker.
• Move the marker from the heel to the toe of your putter. Reverse the procedure to return the ball to its original position
• Do not stand where you might distract a fellow player and don't move
• Don't make any noise when your fellow player is preparing to putt
• If you don't have a caddie and are asked to tend the flagstick, make sure you aren't standing on anyone's line
• Hold the flagstick at arm's length so the flag doesn't flutter in the breeze, and make sure your shadow doesn't fall across the hole or line. Loosen the bottom of the flagstick so it doesn't stick when you try and remove it by pulling it straight up after the other player has putted. The flagstick should be removed right after the player has hit the ball
• If you lay down the flagstick, lay it off the green to prevent doing any damage to the green
• Generally, the player closest to the hole will tend the flagstick
• After everyone has putted out, immediately walk to the next tee