Golf is a carefully balanced game of rules and etiquette, and it’s quite important to know the essentials of golfing etiquette before you go on the course to play your first game of golf.
It doesn’t matter whether you are playing on your own, in a twosome or in a foursome, golfing etiquette demands that you must always wait your turn. You must remain aware of the group on the next hole and wait until they are well ahead of you before hitting your ball.
Golfing etiquette also means that it is never correct to “hurry” the group in front of you. If you are playing with others, wait your turn to hit the ball and never play at the same time as another player.
While you are waiting for your turn to play, go to your ball and determine what golf club you will select and how you are going to hit the golf ball with it. This is called “ready golf” and keeps the game moving along. Don’t rush anybody, just be ready for your turn.
Another useful piece of golfing etiquette, especially for the beginner is ‘playing through’. For example, if your team is holding up the players behind you, say because you are playing consistently over par, let them play through. You would simply wave them through, or if they are near enough to you, just ask them if they would like to play through. You will never make enemies by doing this!
When someone is taking a shot, you should be standing behind them and you shouldn’t make a sound! It is so distracting to be about to to tee off and just as you pull back, someone decides to jingle coins in their pocket or noisily unwrap a sweet.
Replacing divots. Let’s say you are on the fairway and you hit the ball a bit thick and a clump of dirt and grass goes flying, no problem, but golfing etiquette says that you ought to replace it. On some courses you just put the clod back into the hole and step on it to keep it down, but on most courses, there is a sand/seed mixture on the course to put into the divot. Also, if your ball makes a deep impression when it lands on the green, you should use your divot tool to repair it.
As soon as you have finished a hole, replace the flag and leave the green quickly so that the next players can play that hole. Count your score and write it on the scorecard when you’re back at your cart.
Of course, there are many more rules of golfing etiquette, but these simple ones will enable you to get through the course without making anyone annoyed. If we all keep to golfing etiquette we will keep the game dignified, right?
If you are want to find out more about golfing etiquette, visit our website on Golfing Tips for Beginners for stacks of free tips.
