Golf Etiquette Rules 101: Do’s & Don’ts on the Course
Golf is a game rooted in deep traditions. Players are expected to call their own rules violations and they need to understand the sometimes-unwritten protocols and etiquette that govern golf. Even seasoned players can brush up on standard golf etiquette rules. If you get comfortable with the rules and etiquette before you get on the golf course, you’ll be more relaxed and enjoy your round more.
Do
Follow the Golf Course Dress Code
Most private clubs have a nonnegotiable dress code that likely requires a collared shirt. Public courses tend to be less stringent about their dress codes, but many have guidelines. Skip jeans and any kind of denim. Avoid cargo pants. On hot days, a loose-fitting polo that breathes easily is an excellent choice to keep you cool. They should be light and flexible. For cold days, long-sleeved, form fitting, stretchable tops protect against the chill. Shorts should have deep pockets to keep your tees and divot repair tools in them. Loose-fitting long pants that are flexible help keep you limber and warm. A durable belt is important. Black, white, and brown are colors that work best with most types of shorts. Golf shoes should be lightweight and comfortable. An 18-hole course could require 6 miles of walking. Golf shoes come with or without spikes. Both types of shoes give you good traction, which is important. It helps keep your lower body stable during the swing.
Don’t
Talk While Another Player is Hitting
It’s distracting for a golfer to hear voices during their backswing. Hitting a golf ball requires intense focus and concentration and the expectation is dead silence while a player is addressing their ball. In professional golf tournaments, the expectation is that the crowd will be quiet during a golfer’s shot. That is unlike most professional sporting events, where the crowds are typically cheering or sometimes booing during the competitions.
Do
Repair Your Divots
A divot is a piece of displaced turf that the golf club leaves after hitting your ball. Pick it up and put it back into the small hole that it created after you’ve played a shot. It helps the course heal quicker. Some golf carts have divot repair mix that you can use to fix the hole.
Don’t
Play Slowly
The Professional Golf Association suggests a 4-hour and 21-minute pace for four golfers and a 4-hour and 3-minute pace for three golfers. Slow play on a busy golf course disrupts the flow of play for other golfers that are grouped behind the slow players. If you’re a beginner, it might be best to start playing during a time when the courses aren’t as busy. That’s usually early in the week. Weekends are typically the busiest times for golf courses. It’s important for new golfers to learn to keep up with the pace. That might mean picking up your ball if you have a bad hole and moving to the next hole.
Do
Play Ready Golf
That means hitting the golf ball when you are ready to play. Tournament golfers don’t play ready golf. The person that is farthest from the hole always hits first. If player A is 135 yards from the hole and player B is 150 yards from the hole, player B would hit. For average golfers, to speed up the pace of play, it’s generally a good idea to hit when you get to the ball.
Don’t
Take Too Long to Look for a Lost Ball
The United States Golf Association allows three minutes for a lost ball. It used to be five minutes, but the rule was changed in 2019 to speed up play. Most golfers don’t play with a timer, so this is a general frame of reference for searching for a ball that’s deep in the weeds or in the woods.
Do
Help Other Players Find Their Errant Shots
If a player hits a shot into the woods or some tall grass, it’s polite to assist in their search for the ball. Typically, a player whose ball is in the fairway will hit their ball and then go and help someone who can’t find their shot. This helps speed up the pace of play.
Don’t
Use Your Cell Phone on the Course
Some private clubs don’t allow golfers to take their phone on the course. Check emails and take phone calls when the round is over. Use the downtime to get to know your playing partners better.
Do
Follow the Cart Requirements
Courses will have specific places that carts aren’t allowed to drive on the course. Typically, there is an area around the greens that is off-limits. The places where golfers can’t drive are usually marked clearly with signs. Often, when it rains and the course is soft, golfers have to stay on the cart path.
Don’t
Stand Directly Behind a Golfer during Their Swing
Golfers in the group should stand out of the line of sight of the player who is hitting. It can be distracting for a player to see someone behind them or moving when they’re setting up their shot. Typically, it’s best to stand on the side of the golfer addressing the ball.
Do
Rake the Sand Traps
If your shot lands in the sand, or as golfers say, the “beach,” it’s important to rake the sand after your shot is played. The traps usually have a rake lying outside of them. Golfers should rake over the footprints they leave and the area where the ball was in the trap.
Don’t
Walk on Another Golfer’s Line on the Putting Green
When a ball lands on the green, there’s a route or line it has to travel to get into the hole. Avoid walking across that line. Footprints in a golfer’s putting line can alter the line and affect the putt.
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced golfer, learning the proper rules and etiquette is an important part of the game. Rules and etiquette for beginning golfers can be intimidating at first. Learning them takes time. Some of the proper etiquette is unwritten and it takes years to learn. Don’t sweat it if you don’t get it right all at once. It takes time to understand some of the nuances that make golf protocol unique.
