Golf etiquette
Encyclopedia
Golf etiquette refers to a set of rules and practices designed to make the game of golf
safer and more enjoyable for golfers and to minimize possible damage to golf equipment and courses. Although many of these practices are not part of the formal rules of golf
, golfers are customarily expected to observe them. The R&A rule book states that "[t]he overriding principle is that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times."
Should carts be permitted off the paths, golfers should observe the "90 degree rule": make a 90 degree turn off the path toward the fairway to a given ball, and return straight back to the path, not along the path of greatest convenience. Carts inflict wear and tear on the course, and can be accidentally driven over another player's ball. Golfers should keep the noise
of backing up to a minimum and must always set the park brake
when leaving the cart.
of ball they are using, or mark it to avoid confusion during play.
, where it strikes the ground. These need to be repaired to keep the green in good condition. After golfers have arrived at the green, they should make a point to find pitch marks and repair them.
A second but related concern involves the hole itself. A golfer should avoid stepping within at least a one-foot radius of the hole.
According to the rules of golf, a player is not allowed to "ground" the club in any type of hazard. This means that a player getting ready for a shot cannot allow the club to touch the ground, sand, water
, or anything else during a practice swing. A player is allowed to thrash as much sand, water, etc., as necessary during the actual shot.
A player should always enter and leave a bunker from the low side. After the shot, a player should rake
the sand smooth again to leave a fresh surface for other players. Normally, the rake should be replaced alongside the bunker, not inside it.
Not all bunkers must be raked anything deemed as a waste trap does not need to be raked. Waste traps can either be determined by signs or by the overall condition of the bunker. These bunkers are very common in coastal courses (ie:Myrtle Beach), and at some courses you may even be permitted to drive your cart in these bunkers. You may also ground your club in all waste bunkers. If you are unsure whether or not the bunker is a waste bunker always assume its a regular bunker, because even the pros sometimes don't know.
Golfers should try to follow closely the group ahead of them, and not to be "pushed" by the group behind them.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
safer and more enjoyable for golfers and to minimize possible damage to golf equipment and courses. Although many of these practices are not part of the formal rules of golf
Rules of golf
The rules of golf are a standard set of regulations and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the R&A the governing body of golf worldwide except in the United States and Mexico, which are the responsibility of the United States Golf...
, golfers are customarily expected to observe them. The R&A rule book states that "[t]he overriding principle is that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times."
Fairway divots
Divots should always be repaired, either by placing sand in the divot or replacing the grass, preferably with a divot tool to help fit the new sand in.Walking
Golfers should not run during play, but instead walk quickly but lightly during play and remain stationary while others play their shots.Golf carts
Golf carts should not be used to annoy or distract other players. The cart should be parked on the cart path when at the tee box or putting green. Carts should normally stay only on the paths, and are required to do so on many courses.Should carts be permitted off the paths, golfers should observe the "90 degree rule": make a 90 degree turn off the path toward the fairway to a given ball, and return straight back to the path, not along the path of greatest convenience. Carts inflict wear and tear on the course, and can be accidentally driven over another player's ball. Golfers should keep the noise
Noise
In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...
of backing up to a minimum and must always set the park brake
Brake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
when leaving the cart.
Honour
The player with the best score on the previous hole has the honour of teeing off first. If there is no outright winner of a hole, then the order of play does not change from the previous tee. In informal games one can play ready golf and not wait for the best score on the hole to tee it up first.Ball identification
A golfer should always know which brandBrand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of ball they are using, or mark it to avoid confusion during play.
Line of sight
In the tee box, other players should stand alongside the person playing, out of the way and not behind the player getting ready to swing. Should the player about to play the ball ask his partners to move, the request should be honoured.Pitch marks on the green
A ball hitting the green often leaves an indentation, a pitch markGolf glossary
The following is a glossary of the terminology used in the sport of golf. Where words in a sentence are also defined elsewhere in this article, they appear in italics.- A :The following is a glossary of the terminology used in the sport of golf...
, where it strikes the ground. These need to be repaired to keep the green in good condition. After golfers have arrived at the green, they should make a point to find pitch marks and repair them.
Putting lines
Golfers should note each player's putting line, and avoid stepping on it as they play on the green or stand on a line of sight, that is, in the line of sight either ahead or behind a player who is attempting to putt.A second but related concern involves the hole itself. A golfer should avoid stepping within at least a one-foot radius of the hole.
Bunkers
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, or anything else during a practice swing. A player is allowed to thrash as much sand, water, etc., as necessary during the actual shot.
A player should always enter and leave a bunker from the low side. After the shot, a player should rake
Rake (tool)
A rake is a broom for outside; an horticultural implement consisting of a toothed bar fixed transversely to a handle, and used to collect leaves, hay, grass, etc., and, in gardening, for loosening the soil, light weeding and levelling, removing dead grass from...
the sand smooth again to leave a fresh surface for other players. Normally, the rake should be replaced alongside the bunker, not inside it.
Not all bunkers must be raked anything deemed as a waste trap does not need to be raked. Waste traps can either be determined by signs or by the overall condition of the bunker. These bunkers are very common in coastal courses (ie:Myrtle Beach), and at some courses you may even be permitted to drive your cart in these bunkers. You may also ground your club in all waste bunkers. If you are unsure whether or not the bunker is a waste bunker always assume its a regular bunker, because even the pros sometimes don't know.
Slow play
Slow players should allow following faster players to play through if there is substantial room in front of them.Golfers should try to follow closely the group ahead of them, and not to be "pushed" by the group behind them.
Tee box
A golfer should choose the correct tee for their skill level, regardless of where the other members of the group are playing. The different tee lengths are one way to help even the playing field. A golfer should tee the ball between the two markers for their given distance. The ball must be even with or behind the markers. Should a golfer address the ball, swing and miss, the golfer incurs no penalty (but the stroke counts). If the ball is moved, anywhere off the tee at address, a one-stroke penalty will be incurred.External links
- R&A Rules
- Discussion of golf etiquette at the United States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf AssociationThe United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
website - Article on golf etiquette at About.comAbout.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
- Golf Etiquette