Golf Courtesy

Well, the weather is getting warmer and people are starting to go out more. What better time to hit the links! How about taking some time to remember the etiquette rules of golf. Yes, the basic rules of golf play. The R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews) has a complete and updated book of golf rules and regulations out, but let’s highlight some key human rules of the golf course. To fully understand the rules of the course you are playing, you should check with the local golf pro or the clubhouse.

Silence Is Your Friend

Remember this is golf, when you watch actual play you should refrain from talking or speaking between other golfers especially when someone is about to hit the ball. The only time one should raise their voice is in case of an emergency (stray shot, fire, etc…). And as with most public places, please turn off all cell phones. Golf requires severe concentration and any noise will break that concentration. So…sshhh!

Never Run…Walk!

Walking is a distraction to any golfer about to hit a ball. Stand still until the ball has been played and then “walk”, never ever run on a golf course. Running signals urgency and should only happen in case of an emergency. Walk briskly at all times but never run – it’s unnerving to see someone running around a course.

Out Of Sight

When a golfer is in the tee box the other players should stand alongside the person playing, out of the way and never behind the player swinging. The other players shouldn’t be taking practice shots, getting new clubs or being a annoyance to that player teeing off. The only real reason a player should move is if the player teeing off requests that he move and then he should honor his request and move. Be invisible!

Keep Pace

This one can be somewhat tough to decide as no one likes to be thought of as a slow player. But long prolonged play may be factored by the size of your group versus the group size behind you or the experience level of your group versus the experience level of the group behind you. The rule of thumb is that golfers should have to wait on the group in front of them to hole out as they are teeing up. If the group pace in front of your group is too slow, then the fitting action for a slow group is to yield or relinquish the course to the faster group in behind. A quicker tempo makes the game more pleasurable for all golfers involved.

Golf is called a gentlemen’s game for one reason: decorum. Fore!