Golfing Etiquette Essentials

Golf is a very dignified game of rules, manners and etiquette, and it’s quite important to know the basics of golfing etiquette before you play golf for the first time.

Whether you are playing alone, in a twosome or a foursome, the first rule of golfing etiquette is that you must always wait your turn. You must stay 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 “push” the group in front of you. If you are playing with others, wait your turn to hit the ball and never hit at the same time as another player.

While you wait 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, but don’t hurry anybody, just be ready for your turn to play.

Another useful piece of golfing etiquette, especially for novices is ‘playing through’. For example, if your team is holding up the players behind you, perhaps because you are playing consistently over par or taking a long time to choose your club, 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 an enemy by doing this!

When someone is taking a shot, you should be standing behind them and you shouldn’t make any noise! It is so distracting to be ready to tee off and just as you pull back, someone decides to play with keys 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 clod of dirt and grass goes flying, golfing etiquette says that you ought to repair the hole. On some courses you just put the turf back and step on it to press 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.

For sure, there is much more to golfing etiquette than this, but these basic rules of golfing etiquette will enable you to get around the course without upsetting anyone. If we all uphold golfing etiquette we will keep the game nice and friendly, or not?

If you are want to find out more about golfing etiquette, go along to our website on Golfing Tips for Beginners for tons of free recommendations.