Golf Etiquette

Over the last few centuries, golf has cultivated its very own culture, language and mannerisms. It’s true, golfers can sound and act pretty crazy! The phrase “Golf etiquette” means having proper manners with your playing partners during a round and treating the course properly during your round. 

Here are a few basic etiquette items to be aware of that will make you look like a seasoned pro on the golf course.

Before and after the round 

Arrive at the first tee 5-10 minutes before your tee time. Introduce yourself and learn everyone’s name. Upon finishing the round, it is customary to thank your playing partners with a handshake. 

During the round 

It is important to stand still and not make any noise as another player in your group is preparing to take a shot. Mobile phones should be kept on silent and used at a minimum during a round of golf, though there are some golf apps that have scoring and GPS that may come in handy. 

Standing in the line of sight of another golfer on the putting green is distracting, both in front of them and behind them. Stand off to the side instead. Be mindful of your shadow as well. 

Maintaining a steady pace of play is important regardless of your ability. Always try to be at your ball and ready to hit when it’s your turn. If you are having a rough hole and it is not a competition, it is okay to pick up your ball and move on to the next tee to not hold up the group. 

If your playing partners hit a ball into the rough or trees, it is customary to help them look for the ball for the allotted three minutes. 

Always leave a golf course in better shape than you found it. Replace divots, rake bunkers, fix ball marks made on the green and cause no unnecessary damage to the course. 

After the round 

A round of golf typically ends with thanking players for playing. In a competitive event, players will sign and attest each other’s scorecards and turn them in to the tournament committee.