Golf Etiquette

Golf is much more than having the textbook swing.  Whether you’re Tiger Woods or are just taking up golf, one of the most important aspects of the game is etiquette.  It is a social game – a gentleman’s game – and as such it is about respect for your fellow players, self-control, and savouring each time you have the privilege of setting foot on a course.

Whether you’re playing a fun game with your friends or having a ‘business meeting’, often even more than your score, you will remember the experience.  Could you hardly wait to get off the course, or was it one of the perfect rounds that you wish could have lasted forever?  Here are a few tips on golf etiquette to make the game more enjoyable for you and your foursome. 

1) Move along – Many courses post warnings against slow play and have rangers patrolling the course.  There is no need to feel pressured by these safeguards, just keep a couple of things in mind and your pace of play will almost certainly be deemed acceptable.  First, walk and talk.  It is hard to resist the urge to pause for a communal conversation on the green when recapping adventures of the hole, but why not do so while walking to the next tee blocks?  It can save more than 30 minutes in a round.  Second, resist the urge to take the road less-travelled and lead your own self-guided golf ball safari between shots.  This is extremely irritating to both your own group and the one on the tee blocks behind you.  

2) Play your own game – No matter how good you think you are, or what a difference that last tip in Golf Magazine made to your game, it is not okay to give unsolicited advice on the golf course. You play your game, and respect your partners enough to let them play theirs.  Simply offer compliments and encouragement along the way. 

3) Be courteous - When a partner is carefully eyeing that putt for birdie or double bogie, the last thing they want to think about is having to take the pin out. Always stay one step ahead.  Whether this means tending the flag, raking a bunker, picking up their clubs on the side of the green, or keeping track of an errant tee shot, this thoughtfulness is always appreciated. 

Finally, whenever you are unsure of what to do in a situation, use your best judgment and be sure to give your fellow players the benefit of the doubt.  By following these simple golf etiquette rules you will be well on your way to becoming the MVME – most valuable master of etiquette – in your group.