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Golf Etiquette
Consideration of others
The player who has the "honour" should be allowed to tee-off first
and should do so without delay.
You should not talk, stand close or otherwise distract fellow
players while they are taking their shots.
Don't play until the group in front of you is out of range.
If you lose a ball and it is obvious that it will not be found
easily, signal the group behind to play through. Do not wait the
five minutes allowed under the "Rules of Golf" for ball searching,
before doing so. (If you believe a ball may be lost immediately
after you have hit it, play a provisional ball).
(Added 23/3/09) If a player believes
the ball just played would be found and did not play a provisional
but then cannot find it, then rather than go back and play again
they should, after a couple of minutes search, play from where they
believed the ball to have landed (taking a decent lie) and take
2 penalty strokes.
When completing a hole, move off the green immediately. Leave
the marking of scorecards, etc. until you are well clear.
Please avoid the use of mobile telephones on the course, consider
others and switch ring tones off.
Keep moving as quickly as you are able whilst walking between
shots.
No sharing of clubs, bags or trolleys because this slows play.
Keep It Safe
- Do not swing your club until you know that others in your group
are at a safe distance. Likewise, keep your distance when others
are swinging. Be aware to steer clear of trouble
- When practicing your swing, never swing in the direction of
another player. There may be pebbles or twigs or other matter in
the grass that could fly up and injure a playing partner.
Do not hit the ball until you are certain that the group ahead
of you is out of range.
- If your ball appears headed toward another player or another
group, give them a warning by yelling out, "Fore!"
(an internationally recognized alert)
- Observe the safety suggestions posted in golf carts and drive
carefully. Golf etiquette requires keeping your cart off the
grass as much as possible. (see
golf cart safety for more)
- Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and
childish, it could also be dangerous.
More golf safety tips
Maintain a Good Pace
- Keep the round moving by being
prepared to hit your shot when it is your turn. You probably
don't like waiting on other groups - don't make other groups
wait on you.
- The player who is
away hits first in a group. However, in friendly matches (as
opposed to tournament play), this rule can be ignored in favor
of "ready play" - players hit as they are ready. All players
should agree to "ready play" before it is put into effect.
- Do not spend too much time looking for a lost ball, particularly if
there is a group behind you ready to play. If you insist on
taking the full five minutes alloted in the rulebook to look for
lost balls, golf etiquette says wave up the group behind to
allow them to
play through.
- Always try to keep pace with the group ahead
of you. If space opens in front of you, allow a faster group to
play through.
- When two players in a cart hit to opposite sides
of a hole, drive to first ball and drop off that player with his
club, then drive to the second ball. After both players hit,
meet up farther down the hole.
- When walking from your cart to
your ball, take a couple clubs with you. Taking only one club,
then having to return to the cart to retrieve a different club,
is a huge time-waster.
- Always leave the putting green as soon
as your group has finished putting.
More Tips for Fighting Slow Play
Be Kind to the Course
- Observe cart rules. Some courses will post "cart path only"
signs; others will ask you to observe the "90-degree
rule." Do as you are told.
- Keep carts away from greens and
hazards. The wheels on carts can damage these sensitive areas
(see
golf cart rules and etiquette).
- Repair your
divots in the fairway.
- Repair your
ball marks on the green.
- Always rake sand bunkers after
hitting to erase your footprints and damage to the area where
your ball was.
- Avoid taking a divot on a practice swing.
How to repair ball marks
How to repair divots
How to rake sand bunkers
And a Few More Golf Etiquette Hints
- Quiet, please! Never talk during another player's swing.
- Do not yell out following a shot. Even if boisterous behavior
doesn't bother your playing partners, there are other people on
the course who may be within earshot.
- Be aware of your shadow
on the putting green. Don't stand in a place that causes your
shadow to be cast across another player or that player's putting
line.
- Never walk through a playing partner's putting line.
Your footprints might alter the path of a partner's putt. Step
over the putting line, or walk around (behind) the partner's
ball.
This text was taken
from
http://golf.about.com
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