Golf etiquette is one of the most important parts of the game of golf. The golf etiquette (or the lack of it) that you display on the course will say more about you as a golfer and a person that anything you ever do with your clubs.

The love of the game, the understanding of the traditions and the respect for those with whom you play, all come together in the golf etiquette you exhibit on the course.

In the Golf Etiquette Primer, Mr. Golf Etiquette will present and discuss the basic elements of good golf etiquette for golfers to review. Hopefully, this section of the web site will be seen as a simple introduction to the concepts of golf etiquette for the new golfer and a good review for the experienced golfer.

The Golf Etiquette Primer will be continually enhanced over time. Readers of the Mr. Golf Etiquette web site are encouraged to contribute their thoughts on the practice of good golf etiquette and even to send in their stories that help to articulate or clarify any of the concepts presented herein. Mr. Golf Etiquette will be happy to post your stories and make this section something from which we can all learn and grow.

Choose the area of golf etiquette you wish to review:

Golf etiquette is an extremely important part of the game of golf. The etiquette golfers show to one another out on the course is one of the things that distinguishes golf from all other sports. But what is etiquette?

Etiquette has to do with manners. Whether you are talking about etiquette at the dinner table, in school, in your family or out at the movies with your friends, etiquette is important. It is through the courtesy we show to other people that we communicate our respect for them and that we show them how important we think they are.

Golf is a game that requires a lot of concentration. If you are trying to make a putt, or hit your tee shot into a narrow Fairway, it will be much more difficult if someone is laughing, rattling their clubs, or running around the tee or green.

There are a few rules of etiquette that apply in all situations on the golf course and the practice area and there are other rules of etiquette that are particular to certain circumstances, especially on the green. Here, we will review the general applications of golf etiquette.

Safety
The first and foremost rule of golf and golf etiquette is safety. This rule applies to young and old alike. Without some good common sense and a notion of how hard golf balls and clubs are, a golf course can be a very dangerous place. So here are some safety rules to always follow on the golf course:

Don't take practice swings toward another person (rocks and sticks and grass can fly up and hit them in the eye. Besides, it's rude!)

Don't swing your clubs when someone is walking around -- and don't walk around when someone is swinging golf clubs.

Quiet
Quiet is required on the golf course. Golf requires lots of concentration, and even if the people in your immediate group don't seem to be bothered, there are other groups all around you. So keep you voice down.

Walk, don't run. Running around is annoying, distracting and causes damage to the course. Walk quickly, but lightly.

Pace of Play
As much as people enjoy playing golf, they don't want their round to take all day. If golfers have to wait too long in between shots they get impatient and they lose their momentum. So here are some things you can do to maintain a good pace of play:

Take only one practice swing for each shot, then hit the ball. (Remember: if you take 120 shots in a game and you take an extra 30 seconds for each one you will add an hour to the length of your golf game.)

Plan your shot before it's your turn (don't wait until your turn to start thinking about what club you will hit, or whether to go over the water or lay up to it -- be ready in advance).

As you approach the green determine in which direction the next tee is located and leave your clubs (or park your cart) on that side of the green.

When playing from a motorized cart, if one player is on one side of the fairway and the other player on the opposite side, drop one player off at his or her ball with a choice of a few clubs, then drive to the next player's ball and meet farther down the fairway, after both have hit their shots.

Keep up with the group ahead of you. As they leave the green you should be ready to hit up to the green. Don't worry about how far ahead you are of the group behind you, focus on staying a reasonable distance from the group ahead.

Hitting Into the Group Ahead of You
Minding your "Pace of Play" will help you stay with the group ahead and you will be sure not to delay any groups playing behind you. At the same time you are being careful to stay with the group ahead, you must also be careful not to be so close that you hit your ball into that group. If your ball was to hit one of the players in that group it could be very tragic, so be careful that all golfers are out of range before you hit.

Sometimes there are golfers who get very impatient if a group is playing slowly ahead of them; that is understandable. However, it is never acceptable to try to speed up that group by hitting a ball at them to send them a message that you are getting tired of waiting. If you are tired of waiting, walk ahead to their group and ask them to speed up play, but never hit into them.

"Playing Through"
Playing Through another group is one of the most difficult and contentious parts of golf. It is difficult because, often, there is an implication that the group who is "being played through" is guilty of slow play and they typically resent that implication -- even if it's true. So if you are going to ask another group to allow you to play through them, do so in a courteous manner and at a convenient time in the round.

Here are some tips regarding Playing Through:
•  Be sure there is room for you to properly play through before you ask permission. (If there is another group immediately ahead of the group you are asking, they will naturally decline to let you through and they will be annoyed that you bothered them.)
•  Be courteous and quick as you hit your shots in playing through. If you hit bad shots (which often happens because there is extra pressure when you are playing through), don't take any Mulligans, just drop a ball near where yours was last seen and play on.
•  If you are playing slowly (more than a hole between you and the group ahead of you) and you think the group behind might want to play through, invite them to do so. It might be convenient when you are on a green. Wave them up, stand aside and let them hit up to the green. As they are walking up to the green you can putt out. Then allow them to tee off before you on the next tee.

Play Ready Golf Whenever It's Appropriate
If you are not playing golf in an actual tournament, or other sanctioned event, it is okay to play "ready golf." Ready golf means the golfer who is ready to hit can do so even though he or she may not be farthest away from the hole. Just agree ahead with the others in your group that you will play ready golf when it makes sense. That way they won't think you are just unaware of the rules. It is good courtesy to acknowledge that you are playing ready golf to move things along.

Ready golf can really help to speed things along, but before you hit be sure that everyone in your group knows that you are going to hit and that you are aware of where everyone in your group is. You certainly do not want to hit someone who is not paying attention, nor do you want several people hitting at one time.

Golf Carts
You don't need a driver's license to drive a golf cart on the course, but you do need some common sense and a great deal of respect for the course and the players around you.

If you are driving a motorized cart, drive at a moderate speed and keep your eyes open for other golfers.

Depending on weather conditions and other variables courses will post different rules relating to the use of carts. Be sure to obey the course rules regarding carts such as:

Keep carts on paths at all times -- this is a rule that courses use if the ground is very wet and they don't want the tires of the motorized carts to damage the fairway grass.

90 Degree Rule -- this rule requires you to stay on the cart path until you are even (at a 90 degree angle) with your ball. Then you may drive your cart straight out to your ball. When you've taken your shot, drive straight back to the cart path. Adhering to this rule minimizes damage to fairway grass as well, but still allows golfers to drive right up to their ball.

The teeing ground is technically the area between the markers and two club lengths behind the markers. But when we refer to the tee in this discussion, we are really referring to the entire tee area.

When you are on the tee the most important thing to keep in mind is to respect the person hitting. Any unnecessary movements or noises are not appreciated by someone who is trying to concentrate on hitting a straight shot down the fairway or reaching the green in one. Movement in the peripheral vision of the one hitting can easily cause that person to mis-hit a shot.

Stand behind the player who is hitting or, when it is not possible to be behind, at least be out of the peripheral vision of the one who is hitting. Be sure you are out of range of the golf club.

Watch the shots of everyone in your group. Sometimes people end up hitting straight into the sun or for some other reason they will be unable to see where their ball landed. If you are courteous enough to watch the flight of each golfer's shot they will be very grateful for the help in finding their ball. It will also save a lot of time since you will lose far fewer balls by pro-actively watching where they went.

Unless you are actually playing golf with Tiger Woods, don't shout, "You Da Man!" after every shot.

Remember to be quiet -- don't talk, or giggle about their bad swing, or rattle through your bag for your clubs, or crumple up a bag of potato chips.

Etiquette in the fairway (which is the closely mowed area between the tee and the green), is very similar to etiquette on the tee, except that in the fairway the players are often more spread out depending on where their shots all landed. Once again, it is important to be aware of where the other members of your group are located before you hit. You want to be sure that you are not hitting your ball near where someone is standing or looking for their ball. And you want to determine whether it is your turn or if you should wait for someone else to go ahead of you.

Divots
One thing that is important to note when you play a shot out of the fairway grass is that your club will often cut out a big chunk of turf and send it flying through the air. This huge chunk of real estate is called a "divot."

It is quite normal to "take a divot" and it actually can be a sign of a well-hit shot; you will see the pro's on TV do it all the time. The only problem with divots is when you walk along the golf course and see those divots strewn about like so much 'Fairway Roadkill.' If those divots are replaced back into the place from which they were hit, they have an excellent chance of growing back without leaving a trace.

So, if your shot causes a divot to be dislodged from the fairway (or really, anywhere on the course), walk over, pick it up and put it back into the spot from which it came and lightly step on it to help it to grow back. Everyone who plays golf in that spot after you will be very grateful.

(It should be noted that not ALL types of grass will benefit from replacing divots. Some of the Bermuda grasses, often planted in warmer climates, are bred to spread and grow quickly. The preferred method of repairing a divot with that type of grass is to place a mixture of seed and sand in the divot and press it down. You will find that material supplied by the course in a container on your golf cart. So, if you are unfamiliar with the type of grass on the course, ask before you begin your round what the course prefers you do with divots. They will be grateful for your concern.)

Losing a Ball
One of the least fun parts of playing golf is losing a ball. It's frustrating, it's expensive, and guess what! It's going to happen to YOU eventually. When it does don't fret about it, just reach into your bag and pull out another ball and pick up from where you left off. You DO HAVE another ball, don't you?

Here's what happens when you lose a ball: Suppose you hit one into the woods or the rough; you can look for the ball for a few minutes, but if it seems like you are going to take any longer than a few minutes, and there is a group behind you, let the group behind play through. Don't hold up the entire course because you lost a ball. Being courteous to those behind you is especially required if you, or someone else in your group has already lost a ball in that round. The people in the group behind will quickly lose patience if you lose a lot of golf balls and take a long time to look for each one. The amount of fun you (and those around you) have on the course will be greatly diminished if you are arguing with the people in the groups around you. Remember to take their interest into consideration too. Good golf etiquette sometimes means putting your own interests second to those around you.

Bunkers
In many places along the fairway or tucked up next to the greens you will run into one of the biggest challenges on the course -- the bunkers. If your ball lands in the bunker there are a few "rules of golf" and a few "rules of etiquette" for you to know. Here are the main things to know, and each one is marked to show whether it is a "golf rule" or an "etiquette rule:"
•  * enter the bunker from the low side of the bunker nearest your ball (don't climb down the wall of the bunker) [etiquette rule]; (maintaining the high edges of the bunker is difficult and if they cave in it is hard to repair them)
•  * since the rules of golf forbid "testing the conditions," before a shot, don't pick up the sand or kick it around to determine how wet or soft it is (however, you are allowed to "skootch" your feet down into it to get a good stance) [golf rule];
•  * also to avoid "testing" don't touch the head of your club in the sand before your shot [golf rule];
•  * when you are finished with your shot (or shots) from the bunker, use the rake provided by the course to rake out all evidence of your ball, your shot and your footprints [etiquette rule];
•  * leave the rake outside the bunker with the rake handle running parallel to the fairway [etiquette rule].

The Putting Green is a very special place to golfers. Putting is one of the most important parts of the game of golf -- remember that one half of all the strokes allotted for a score of par are putts! And because the green is such a special place and because putting is so important to your game, there are LOTS of etiquette rules to know about when you are on the green.

Spikes
The first thing to realize when you walk onto the green is that the grass is very delicate and even your very foot prints can be damaging to the green. If you wear spikes on your shoes it will be especially damaging because when golfers twist their feet to turn, they tear out the grass and leave big gashes on the green. Also if the grass is very wet the spikes can leave big holes in the surface of the green.

There was once a time when it was believed that spikes were good for the grass because they aerated the soil. There was also a time when it was believed that the earth was flat and disease was caused by evil spirits. Luckily, human beings learn as they go. And one of the most important things they have learned (right up there with the round earth thing and germs) is that metal spikes can actually damage the greens.

A new, more golf-course-friendly trend in golf today is to require golfers to wear "soft spikes" on their shoes. Soft spikes are plastic spikes that give you good traction on your shoes, but don't damage the surface of the green. So, if you wear spikes on your shoes, be sure to wear soft spikes to protect the greens and keep them rolling true!

Stepping Over the Ball Path
Another thing to notice as soon as you step out onto the green is the location of everyone's ball. The reason you should carefully note where all the other balls are is so you don't step on the path on which someone else will momentarily putt.

If you step on the path of a ball lying on the green what will happen is that your footprint will make a little hole or depression right where that golfer is going to send their putt. That depression may cause their ball to go off course, making them miss their putt. They will not be too happy if that happens.

The best route to your own ball is to walk behind any other balls laying on the green. But if that is not possible, then step over the imaginary line between any ball and the hole. By walking around or stepping over another player's ball path you demonstrate your awareness of their ball and your courtesy to them as a player.

Repairing Your Ball Marks
One of the great thrills in golf is to watch your well-hit shot sail through the air, land on the green and roll up to the cup. What a great feeling! But before you become overwhelmed with joy remember that when that ball landed on the green it, no doubt, made a dent in the surface of the green.

Depending on how hard and fast the ball was traveling, how hard the greens are and how wet the weather has been, that dent may vary from a little bump to a great big gash. When your ball makes a mark on the green you should take out your handy-dandy "ball mark repair tool" and fix it. By fixing the mark you will be ensuring that the golfers who play behind you will have a smooth surface free from blemishes.

Here is the proper way to fix a ball mark, so that no one will even be able to detect that it ever occurred:

First, realize that the ball is rarely, if ever going to fall straight down out of the sky. It comes in to the green at a slight angle. As a result of the angle of approach, most ball marks have a bunch of grass pushed up in the front of them like an accordion and a little patch of exposed brown dirt at the back of them.

So, the obvious thing to do if you want to completely restore the grass is to use your ball mark repair tool to pull back the grass that is bunched up in the front. Gently straighten out the accordion.

If the ball came in really hard there may even be a small chunk of grass that is broken off, if so, get that chunk and put it back in the hole and then gently press the grass down all around to smooth it out. Some golfers like to gently step on the repaired spot, which is okay, but pressing down with your fingers works fine too.

(The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America wants you to know that they appreciate your efforts in this regard. They feel so strongly that repairing ball marks is important that they invited Mr. Golf Etiquette to use their display of the proper method of fixing ball marks. Click here to see their display -- scroll the left side of their frame and click on "Repairing Ballmarks.")

If you have time while waiting for the others to putt, and if you have mastered the technique of fixing the marks, you may want to fix one or two others that less considerate golfers have failed to repair. You can count that as your good deed for the day but, unfortunately, you cannot eliminate strokes from your score for each mark you fix.

(Avoid the technique of sticking the tool in and stirring it around -- that only makes a bigger mess than is already there.)

Marking Your Ball
When you are on the green the Rules of Golf allow you to mark and clean your ball. The cleaning part helps to ensure you will get a nice even roll on your putt; the marking part ensures that you will put the ball back in exactly the same spot when you are done cleaning.

Place a coin or a ball marker directly behind your golf, on the opposite side of the ball as the hole. Don't put your ball marker in front of your ball because you may put an indentation in the ground in front of your ball, causing your own shot to go off course when you hit it.

If your ball is in the direct path of another golfer's shot, you may move your mark up to a club length to either side. Of course, when the other golfer has played the shot, you must return your mark to the original position.

After you have cleaned your ball, if your spot on the green is closer to the hole than any other golfers in your group hang onto your ball until it is your turn. That way your ball won't be a distraction to someone putting before you.

Meanwhile, without disturbing anyone who is putting, you can be evaluating your putt from your ball marker. Then when it is your turn, place the ball on the ground in front of your marker, then remove the marker.

(Avoid the bad habit of taking the marker up then putting the ball down. You cannot put the ball in precisely the same spot with that technique and at some point in a tournament a competitor may question the accuracy of your replacement of the ball.)

Removing/Tending The Flagstick
The Rules of Golf tell us that the ball may not strike the flagstick, in the hole when the ball has been played from on the green. (If your ball is hit from off the green and hits the flagstick, that's okay -- it's especially okay if it hits the flagstick and goes in the hole!) So that means when a golfer is putting, the flagstick must be removed from the hole before the ball enters the hole.

To remove the flagstick from the hole, simply pick it straight up to avoid bashing it against the rim of the hole and damaging the edge. Take the flagstick to the edge of the green and gently lay it down so the knob on the end is off the green. If you just drop it on the green it may leave a big gash on the surface of the green. That's a no-no!

Sometimes, however, due to a long putt or an odd angle or the sunshine or shadows, or who-knows-what, the person putting may not be able to see the hole very well. In this instance another golfer in the group (perhaps that would be YOU) can 'tend the flagstick' for that golfer. Tending the flagstick is a courtesy you extend to the other golfers in your group whenever they need that service, and if you do it properly they will quickly see that you are well schooled in the art of golf etiquette.

Here is the proper way to tend the pin for another golfer:
•  Stand to the side of the cup, left or right, depending on which side your shadow falls (be sure your shadow does not fall over the cup or across the line the golfer is putting on);
•  Stand about arm's length distance from the cup with your feet away from the hole (to avoid damaging the cup), and be sure you are not standing on anyone else's putting line in the process;
•  With your arm nearest the flagstick reach out and hold the flag against the flagstick to keep it from flapping in the breeze;
(Now, there's one more thing you need to do and this is the really hard part...) Become invisible.

(Becoming invisible means don't fidget, talk, wiggle, waggle, drop your club, or point to the bald eagle that just flew overhead. In fact, the only thing that should make you move is if the guy who is putting forgot to set the brake on his electric cart and it is now rolling into the lake with his clubs his wallet and his keys -- then you can say something. Otherwise be invisible!)

The last thing that happens regarding tending the pin is that the person for whom you are tending it actually putts the ball. Now as the ball is rolling toward the hole, lift the flagstick straight out, walk quietly to the side of the green and lay it down as described above.

Going to School
"Reading the greens" is a tricky business. That is the process of figuring out how the ball is going to roll up and down and across all the little hills and moguls that are all around the green. If you learn to "read" them well you will be an excellent putter. Meanwhile a great way to learn is by watching the other golfers in your group who are putting ahead of you in turn. Golfers refer to this as "going to school" on a putt.

"Going to school" on a putt can save you valuable strokes, but one thing you cannot do is put your education ahead of someone else's opportunity to make a putt. So that means that even though you are studying hard to see where the putt goes, you may not choose a vantage point that is within the peripheral vision of the golfer who is putting or, that will be, in any way, distracting to the putter.

Often at a pro event you will see the pro golfer who is going to school get behind the person putting and after the shot has been hit, quickly scurry to the vantage point where he or she can see the ball break to or away from the hole. Good golf etiquette sometimes means putting yourself at a slight disadvantage in order to allow your playing partner the best chance for a good shot.

Practice is a very important part of the game of golf -- just as it's an important part of any game. Lot's of people go to driving ranges and putting greens to practice their swing and putting technique.