Golf Etiquette
I ran across this article by Ron King on golf etiquette and it struck a cord with me. So I wanted to share this with my left handed golfers. Ron highlights 5 golf etiquette areas which I often have to address with my various golfing partners. He discusses proper golf apparel, showing up on time, cell phone use, order of play, and conduct when hitting (or as I call it, Quiet Please!) Which of these etiquette items “irk” you the most? For me, my top two are cell phone use and order of play.
Enjoy the article and let me know your thoughts!
“Golf Apparel — The Start Of Good Golf Etiquette
by: Ron King
Many of us recall old movie images of golfers in plaid pants, sweater vests, billed caps, and other stereotypical apparel of golfing lore. While clothing on golf courses has changed over the years, proper golf apparel is still expected. And the greater the prestige of the golf club, the greater the expectation you will abide by their dress code. Most clubs and courses, even the public ones, require that golfers follow a dress code. The most common rule is the collared shirt. Many courses require long pants, not jeans, and golf shoes.
5 Minutes Early Is Late!
When it comes to actually starting your game, the primary rule of golf etiquette is to show up on schedule for your tee time. That means you will have already done everything else in preparation for the start of the golf game. You’ll need time to park your car, warm up, practice, buy balls, change, and pick up a cart. Being early is a matter of consideration for others.
Leave Cell Phones In The Real World
The exclusion of cell phones from golf is another common courtesy on the links. Cell phones should be left in your car or locker. If you do need to bring a cell phone onto the course for emergencies, keep it turned off or in vibrate mode. There is nothing worse than hearing that annoying ring, coming from someone’s golf bag, in the middle of swing.
Order of Play
When you’re on the course, you’ll need to understand how the other golfers in your group want to play. Some let the best score tee off on the next hole, while others let whoever is ready tee off first. You can offend players by not following their rules for order of play, even if their rules are, from your perspective, wrong.
Time-Honored Conventions Make Golfing Unique
An obsession with quiet is another characteristic for which golfers are known. Like most traditions, this one is based on necessity. When your object is to hit a small object with a long pole, you need all of your concentration. Even when golfing with friends, respect the fundamental rule of keeping quiet during shots, and standing out of the direct line of vision.
Today’s golfing rules of etiquette can seem archaic — a throwback to days of old. They harken back to a slower paced time when consideration for others was perhaps easier. In the 21st century, golfing provides us a time away from the bustle of everyday living. Though golf is highly competitive, it is, nonetheless, a gentleman’s — and gentlewoman’s — game.
Be sure that, when you are out on the golf course, you have a good understanding of the rules by which the other golfers want to play. Know, in advance, whether they honor the preceding holes score, for instance, by letting the golfer with the best score tee off on the next hole, or do they let whoever is ready to tee off, go first? It is possible, if you aren’t careful, to offend strangers, if you have decided to join their group when you play, by not playing to their rules.”
