PGA Golf Etiquette

By PGA.com staff

What people can expect during a round of golf, from beginning to end:

Arrive:

  • If caddies are available:
    • Remember caddie programs are an excellent way for young people to earn some money and be exposed to a sport that they can enjoy and might help shape their character.
    • A good caddie can make the round more enjoyable by giving you hints that might lower your score.
    • A good caddie can provide information on yardage, club selection, reading the greens and the layout of the course.
  • Warm Up:
    • Try to arrive soon enough to give yourself time to warm up properly.
    • Work your way though the bag, beginning with the short irons, moving onto the mid-and long irons and then the woods.
    • It’s often a good idea to finish warming up by hitting a few soft wedge shots before heading for the practice green and hitting a few putts.
    • Don’t hit hundreds of balls and leave your game on the practice tee.
  • First Tee:
    • Check the scorecard to learn any local rules.
    • Local rules apply only to the specific course you are playing.
    • If your playing companions suggest a match, it’s a good idea to make sure everyone is comfortable with the stakes.
    • Make sure to place an identifying mark on your ball and inform the other players the type and number ball you are playing.

Avoid Slow play:

  • When your group is not keeping up with the pace of play of the group in front of you:
    • Walk at a reasonable speed between shots.
    • Begin planning your next shot as you approach the ball by studying the strength and direction of the wind.
  • When you reach your ball, check the lie, select your club, visualize your swing and shot, and then play your shot.
  • From the time you select your club until you actually hit your shot, you should take no more than 30 to 45 seconds.
  • If you aren’t ready to play when it is your turn, encourage one of your fellow players to play.

Maintaining the course:

  • Replace your divots.
  • Turf tends to explode on impact, making it difficult, if not impossible, to replace the divot. In this case, you have two options:
    • You can use the toe of your shoe to kick in the turf around the edges of the divot.
    • Many courses often put containers of a soil/seed mixture on their carts and tees. If this is the case, simply fill in the divot with the mixture.
  • Bring a rake into the bunker with you — remembering that you should always enter the bunker from the low side at a point nearest to the ball.
    • Whenever possible, avoid walking on the steep face of a bunker.
    • After hitting your shot, rake the area you played from, as well as all your footprints and any others within reach.
    • Rakes should be left either in or nearby the bunker.
  • Important to repair any pitch marks or indentations caused by the ball hitting the green.
  • Using a tee, knife, key or repair tool, repair the mark by working the edges towards the center, without lifting the center of the mark. Don’t tear the grass. Finish by smoothing the area with a club or your foot. Try to get the area smooth enough to putt over.
  • Just remember that while the Rules of Golf allow you to repair pitch marks on your putting line, you cannot repair spike marks on your putting line until after you have putted.

On the green, remember:

  • Don’t step on your fellow players putting lines — the imaginary line that connects the ball to the hole.
  • If your ball is on a player’s line, volunteer to mark the ball.
  • If you’re ball is not furthest from the cup:
    • Mark your ball, either with a plastic marker or a small, thin, dark coin such as an old penny.
    • After you have marked your ball, place your putter down at a 90-degree angle with the heel touching your marker.
    • Move the marker from the heel to the toe of your putter. Reverse the procedure to return the ball to its original position.
  • Do not stand where you might distract a fellow player and don’t move.
  • Don’t make any noise when your fellow player is preparing to putt.
  • If you don’t have a caddie and are asked to tend the flagstick, make sure you aren’t standing on anyone’s line.
  • Hold the flagstick at arm’s length so the flag doesn’t flutter in the breeze, and make sure your shadow doesn’t fall across the hole or line. Loosen the bottom of the flagstick so it doesn’t stick when you try and remove it by pulling it straight up after the other player has putted. The flagstick should be removed right after the player has hit the ball.
  • If you lay down the flagstick, lay it off the green to prevent doing any damage to the green.
  • Generally, the player closest to the hole will tend the flagstick.
  • After everyone has putted out, immediately walk to the next tee.

Miscellaneous:

  • If you hit a tee shot into the woods and suspect that it might be either lost or out-of-bounds, the Rules of Golf allow you to play a second or provisional ball.
    • You then have five minutes from the time you reach the spot where you suspect the ball landed to find the ball. If it is not found within that five-minute period, you must declare it lost and play your provisional ball with a one-stroke penalty
    • If, however, you play the provisional ball and subsequently find your original ball in-bounds, you must pick up your provisional and continue to play the original ball, in-bounds.
    • Out of bounds balls are assessed the penalty of “stroke and distance.”
    • For a complete discussion of the Rules of Golf, visit the USGA’s web site.
  • For safety’s sake, never hit when there’s a chance you might be able to reach the group ahead of you, and anytime you hit a shot that you think even has remote chance of hitting any other players, yell “fore” immediately, and make a point of apologizing to any players your ball lands near.
  • Displays of frustration are one thing, but outbursts of temper are quite another. Yelling, screaming, throwing clubs or otherwise making a fool of yourself are unacceptable and, in some cases, dangerous to yourself and others.
  • As a player, you also have a responsibility to learn and understand the Rules of Golf.
  • Five of the most common Rules are those deal with Out of Bounds, Lost balls, Unplayable lies, cart paths and water hazards.
  • Moving on, if your group stops for refreshments, either at the turn (the end of nine holes) or following the round, volunteer to pay for them, as well as offer to buy drinks for the caddies.
  • Whoever pays at the turn, however, should not be expected to pay for refreshments at the end of the round.
  • Finally, at the end of the round, shake hands with your fellow players, congratulate the winners, console the losers, and thank them for their company. At the end of the day, the great pleasure of the game is the time you get to spend with your friends whether old friends or new friends you just made through the game.

For a complete discussion of the Rules of Golf, visit the

GOLF ETIQUETTE 101

GOLF ETIQUETTE 101

The Spirit Of The Game

Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

Safety

Players should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs or the like when they make a stroke or practice swing.

Players should not play until the players in front are out of range.

Players should always alert greenstaff nearby or ahead when they are about to make a stroke that might endanger them.

If a player plays a ball in a direction where there is a danger of hitting someone, he should immediately shout a warning. The traditional word of warning in such a situation is “fore.”

Consideration For Other Players

No Disturbance or Distraction

Players should always show consideration for other players on the course and should not disturb their play by moving, talking or making any unnecessary noise.

Players should ensure that any electronic device taken onto the course does not distract other players.

On the teeing ground, a player should not tee his ball until it is his turn to play.

Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.
View Avoiding Distraction Animation

On the Putting Green

On the putting green, players should not stand on another player’s line of putt or when he is making a stroke, cast a shadow over his line of putt.

Players should remain on or close to the putting green until all other players in the group have holed out.
View Putting Green Animation

Scoring

In stroke play, a player who is acting as a marker should, if necessary, on the way to the next tee, check the score with the player concerned and record it.
View Scoring Etiquette Animation

Pace Of Play

Play at Good Pace and Keep Up

Players should play at a good pace. The Committee may establish pace of play guidelines that all players should follow.

It is a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If it loses a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind, it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group.
View Playing At A Good Pace Animation

Be Ready to Play

Players should be ready to play as soon as it is their turn to play. When playing on or near the putting green, they should leave their bags or carts in such a position as will enable quick movement off the green and towards the next tee. When the play of a hole has been completed, players should immediately leave the putting green.
Viewing Being Ready To Play Animation

Lost Ball

If a player believes his ball may be lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, to save time, he should play a provisional ball.

Players searching for a ball should signal the players in the group behind them to play through as soon as it becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found.

They should not search for five minutes before doing so. Having allowed the group behind to play through, they should not continue play until that group has passed and is out of range.
View Saving Time With A Lost Ball Animation

Priority On The Course

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group’s pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round.
View Priority On The Course Animation

Care Of The Course

Bunkers

Before leaving a bunker, players should carefully fill up and smooth over all holes and footprints made by them and any nearby made by others. If a rake is within reasonable proximity of the bunker, the rake should be used for this purpose.
View Bunker Etiquette Animation

Repair of Divots, Ball-Marks and Damage by Shoes

Players should carefully repair any divot holes made by them and any damage to the putting green made by the impact of a ball (whether or not made by the player himself). On completion of the hole by all players in the group, damage to the putting green caused by golf shoes should be repaired.
View Divot Repair Etiquette Animation

Preventing Unnecessary Damage

Players should avoid causing damage to the course by removing divots when taking practice swings or by hitting the head of a club into the ground, whether in anger or for any other reason.

Players should ensure that no damage is done to the putting green when putting down bags or the flagstick.

In order to avoid damaging the hole, players and caddies should not stand too close to the hole and should take care during the handling of the flagstick and the removal of a ball from the hole. The head of a club should not be used to remove a ball from the hole.

Players should not lean on their clubs when on the putting green, particularly when removing the ball from the hole.

The flagstick should be properly replaced in the hole before players leave the putting green.

Local notices regulating the movement of golf carts should be strictly observed.

Conclusion; Penalties For Breach

If players follow the guidelines in this Section, it will make the game more enjoyable for everyone.

If a player consistently disregards these guidelines during a round or over a period of time to the detriment of others, it is recommended that the Committee consider taking appropriate disciplinary action against the offending player. Such action may, for example, include prohibiting play for a limited time on the course or in a certain number of competitions. This is considered to be justifiable in terms of protecting the interest of the majority of golfers who wish to play in accordance with these guidelines.

In the case of a serious breach of Etiquette, the Committee may disqualify a player under Rule 33-7.