Some rules in golf are printed in black and white. However, others live in those sideways glances, whispered comments and round-ending group texts that say: “Please don’t bring that person next time.”
These are the unofficial etiquette rules. Sometimes, you’ll get to know your group of golfers and these things aren’t a problem. We get it: everyone plays at a different level and with different levels of seriousness. However, if you’re a newer player heading out with golfers you don’t know, these are the unwritten rules you’ll be expected to know.
Don’t touch another player’s ball (Even if you think you’re helping)
You found your buddy’s ball in the rough and tossed it over to him or picked it up to help him identify it. This isn’t really helpful. It’s not yours and now the lie isn’t the same as it was. Unless someone specifically asks, leave their golf ball as you find it.
Don’t give swing tips unless you’re asked
There’s a time and place for swing advice. The middle of the round is not that time nor the place. The worse your playing partner starts to play, the more advice you start giving and it just gets uglier from there.
Unsolicited swing tips are one of the fastest ways to make a round awkward. Even if you’re right, even if you’re a scratch player, keep the information to yourself unless someone specifically asks, “Do you know what I’m doing wrong.”
The bottom line here is to compliment good shots. Say nothing about the bad ones and offer help when invited.
Don’t offer to let faster groups play through (If you are the slow one)
If you are slowing your group down because of your game or just your overall pace, it’s not a good idea to let other groups play through. The move here is to play faster. Take just one practice swings, be ready when it’s your turn, walk a little faster.
When you let groups from behind play through, you make the day longer for everyone. Do what you can to keep yourself moving and stay with the group in front of you. The exception here would be if you have a single or a twosome behind you and there is room in front of you. If it makes sense to let them go, let them.
Don’t stand behind the hole while someone is putting
I’ve always thought that one of the hardest things for new golfers to understand is where to stand and when. It takes a little time to figure it out. Even if you’re off to the side and not on anyone’s line, standing directly behind the cup is distracting.
Subtle movements, shifting shadows, and fidgeting, even the feeling of being watched, can break a player’s focus.
Stand off to the side, outside the player’s vision and away from their line.
Respect the group ahead’s space
When you’re playing on a golf course that’s stacked with one group after another, there’s no reason to crowd the group in front of you. Instead of making the group play faster, you may just make everyone tense.
Pulling your cart up too close, taking practice swings that they can hear or staring them down just doesn’t work to speed anything up. If pace becomes a serious issue, notify the pro shop. Don’t be the passive-aggressive shadow.
Don’t linger at the cart after the hole ends
When you finish a hole get moving to the next one. Throughout the course of the round this can save so much time. Fill out your scorecard on the next tee box, grab a sip of water and keep it moving.
Know when to pick up your ball and move on
Every golfer has a blow-up hole now and then. However, at a certain point, maybe double par or worse, it’s time to wave the white flag and move on.
Dragging out the hole while searching for your 9th shot or grinding over a three-footer for an 11 slows play down and silently frustrates your group.
The USGA’s maximum score format (used in handicap calculations) already builds this into the game. Your max score per hole is based on your course handicap. Anything more doesn’t even count so, at that point, it all becomes about pace of play.
Final thoughts
Whether you’re a golf traditionalist or a new player just trying to figure out which end of the tee goes in the ground, the unwritten rules of golf should probably just be written somewhere to make life easier on all of us. In most cases, they aren’t.
Hopefully these give you a little bit of a head start.
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