Golf Etiquette - by Diane Brooks

One place you don’t want to lose you rhythm or cause someone else to lose theirs is on the golf course. Sometimes, a small breach of etiquette can be the cause. Read on for a primer in what to do – and not do – while playing this sport.

Golf Etiquette
By Diane Brooks

Golf is one of the fastest growing sports in North America with many women using the game as a business development tool. No one expects you to shoot a perfect round of golf, but everyone expects that players be well versed in the art of golf etiquette. Distinct from the formal rules of golf, a person’s golf etiquette (or the lack thereof) can say more about a person than anything they ever do with their clubs. Here are the 10 golden rules:

1. Speed of play . Nothing is more frustrating than playing behind a slow foursome. Tee times are typically placed 8 minutes apart and therefore you should never be more than 8 minutes behind the group in front of you. Once you reach your ball on the fairway, you should take your shot within 35 to 40 seconds. If you are playing behind a slow foursome, do not try to speed them up by hitting your balls towards them when it is unsafe to do so.

2. No talking : Never talk or make any noise when someone is about to take a shot. This includes on the tee, on the fairway or on the green.

3. Farthest away versus "ready golf" . Proper etiquette dictates that the person farthest away from the flag is the next to play. A group may however decide to play "ready golf" to speed the pace of play. If this is the case, you may take your shot if the person whose turn it is, is not ready. Immediately move out of the way once you have taken your shot so as to not impede anyone’s sight line.

4. Honours. The person with the lowest score on the previous hole is the first to tee off at the next hole and maintains this honour until he or she is beaten (not tied). Do not step up the tee box before the person holding honours has shot or has indicated that you should proceed.

5. Keeping score. Don’t wait to be asked by the score keeper. Announce your score as you sink your putt. (And, it goes without saying, don’t cheat!).

6. Looking for lost balls. Never spend anymore than 5 minutes looking for a lost ball before dropping another ball and taking your stroke penalty.

7. On the green. Again, the person’s whose ball is farthest from the hole putts first. Never walk in front of someone’s ball. This rule originates from the days when longer metal spikes were on golf shoes which left enough of an indentation to affect the roll of the ball. While the soft spikes no longer do this, the etiquette rule is unaffected.

8. Repair the Course. If you take a divot, it should be replaced. Some courses will provide a sand and grass seed mix on the carts to reseed any irreplaceable divots. Ball marks on the green should also be repaired with the appropriate tool. If these are not repaired right away, they will damage the green.

9. Rake the bunkers. If you are unfortunate enough to land in a sand trap, carefully rake all the sand after your shot so that no footprints, ball or club marks remain. This prevents others’ balls from landing in your footprints and making a difficult shot even more so.

10. Check your temper. Golf can be a frustrating sport, but there is never any excuse for yelling, screaming, throwing clubs or becoming angry with your companions.

08.08.2006

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Diane Brooks is the founder and creative director of Creating Charisma. Having spent 18 years as a corporate lawyer in both private practice and in financial institutions, she understands the power of image in a corporate setting. During her years of practice, Diane saw a need for individuals and institutions to focus on creating a better image to increase their credibility and develop a better personal brand. Visit her website at www.creatingcharisma.com for more information.