Golf Etiquette for Beginners

[Nick_Keller12]

I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on golf etiquette for the beginner golfer, or for that matter, all golfers. I feel like everyone knows not to talk in a backswing or before a stroke, filling divots, etc. What are some rules or etiquette that you feel are often not known or overlooked, both on the course and around the clubhouse? 

[russtopherb]

Be respectful of others, be respectful of the course, and don't be a Richard. That's pretty much the holy trinity right there, everything else falls into one of those three categories. And all three of those unfortunately get overlooked, and it's often more by experienced golfers than by new ones. 

To get a bit more specific, for a beginner golfer it's important to keep up with the pace of play. Sometimes that might mean picking up your ball and just moving on to the next hole. That's perfectly OK - I've done it more than once myself when I started playing with other golfers, especially strangers that I got paired up with. Keep up with the pace of play, keep up a good attitude, and a new golfer will get around the course just fine.

[palvord]

Echoing the pace of play here with this one, be ready to play when it is your turn. Don't wait to gather your yardage, pick your club, take a drop if needed, assess the lie, etc. These are all things that can be done while others are hitting their shots. The caveat being make sure that you're being respectful of others, aka don't do these things if you're going to be interfering with a playing partners shot.

The other piece of advice for beginners with etiquette is have fun. 

[Kansas King]

Generally speaking, as long as beginners aren't pricks, I'm fine and can be relatively patient with them. The biggest thing I've noticed with beginners, especially those that are roughly 20 - 30 yo is they don't have a sense of focus on the course and I don't really fault them for that. They just simply don't know what to be aware of yet. Notably, things like having a small conversation on the green after putting out or not being ready to hit, etc. 

The other issues I see are typically cart etiquette like where you should and shouldn't drive. Some of this I put on the course though and it's something I've had an issue with for a while for many courses. Generally, courses improved over the pandemic after getting flooded with new golfers. However, I still think public courses need to clearly mark the correct path to take to the next tee box if it's not blatantly obvious. Second, courses need to clearly mark off where carts should return to the path around the greens. I tend to see newbies drive up right next to the green on poorly marked courses. Sure, it may say to stay 50 feet away from all greens on the back of the score card but not many people are going to actually read that or even know it's there. 

So overall, I don't know if there are a lot of beginner things that are really that bad if they are respectful. My biggest thing is signage. If you want new golfers to feel comfortable, make sure things are well marked out and/or communicated verbally with golfers. 

[Dweed]

Fixing ball marks on greens. The proper way.  Playing music too loud. If within the group all are ok with it fine. But hearing loud music from 4 holes over is annoying.  Cigar or cig ashes on the green near the pin. Many who take junior lessons or clinics seem to get the basics explained and they do well learning.  The annoying part most is done by people who should know better. No manners anywhere so why would I expect them to honor a golf round?

[Kenny B]

Many beginner golfers don't even know that there is "golf etiquette".  When my wife and I get paired with people that are obviously new to the game, we try to help them out in a nice way (my wife is better at that than I am).  The first thing said is that we have to keep up with the group in front of us.  We will tell them that it's OK to have bad shots, but after so many it's better to pick up and go to the green.  Work on ball striking on the next hole.  

I feel that informing people about driving too close to greens, careful of other peoples' lines on the green and playing ready golf is something we should do.  Unfortunately, not every beginner will listen, but most are very thankful for our advice.  Sometimes we are both better off if my wife and I just go on ahead and let them play by themselves.  

[Bosox04]

If you don’t know where to stand, stand still when someone else is playing.

[Golf2Much]

A private club I was a member of had an influx of new members.  That first year, average round times were 15 minutes longer than the year before which many felt was unacceptable.   The Board's response was to develop and conduct a mandatory class all golfers needed to take before they could start playing golf in the Spring.  The class content was roughly half on pace of play and the other half on golf etiquette.  Pace of play included the obvious of keeping up with the group in front of you, but also more helpful tips like where to put your bag/cart in the proper location so you can clear the green proceed to the next hole without holding up the group behind you.   The etiquette part included things like how to fix ball marks correctly and how to enter, rake and exit traps.  It was about an hour long and was actually very informative.   That Spring, average rounds times dropped back 15 minutes and the greens areas looked much better.

[cksurfdude]

On 2/19/2023 at 8:15 AM, Golf2Much said:

A private club I was a member of had an influx of new members.  That first year, average round times were 15 minutes longer than the year before which many felt was unacceptable.   The Board's response was to develop and conduct a mandatory class all golfers needed to take before they could start playing golf in the Spring.  The class content was roughly half on pace of play and the other half on golf etiquette.  Pace of play included the obvious of keeping up with the group in front of you, but also more helpful tips like where to put your bag/cart in the proper location so you can clear the green proceed to the next hole without holding up the group behind you.   The etiquette part included things like how to fix ball marks correctly and how to enter, rake and exit traps.  It was about an hour long and was actually very informative.   That Spring, average rounds times dropped back 15 minutes and the greens areas looked much better.

^^ that's pretty good!

I've been thinking about sending an email to my club's GM (corporate ownership) and your list contains a lotta good points trip include - so thx!

He keeps sending emails to the membership talking about some of those things .. including, of course, pace of play, but I don't see it happening out on the course. An actual talk to the membership - new *and* existing - could be something useful to start changing attitudes..... 

[EasyPutter]

On 2/16/2023 at 2:08 PM, Nick_Keller12 said:

I’m wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on golf etiquette for the beginner golfer, or for that matter, all golfers. I feel like everyone knows not to talk in a backswing or before a stroke, filling divots, etc. What are some rules or etiquette that you feel are often not known or overlooked, both on the course and around the clubhouse? 

Great topic and something I think we all come across a few if not many times a season.

The best concept for new golfers is called Ready Golf, it means to be ready to play when it is your turn.  Begin preparing for your next shot the moment you have an idea where it is and where it needs to go.  It works like this:
- Assess the shot you are going to make and select the club to use on the way to where the ball lies (at the expense of conversation about other things.)
- Move quickly to your ball and assess the shot and begin the pre-swing warmup thinking about grip, rotation, etc.
- Watch what everyone else is doing and if nobody is going to take their shot then take yours. 
  -Furthest away ball golfer goes first as a courtesy and if you are not hindering someone further away then in Ready Golf you don't wait and shoot when you can safely.
- At the green, don't walk on the line of anyone's putt from ball to cup.
  - Have a discussion at the 1st green for flagstick in or out then do that at every hole.
  - Ready Golf means when you are ready, putt.
  - Hang around to watch everyone hole out but then be ready to leave for the next tee and look around to make sure nobody leaves anything behind.
- At the next tee, be ready to hit the moment you arrive at the tee box. 
  - Know who is hitting which tee distance and furthest back goes first.  Order doesn't matter, when you are ready tee off.
  - Everyone pays attention to the tee shots [not to watch closely but to not talk and be ready] to help spot where the ball and tee goes.
  - Pack up as soon as possible to head to where your ball lies as soon as the last golfer knows where they are going to find their ball.
- Walk with a purpose [it is good exercise] directly to where your ball is expected to be found.
- Drive following course rules and guidelines as if you're borrowing your bosses vehicle - there is no excuse for damage or abuse of a golf cart.
- If looking for a ball and it takes more than a minute [it will actually be more than a minute but it never seems as long as it is] consider it lost and drop another.
  [If you find a ball while looking for your own, it's your call to 'rescue' it or not but since a ball was found that's a good time to stop looking.]

I have pet peeves that my list will ensure don't happen.  I have regular partners who
[1] walk ahead to hit so I have to wait until they notice, usually red faced realizing they did it again. 
[2] look for a ball hit into rough and take so much time I will continue playing when they should have stopped looking and wait for them at the green,  
[3] one uses a laser rangefinder for every shot, then decides which club to use, sometimes rechecks the distance, changes the club, and duffs the shot starting the whole process 20 yards closer to the green, 
[4] one uses ARCCOS and each club registry to his smart phone takes 30-40 seconds, I timed it and that is average time and I practice being patient. 

40 seconds for anything on a golf course during a round is a long time.

[tony@CIC]

Lots of great articles on golf etiquette, but one that doesn't make the list is "don't talk when I'm in process of hitting the ball". So often, and especially in couples golf, just as I'm ready to hit my driver someone will start yucking it up - totally oblivious to me on the tee. My wife knows when I give her the "evil eye" it's time to be quiet. By the way it happens with guys as well. I just stand on the tee box waiting til they're done. 

[Kenny B]

46 minutes ago, EasyPutter said:

[3] one uses a laser rangefinder for every shot, then decides which club to use, sometimes rechecks the distance, changes the club, and duffs the shot starting the whole process 20 yards closer to the green, 

It should be against the law for someone to own a laser rangefinder if they can't consistently get the ball on or near the green.

[GaryF]

Some very good comments so I won’t repeat, but one category that is a bit tangent to etiquette while playing, is at the driving range.

If you get a phone call, step well away from where others are hitting.  Standing in your hitting spot while arguing over the phone, and announcing you can transfer $1.4M in the next 10 minutes isn’t helping me warm up or practice.  I was tempted to offer my routing number but was pretty sure all I would have received was a middle finger.  Or a group of (usually) women getting ready to play conversing with other members of their group 20-30 feet away, with others between them trying to warm up. The list could go on but that’s the gist of it. 

Oh, one last one on behalf of my wife - just because she is at the range alone doesn’t mean she needs unsolicited lessons. 
 

Edited February 21 by GaryF

[berkeleybob]

2 hours ago, GaryF said:

Some very good comments so I won’t repeat, but one category that is a bit tangent to etiquette while playing, is at the driving range.

If you get a phone call, step well away from where others are hitting.  Standing in your hitting spot while arguing over the phone, and announcing you can transfer $1.4M in the next 10 minutes isn’t helping me warm up or practice.  I was tempted to offer my routing number but was pretty sure all I would have received was a middle finger.  Or a group of (usually) women getting ready to play conversing with other members of their group 20-30 feet away, with others between them trying to warm up. The list could go on but that’s the gist of it. 

Oh, one last one on behalf of my wife - just because she is at the range alone doesn’t mean she needs unsolicited lessons. 
 

I’ve started wearing earbuds on the range for these reasons. The range I use has only two LH mats, and for some reason, a couple guys decided park themselves next to me in an empty range and have a business discussion. Not sure what that’s about.

With the advent of Top Tracer, I’ve noticed that ranges have turned into weekend nights at the bowling alley. That’s fine, as long as I know the score going in.

[GaryF]

6 hours ago, berkeleybob said:

I’ve started wearing earbuds on the range for these reasons. The range I use has only two LH mats, and for some reason, a couple guys decided park themselves next to me in an empty range and have a business discussion. Not sure what that’s about.

With the advent of Top Tracer, I’ve noticed that ranges have turned into weekend nights at the bowling alley. That’s fine, as long as I know the score going in.

Earbuds is a great idea.  We live at a private residential golf community so it doesn’t get too outrageous but so many know each other I think leads to some of this.  And some conducting biz are supposedly doing WFH, but at the range.  We have guests that stay at one of the cottages and they can run the spectrum from overly respectful (majority) to a few that since they pay a lot to stay here can make up their own rules. 

[cksurfdude]

On 2/20/2023 at 7:23 PM, Kenny B said:

It should be against the law for someone to own a laser rangefinder if they can't consistently get the ball on or near the green.

I wasn't gonna be that harsh, but .. f*** yeah. It just seems to me that most of the guys using one absolutely, positively, definitively and unequivocally do not "need" one. At all.

And then... And then... They take a long, slow walk from their riding cart with ONLY the range finder in hand!!????!!

(ok rant over)

[Kenny B]

3 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

I wasn't gonna be that harsh, but .. f*** yeah. It just seems to me that most of the guys using one absolutely, positively, definitively and unequivocally do not "need" one. At all.

And then... And then... They take a long, slow walk from their riding cart with ONLY the range finder in hand!!????!!

(ok rant over)

Yes.  For them a GPS watch is just fine.

Well... I do walk from the cart to my ball (if not in Martha's way) without a club to get my yardage with GPS.  She drives the cart to me after her shot and I pull my club.  

[cksurfdude]

So kinda related question to the group...

My wife, while not a beginner, may have a hole here and there where the ball is being oppositional-defiant and refusing to go much closer to the hole with each shot .. which may, when by the green, be paired with chipping the ball into a bunker or even through the green (tho this is much less frequent as she actually has a reasonable short game).

The pace of play problem comes in that she likes to finish each hole with the ball "clinking" into the cup...

So- how do I tactfully without offending her nor endangering myself ask her to pick up and move on..?

[Paul Hedrick]

I suppose I am rather 'old school' when it comes to golf etiquette.  I believe people should treat each other with respect, keep quiet when someone is swinging, keep the pace of play going, and don't be an ass to the cart girl.  When Covid hit I saw a huge increase in the number of new golfers on the course.  Sadly they had no instruction on how to act on the course, and it was terrible.  Slow play and not letting anyone play through was the worst in my opinion

[EasyPutter]

On 2/20/2023 at 7:23 PM, Kenny B said:

It should be against the law for someone to own a laser rangefinder if they can't consistently get the ball on or near the green.

11 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

I wasn't gonna be that harsh, but .. f*** yeah. It just seems to me that most of the guys using one absolutely, positively, definitively and unequivocally do not "need" one. At all.

And then... And then... They take a long, slow walk from their riding cart with ONLY the range finder in hand!!????!!

(ok rant over)

Totally agree with both and yes I own one of them and no I don't always get on consistently but then I don't usually range the flag unless a playing partner asks.

My laser rangefinder is my guarantee I don't hit a ball that has possibility of finding the group in front.  Used sparingly and never held for any longer than absolutely necessary.  Oh has also been used to spot distances for PGA Drive Chip and Putt competitions for the youngsters.

How do I come to own such an expensive device for such a safety conscious use?  I am glad you asked that (by reading lol) and I could not own one from my own resources TBH, except for winning 1st prize for the 2021 PGA Championship MGS Pool, thank you very much everyone