Golf Course Etiquette Every Beginner Should Know

Golf has more unwritten rules than almost any other sport. Nobody hands you a manual when you start playing, but experienced golfers notice immediately when someone does not know the etiquette. The good news is that none of it is complicated, and knowing these basics will make you a welcome playing partner anywhere.

Pace of Play Is Everything

Slow play is the number one complaint among golfers, and beginners are often (fairly or unfairly) blamed for it.

Keeping pace does not mean rushing or playing badly. It means being ready when it is your turn and not adding unnecessary delays.

Be ready to hit when it is your turn. Start thinking about your shot, selecting your club, and taking practice swings while others are playing. When it is your turn, you should be ready to step up and go. If everyone in a foursome does this, it saves 20 to 30 minutes per round.

Ready golf is the standard on most courses now.

This means whoever is ready hits first, regardless of who is technically farthest from the hole. If your playing partner is searching for a ball and you are ready to hit, go ahead and hit. Just make sure nobody is in your line of play.

If your group falls more than one full hole behind the group ahead of you, something needs to change. Pick up your ball if you are out of contention on a hole.

Skip a hole if necessary. Or let the group behind you play through. Holding up an entire course of golfers because you refuse to pick up your ball on a bad hole is poor etiquette.

Be Quiet and Still During Shots

Golf requires concentration, and noise or movement in a player's peripheral vision is distracting. When someone in your group is preparing to hit, stop moving, stop talking, and stand still.

This applies to all shots, from drives to putts.

Position yourself where the player cannot see you in their peripheral vision. Standing directly behind the ball or directly across from the player on the other side of the ball are the worst positions. Stand off to the side, slightly behind, where you are out of the visual field.

Phones should be on silent. Notification sounds during someone's backswing will not make you popular. If you need to take a call, step away from the group and keep it brief.

Fix Your Divots and Ball Marks

When you take a divot (the chunk of turf your iron removes on a good shot), replace it. Pick up the piece of turf, put it back in the hole, and press it down with your foot. If the course provides sand bottles on the carts, fill the divot with sand instead.

Either way, repair what you damage.

On the green, fix your ball mark (the dent the ball makes when it lands). Use a divot repair tool (a small fork-like tool that costs $5 and should be in every golfer's pocket) to lift the edges of the dent back to level. Do not pry up from the center. Push the edges inward from the outside of the mark, then flatten with your putter head. Fix one extra ball mark while you are at it.

The greens crew will appreciate it.

Rake bunkers after you play from them. Enter from the low side (not the steep face), play your shot, and use the rake to smooth out your footprints and the area where you hit. Leave the rake outside the bunker, parallel to the line of play, unless the course specifies otherwise.

Cart Etiquette

Follow the cart path signs. When the sign says "cart path only," stay on the path.

Do not drive across the fairway because you are closer to your ball. This rule protects the turf, especially during wet conditions when cart tires tear up soft ground.

When you are allowed on the fairway (typically indicated by a "90 degree rule" or "scatter" pattern), drive on the cart path until you are parallel to your ball, then drive straight to it at 90 degrees. Do not drive the cart along the fairway following each shot.

And never drive the cart within 30 yards of the green or onto the tee boxes.

Park the cart on the side of the green closest to the next tee, not the side you approached from. This sounds minor, but when four carts per group are parked on the wrong side, it adds walking time and slows pace for everyone behind you.

On the Green

The green has more etiquette rules than any other part of the course because putting surfaces are delicate and easily damaged.

Do not step on the line between another player's ball and the hole. Footprints can deflect a putt, and stepping on someone's line is considered one of the bigger etiquette violations in golf. Walk around their line, not across it.

Mark your ball when it is in another player's line or close enough to be distracting.

Place a small coin or ball marker directly behind the ball, lift the ball, and replace it when it is your turn. If your marker is still in someone's line, move it a putter head length to either side (and remember to move it back before putting).

Tend the flagstick or remove it based on the group's preference. As of the current rules, you can putt with the flag in or out. Just agree with your group and be consistent.

If you are tending the flag for someone, hold it so it does not flap in the wind, and remove it as soon as the ball is struck.

After everyone has holed out, leave the green promptly. Record scores at the next tee or while walking to the next hole, not while standing on the green. The group behind you is waiting.

Safety

Never hit when there is any chance of reaching the group ahead of you.

If you are unsure, wait. Hitting into the group ahead is dangerous and one of the most serious breaches of golf etiquette. Even if you think you cannot reach them, err on the side of waiting.

If your ball is heading toward other people, yell "Fore!" immediately and loudly. This is not optional. It is a safety warning that gives people time to protect themselves. Do not be embarrassed about yelling it.

Being embarrassed about a bad shot is not worth someone getting hit in the head with a golf ball.

Be aware of your surroundings during practice swings. Loose debris, gravel, and divots can fly significant distances and hit nearby people. Check that nobody is within range before swinging.

General Behavior

Be respectful to everyone on the course: your playing partners, other groups, the course staff, and the course itself.

Golf is a social game, and your reputation follows you.

Control your temper. Nobody cares about your bad shot as much as you do, and throwing clubs, yelling profanity, or slamming things is uncomfortable for everyone nearby. Take a breath, put the club back in the bag, and move on. Professional golfers manage their emotions on camera in front of millions. You can manage yours in front of three other people.

Thank the staff when you check in, at the turn, and after the round. Tip the cart attendants and beverage cart staff. These people make your experience possible, and a little appreciation goes a long way.

The Short Version

Play at a reasonable pace. Be quiet during shots. Fix your divots and ball marks. Follow cart rules. Do not step on putting lines. Yell "Fore!" when needed. Be a decent human being. Do these things and you will be a welcome addition to any group, regardless of your skill level. Golf ability does not determine whether people want to play with you. Etiquette does.