Time-Honored Lessons On-Course Etiquette Adds Appeal To Game Deeply Rooted In Sportsmanship

Golf is a game ruled by genteel rules of etiquette.

Some might even say excruciatingly genteel rules of etiquette. You would never hear the word “honors” used in, for instance, pro wrestling.

For most golfers, though, etiquette is part of the game’s appeal, making golf a haven of courtesy in an increasingly uncouth world. Which is why it never hurts to remind people of what those rules are, and why they were invented in the first place.

The rules generally fall into two categories: Those that are intended to protect the course, and those that are intended to protect a fellow golfer’s concentration. For instance, the rules that prohibit dropping the flag on the green or leaning on one’s putter are intended to make sure that nobody puts a dent in the green. The rule that requires you to stay out of the peripheral vision of a putting golfer is to minimize distractions.

In fact, you can sum up the main tenets of golf etiquette simply enough: Keep still, keep quiet and keep the heck out of everyone’s way. Bear those in mind, and you’ve got most of golf etiquette figured out.

However, golf etiquette is not quite that simple, especially here at the turn of the century.

The biggest challenge to golf etiquette these days is simply: Not realizing that the rules exist.

“I would say that golf etiquette is probably below average right now, just because people don’t know the rules,” said Steve Nelke, head pro at Hangman Valley Golf Course.

Golfers who take professional lessons ought to know them.

“We do a lot of work on etiquette in our beginning lessons,” said Nelke. “We take them out and play two holes, just to show them things like how to rake the traps, how to fix ball marks.”

But a lot of golfers have never learned these lessons, or they have forgotten them. The most common transgression: Failure to replace a divot.

Nelke said the TV cameras usually fail to capture Tiger Woods or his caddy replacing the divot after he hits, so people don’t even realize you are supposed to.

Fixing a divot is one of those rules that is both for the protection of the course and to ensure fair play. Don’t replace a divot, and the player behind you may lose his nassau bet.

Steve Caruso, head pro at Twin Lakes Village Golf Course near Rathdrum, said, “My feeling is that etiquette is still pretty good, but I see signs that it is slipping a little bit, a minuscule amount. If I were to pick one problem area, it would be the pace of play.”

This is undoubtedly the most contentious area of golf etiquette. The thorniest problems occur when groups stack up and the question of “playing through” arises. It is not unusual for angry words to be exchanged, especially if tact isn’t employed.

The general rule is this: If the group behind you is consistently waiting on you, and your group has fallen behind, you should wave them through. Or, if the group behind you asks to play through, let ‘em go.

Don’t take it as a challenge to your manhood (or womanhood). Too often, golfers feel somehow insulted if a group asks to play through.

“There’s no disgrace in having a faster group play through,” said Nelke. “There are going to be times when you’re playing with people who move fast and sometimes, not so fast. We’ve all been there.”

The proper way to ask is, of course, politely. Don’t “just stand there and holler,” said Nelke.

Lately, golfers have invented a modern way of trying to play through. They call the pro shop on their cell phones and ask the pro if they can play through, said Nelke. In general, the old-fashioned, personal approach still works best, if done with tact.

The one time when it is not appropriate to ask to play through is if everybody’s stacked up on the course, and the group in front of you is already waiting on the group in front of them.

“Just accept it and enjoy the people you’re with, and remember why you’re out there,” said Nelke.

Only one thing is worse than hollering at a slow group. That is to lose patience, grab a club and hit away. If you hit into them, that will be perceived, rightly, as a hostile and dangerous act.

By the way, if you hit into the group in front, either accidentally or on purpose, you should muster your courage and do the right thing: Go up and say you’re sorry. If they get belligerent, just issue your apology, back off and “don’t engage,” said Caruso.

Speaking of speed of play, the other major challenge to etiquette today is the “ready golf” movement. This is a form of etiquette in itself, but is at odds with some of the more traditional forms of golf etiquette, specifically the concept of “honors.”

“Ready golf” can be defined roughly as “hit when ready.” For getting people around the course quickly, it makes good sense. Yet it flouts centuries of golf etiquette, which allows the golfer who won the last hole to have the “honors” on the next tee. In “ready golf” whoever marches up to the tee box first gets to tee off first. It’s the same on the fairway and green. You don’t have to wait for the person farthest away from the hole to hit. Hit when ready.

So the challenge is knowing when to use which form of etiquette. If you are in serious tournament play or competition, the “honors” rules make sense. A golfer who tees off first might have an advantage - he can put pressure on his opponent with a good drive. It’s an advantage that must be earned by winning the last hole.

But if you are just playing for fun, or in a friendly competition for a few bucks, “ready golf” is perfectly good. March up to the tee and hit away, as long as everyone agrees in advance that “ready golf” is the order of the day.

Caruso said etiquette is an important part of golf lessons, but probably the most effective teachers are right out there on the course all the time.

“If you are in a group, and you know the etiquette, it’s up to the person with the most experience in the group to take some leadership,” said Caruso. “It’s up to people to open their mouths and communicate.”

Caruso said he is confident that golfers will continue to pass along the codes of behavior, and that’s one reason he is not too concerned about the future of golf civility.

“I think golf etiquette will always have its place, because it’s such a humbling game,” said Caruso. “You will always realize that the game is bigger than you.”

This sidebar appeared with the story:

ETIQUETTE

Playing by the rules

Here are few time-honored rules of golf etiquette:

Stay still and stay quiet whenever anyone is hitting.

Replace all divots.

Rake the bunker after a sand shot and leave the rake in the trap when you are done.

Enter from the low side of the bunker; climbing down from the top can cause the edges to cave in.

Repair ball marks on the green.

Check where other players’ balls are on the green and don’t step in their lines.

Tend the flagstick by standing on the side that won’t cast a shadow across the hole.

Hold the flag against the flagstick and stand at arm’s length.

Lift the flagstick straight up when you remove it, and place it gently on the fringe.

Don’t lean on your putter when you take your ball out of the hole (to avoid damaging the green).

Take care not to drag your spikes (even soft spikes) across the green.

Compliment fellow players for their good shots, and keep your mouth shut for their bad shots.

Ready golf

The rules of “ready golf” and other rules for speedy play:

No honors; whoever is ready to hit can hit.

Don’t take more than one practice swing per shot.

Don’t get more than one hole behind the group in front of you.

Watch the flight of your playing partner’s shots; with your help they can more quickly locate errant shots.

When searching for a ball, wave a waiting group through; even then, don’t spend more than five minutes looking for a ball.

On the green, you may putt when ready even if someone else is still off the green.

Don’t stand on the green and mark your scores; do it on the next tee.

Place your bags on the side of the green toward the next tee, so you don’t have to walk all the way back across after putting out.

Sources/resources: The USGA’s Year 2000 Official Rules of Golf www.usga.org.rules and www.mrgolf.com