Unspoken Rules of Golf - Etiquette

Golf is amazing because it is the only game played without a referee or an umpire. It is a gentleman's game and all about honesty. They say soccer is a gentleman's game played by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen. What I do know is that as you grow older the balls get smaller. I'm not talking about shrinkage of spherical here but a choice of balls, sports and game. And what's up when the ACS boys and those from the the Saints roughed it out after a rugby game where ex students and even parents joined in the fracas? Why do adults joined a teenagers' fight. When others spilled in no one knows if they went in to help stop it or to join in.

What I could never fathom is how could anyone remember so many golf rules? If you try reading a golf rules book, you will end up not only tearing up the book but what little hair you may have left and I am not talking about just those on your head. The fastest way to learn is to be with more seasoned players simply because they would use the rule book to their advantage, to gleefully penalise you and plummet you into total anguish. 


After paying for crimes which seems innocent (like no practise stroke when your ball lands into a hazard which is where you should need even more practice), you quickly pick the pointers and are ready to mete out the same punishment to your other unsuspecting friends. I sometimes suspect that these rules were made by a group of sadists since you actually need even more practice strokes in the hazard. Heck, pay first and claimed it back from some other victims later. More important than the rules I think are really etiquette because having the right etiquette ensures safety which is paramount.

Do You Know Your Golf Etiquette?

Think you know your golf etiquette well? How about the many unspoken rules?

Beyond etiquette, golf teaches us to be humble. No two days are the same, you can be playing like Tiger one moment and the next thing you know you can be getting your tail between your legs. Golf teaches us patience and patience is always a virtue. Confucius said: "If you want pretty nurse, you got to be patient". Just pulling your leg. In a flight, everyone should help look out for one another including the balls. We reckon most of them make pretty good sense...you be the judge.

1. Golf Lessons

Unless you are Butch Harmon or David Leadbetter, never provide impromptu golf lesson during a round to other golfers because we may not be really that good. The second is - we are really not that good. However, some folks really do need some help.

2. Tee Box

Stay off the tee box when your other flight mates are teeing off such that no matter how he turns during the back swing to the impact position, there is no way you could have given him a fright because of how you look. This minor irritation can cause some golfers to be affected. Besides, you don't want to be clobbered.

3. Help To Look Up

When your flight mates are teeing off, help to look out for their ball so that it is known where they landed. This helps greatly in finding balls and is a way of avoiding slow play. Avoiding slow play starts from here and is made up of various small parts of knowing what to do and what not to do when on a golf course. Avoiding slow play is not about rushing the game.

4. Learn To Wait

If there is a group is on the tee box, don't pull right up to that tee box in your buggy to wait. After you have cleared the green on the previous hole, hang on back a little. You are not queueing for that Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studio and may lose your turn. You get people who does not have the etiquette to know and they drive in to a single lane buggy track to your tee box before you can get out. Use a bit of common sense and manners and it can go a long way.

5. Get Ready To Hit

Play "ready to go" golf unless the order of play is crucial to the outcome of that hole. This is another way to avoid time wastage as another golfer may be on the phone or visiting the wash room, etc. This applies to the fairways when all four balls are there.

6. Buggy On Track

Unless buggy is allowed onto the fairways, you have to leave the buggy on the track, then it makes good sense to take at least two clubs with you so that you do not get to the ball then find out you have the wrong club and have to walk back.

7. Parking of Buggy or Trolley

Park your buggy or trolley (if it's a walking course) at designated areas. Do not park it somewhere, walk to the ball in another area that is inconvenient then get back to your buggy or trolley or finish playing the hole then get back to retrieve the trolley or buggy. Always park your buggy at where you will finish the hole so that you do not go backwards and prevent the back flight from playing sooner.

8. When To Hit

Never hit a ball when the flight in front is within striking distance even if you only have a 1-in-10 chance of getting there or hitting them. In fact, landing your ball up close even 20-30m away is improper. Never hit a ball when the golfers in front are still seen walking a way from the green, they have to be cleared from view and left the area of play. A friend got hit while we were walking away from the green towards the buggy. Suddenly he fell clutching his leg. A ball from the back flight came and hit him on the shin causing a huge swell. If you can't learn to wait, don't play golf. Flight mates should also help to remind golfers in their flight and warn them accordingly.

9. Which Tee Box?

Ladies play from the Red Tee Box while Seniors play from the Silver Tee Box (for some courses). Pros can play from Black tees which are the furthest. Some courses only have Blue Tee Boxes as the furthest. Blue Tees are meant for golfers with handicap of 18 and below. If you are not proficient enough, you will struggle. I have seen countless golfers attempting to play from Blue and they can't even hit the ball straight or long enough. One look and you can tell if they are suited for Blue. Yet many golfers prefer to do this as if to make their money's worth. I always play from the White Tee Box unless in a flight of very good golfers. 


Most golfers will already suffer enough punishments from the White tee Box. When you are not proficient from the Blue and still play there, you are delaying all others behind. In other words, you make life shorter for everyone as they wait. So long as one golfer is not proficient for the Blue, the rest who may should abstain from the Blue and go White. Ladies who play from Red will tee off last. She should refrain from standing at the Red Tee Box which is a little further down and somewhere slightly to the left or right. I knew of two instances where the hubby miscue their shots and hit their wives waiting at the Red Tee Box. One died and the other has a smashed face through a broken nose missing the temple by a few inches.

10. Tending The Flag

Tend to the flag at times especially when you have finished first or nearest to it or you can intentionally do it as a courteous act. Some players can go through an entire round without lifting a flag. It is like going camping and while others are busy setting up the tent and you sit in one corner and drink beer. We are not your domestic worker.

11. Extra Ball

Keep an extra ball in your pocket or carry a pouch. At some point you are going to lose that ball whoever you may be or however good your game is. This way you don't have to make others wait while you go to your bag for another ball.

12. Extra Swing

Extra swings or practice swings are necessary. However, do restrict to your practice to one swing. If each golfer in a flight took 30 seconds to make 4-5 practice swings, you would have wasted 2 minutes per hole. Over 18 holes, you lose 36 minutes per flight.

13. Putting

Get ready to putt after marking your ball. Read the green before it is your turn to putt. You are not a surveyor here to survey a building for safety. You are also not making a $1,000 bet per hole. In fact, you are not playing at the Masters, level on stroke with Tiger Woods and putting in to beat Phil Mickelson by a one stroke for that million dollar cheque. You don't need to mark and re-read every single putt. This is further time wastage. If your ball is within a putter's length it is given. Sometimes, when the stroke crucial or when it is going for a birdie or par, your flight mates may want you to complete it. Whether or not to finish it or considered a given it is up to the rest and not you. However, if you have more time, you should try to hole it even at a putter's length. This is so that during competition when you have to hole out, you would have sufficient practice for short putts.

14. Be Sensitive

Be sensitive to your flight mates when they have a bad hole. Encourage them. Wait till he has a good shot and feeling good before you ask him for the score of that terrible hole where you lost count. Sometimes, it can be a long wait. Sometimes we do it on purpose to irritate him and have a good laugh but do it only to a good old buddy.
15. Finally.....

Pay up when you have lost! We don't really care if your work has been terrible of late, your dog ran away or you are suffering a lost of form. All we really wanted is that 10 bucks we won.

I am sure have more things to add on, fill me in.
Golf as in life, play as it lies!