Anybody come across a concise guide? Seems like it’s incumbent upon beginners (or even seasoned players!) to take the interest to learn proper golf etiquette, often from, shall we say, not the most qualified playing partners. It would be more efficient to have a reference, like we have in the Rules of Golf.
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Not a reference book, but this page at The Left Rough isn’t bad.
Putting etiquette…“Where do I stand? Where do I walk?” “NO! Not There!” can get really confusing.
Can’t stand behind someone, can’t be on the far side (as opposed to the target side) of the putt to watch the roll, can’t stand on the far side of the hole, can’t let your shadow fall over their line (either actual or through), yadda friggin’ yadda.
Just do your best and don’t move your ball.
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Common sense and learning from the guys in the game for decades was how I learned the “etiquette” when I was new in the game.
Do people lack common sense these days?
“etiquette” unlike the rules which need to be learned.
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Worst is people who leave their bags at the front of the green when the next tee is further on. So frustrating.
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I have always encouraged newbies to leave their bag/cart near where they would exist the green.
Common sense wouldn’t you think?
Only the newbies will be kind of lost on the golf course. One should learn quickly if they have any spark left between their ears.
This is where the mor experienced golfers in the group demonstrate the proper etiquette by setting an example. Most newbies will pick up the hints after a few holes.
Often, we’ll leave bags or carts near the direction where we’d exist the green. The newbies will follow after a few holes after they have found out it is the easier and quicker way to exit the green to the next tee box.
But there will be a few who never seem to pick up the hints. We’ll just go to the next tee and tee off first instead of waiting for them to catch up.
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But when you are in the group behind it just seems to hold you up. In winter when the course starts to get softer my course paints a blue line around the course that cart have to follow so the course doesn’t get torn up. People are supposed to leave the cart on the line and walk sideways to their ball. Still you see people driving everywhere and there is a steep bank between the 12 and 14th fairways and every year you see massive skid marks where someone has tried to drive up it and fails. I don’t remember how I learned golf etiquette but it is not rocket science. It is just common sense.
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As grandma said, “What’s common to some is not common to all”.
I take it as assumed this audience had the interest to learn etiquette and my default position is to assume newbies have as well. As @Dewsweeper says, those observant ones will pick it up eventually. Guess I was just looking for a ‘quick reference guide’ to get those over the hump to make golf enjoyable for everyone quickly.
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We don’t have the “blue line” printed on the fairway. It’s “car path only” for most of the golf courses around here. Quite a hassle to go back and forth from where we parked the golf carts on the cart path, taking several golf clubs doing so. Especially when the cart path is high up on the slope. climbing up and down in wet conditions might be slower than just walking or using the push cart.
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I apologize for not referring a reading material for golf etiquette.
As okiwiz mentioned of someone leaving their cart and golf bag in the front of the green not on the side which they’ll most likely exit the green to the next tee box. I doubt it will help those even after they read the golf etiquette and study it.
I look at it this way, just as not everyone will behave well on the roadways, so will some of the golfers on the golf courses. If they could not pick up the proper way to behave from being on the golf course a dozen times or more, then the others will have to give them more room or remind them of the proper behavior (or have someone from the staff to talk to them). I learned really quick not to step on the putting lines of the others in the group. It bothers many psychologically more than really damaging their line of putt. The footprints and spike marks from the previous groups will not recover until hours later. But that is important if it bothers the guys in your group. Another one is not to stand directly behind someone on the tee box…
There is the “green book” which new golfers in Sweden must study before they take the etiquette quiz. They must pass the quiz in order to golf there.
I understand in Korea, and Japan, there are written materials for golf etiquette. Some suggestions are too extreme. i.e. I golfed with some Korean ladies. When we get to the green, one will pull the pin, roll up the flag around the stick and set it all the way on the fringe of the green. My sock draw will not look that neat. They run to the next shot sometimes, just not to delay the game. I asked them if that is how they golf in Korea, and one answered, certainly, they were taught that way.
I had to tell them that public golf here is more relaxed, just keep up with the group ahead and don’t do anything they wouldn’t do to their own garden/yard.
Our blue line is only once the season changes and the rains come. It snakes its way around the course on the high side of most holes purely to stop carts tearing up the course. In summer carts can go wherever they want within reason.
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I prefer to walk a course, I use either a wide wheel push cart or I use a lightweight stand bag. When there is threat of weather I will ride. Most of the course has macadam paths. When the course is wet, they have a path only rule. When in force, it does slow up play, players walking from path all the way over to a ball and not bringing an arsenal of clubs with them. More walking than if you just walk the course. Like I said, for me threat of severe weather or extreme heat I will ride, I want to be able to get off the course expeditiously. I saw 2 guys get killed when lightning struck a fence back in the day of metal spikes. That said when there isn’t paths should a riding cart be in the rough or fairway? I took a few agronomy courses in college. I also have a few superintendent friends. The definitive answer is: Less damage is done riding on the fairway than in the rough. As a matter of fact, dead center of the fairway is best. Carts mat down and tear up grass. Most courses drain to the edges, so the rough and edges of the fairways are where water will drain. Second, how many times are balls hit dead center of the fairways? The least amount of visible damage and divots are dead center. Think about it. Third. How much does a golf cart weigh compared to a turf mower or green mower.? Less, much less. Least amount of resistance…. So least amount of damage occurs dead center of the fairways if there is no path. Around a green least amount of damage is right in front of a green. Think drainage! Architects rarely have greens drain towards the approach. Left/Right/towards the rear. Parking a cart next to a green mats down the rough and will rip up the rough if it’s wet.
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That Left Rough guide ain’t bad. There’s a Lynn on the Links site where she also goes into basic etiquette. Because you’re right: if it was obvious, people would already do it. (Unless they’re sociopathic, which increasing frequency in society is a subject for another thread.)
A lot of this isn’t obvious. “Don’t talk to my ball?” WTF? Don’t stand behind me. Don’t walk on the other side of the cup from where I’m putting. Don’t put your bag on the teeing ground.
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When it gets muddy carts are banned, and it’s walk or don’t play
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Almost all golf courses here have paved cart paths.
It is a large part of revenue for the golf courses to rent out carts.
No longer is the public allowed to bring in their own golf cart. I used to see golfers towing their own golf cart to the golf course for use. Not allowed anymore.
shared cart is $20-$25 per seat and more if riding alone ($45).
Everything is run by the book in which style they teach in some golf school, by those who are most likely not a golfer themselves.
Cart rental is a major part of the golf course income. Especially with the trend of riding on the golf course with the younger generation.
All I can say is, barring from health reasons, or other priorities, they will miss a lot if not walk on a walkable golf course.
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Our course is still natural. The garage under the proshop is full of members carts and there are more wanting in. There are plans to demolish it and build a new bigger one. The current one is corrugated iron sides. Also a waiting list to leave your clubs there. $240 a year for the privilege. This would also be fixed by the new proshop. The odd person still brings a cart on a trailer and I know of 3 that drive from home. One is 200m from the gate and has brake lights and indicators and pays a yearly registration so is legal on the road. The other 2 just chance it. They live on a loop road below the main road and only have to come turn right and the gate is right there. On friend has a ride on scooter where he sits on a seat and the clubs stand up behind him. Hire a cart costs $35 and later in the day they can run scarce. Again etiquette for carts is one gets out to hit while the other drives to his ball. If they drive to every ball together it becomes a slow round.
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That’s actually a no-no for me. Especially on a green. I don’t care if you get behind me after I hit the ball. As long as you’re not in my peripheral view. I don’t care if anyone talks to the ball. Last I heard all balls are actually deaf and don’t hear a thing! They don’t respond to leans or sign language either! I don’t care where your bag is on the teeing area as long as I can’t hit it with my swing. Who cares! For me I was taught though—-stay out of the tee box when you don’t have it. I will tell you one weird thing about me. I’m honestly never comfortable with “Ready Golf”. My dissolved group did always play “Honors” on the tee block. In our local tournaments, hit out turn and you will get called on it! So we always played honors and farthest away goes first. I can do it, just playing one way ( which is the rules) is mental
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