Before stepping onto the course, everyone should know proper golf etiquette. After all, this is the gentleman’s game. Regardless of if you’re playing for fun, competitively, or even just playing mini-golf, these rules stretch over every play style. There are some pretty big no-no’s while playing, but we all unknowingly commit one of these acts every now and again.
Don’t mess with someone who is putting
This is a pretty simple rule that shouldn’t really need to be explained, but sometimes your friends get a little too brash. Very few things are more maddening than lining up for a putt, concentrating, and then having your friend decide to distract you. If you’re able to resist using your friend’s head as a golf ball after that, you deserve a better score in my book.
Be quiet when someone is lining up their shot
To go along with the last point, the etiquette doesn’t stop just because someone isn’t on the green. It doesn’t matter where you are on the course, try not to talk or do anything distracting when someone is about to hit the ball. You might think this is simple stuff that shouldn’t need to be said, but you’d be surprised.
Taking too long to hit
On the other side of the spectrum, if you take minutes before every shot, your friends deserve to say something. No one likes having their game held up at every hole because someone decides to begin a case study on their hole and take thirty practice swings. You’re still going to slice it Mark, just hit the ball.
Getting too far ahead
Now there’s going too slow, and there’s going too fast. Just because you teed off first doesn’t mean you get a head start on the next shot. Just wait a couple seconds, and we’ll all be able to move together. Last thing anyone wants is to get distracted at the last second because your friend is walking ahead of you, and then you bounce it off his head.
Try not to get too mad
It’s all fun and games until someone throws a club. Look, you’re not competing for the Fedex Cup for a million dollar purse. So what if you shank your ball a bit, just relax and make it up on the next hole. We’re all competitive, but nothing ruins a fun game quicker than some getting angry and bending their club over their knee. These are all obvious things that any golfer should know not to do. However, we all can admit we’ve been guilty to all of these at least once. Just be considerate and think that if what you’re doing would bug you, then don’t do it.