As a golfer on the LPGA Tour and in countless Pro-Ams, I’ve seen examples of good golf etiquette and poor golf etiquette. The good news is, most people are open to etiquette correction. The most common reason for bad etiquette seems to be simple ignorance. A lot of people just don’t know what’s expected on a golf course, either because they don’t play enough or because exercising good golf etiquette has not been made a priority in their game. What’s always been great about golf is that even though the world may be declining somewhat in common courtesies, you can still find respect and good manners on the golf course.

Good Etiquette
Golf is the ultimate gentleman/ladies game. In what other sport do you see professionals telling each other “good shot?” Or praising each other for a great game? Even in tennis you rarely see professionals look at each other until the match is over, let alone yell praises across the court. When is the last time a football player high-fived his opponent for making a near impossible catch? But watch when a golfer makes a hole-in-one - everyone, opponent and partners alike - goes nuts.

There are a lot of stories about good etiquette on the golf course, both on the tour and in amateur play. In fact, much more good than bad. It always amazes me that professionals, playing for their livelihoods, can show real appreciation for outstanding golf shots made by their opponents. You might not see it in every shot on TV, but almost every player on tour consistently acknowledges his or her opponent’s good shots. Sportsmanship and etiquette go hand in hand. Like Mom always said, no one likes a poor loser. 
It is just as important to be a gracious winner. Acknowledge your opponent’s strengths.

In addition to acting the good sport, practicing good golf etiquette is being polite to your fellow players by giving them the opportunity to hit a golf shot without undue interruptions. This includes staying out of their field of vision, not making noises, not saying negative comments before they hit and respecting the golf course. Good etiquette that I am particularly sensitive to is standing in the right place when your playing partners are hitting or putting. This includes not being in their line of site during a shot. On the putting green, stand to the side and away from the hole so you are not seen while someone is putting. Don’t get too far ahead in the fairway when someone is playing a shot, as this can be very distracting. When playing in carts, stop the cart when a shot is being made, and don’t park the cart too close to the player who is hitting.

Bad Etiquette
Poor etiquette I’ve seen includes rattling your clubs when it is someone else’s turn to play, carrying on a conversation with one player while another is attempting to hit a shot or walking through a player’s line on the putting green.

Another example of bad etiquette is pointing out the trouble on the tee box before your opponent hits. Keep things positive. Instead of saying things like, “I see so many people hit it in the water on the left here,” bite your tongue, or say, “The best place to be on this hole is on the right side of the fairway.” Sometimes even the best players exhibit poor golf etiquette without even realizing it. I remember one Tour event in which I was paired with a player who was driving the ball quite a bit farther than I was all day. She would walk up to her ball while we waited for the group in front of us to clear the green, and get her yardage. However, when it was my turn to hit, she and her caddy never really moved off the fairway for me to hit. This is very distracting hole after hole.  

When we got into the locker room, I explained to her that I felt that was improper etiquette. She never did that to me again. Most of the time when we point out to others how they have bothered our games, they will fix it for the next time. Poor etiquette is not always intentional; it is more often a result of being unaware of how your actions are affecting others. When someone in your group shows poor etiquette, you can handle it in a similar fashion. Just tell them politely after the round, and the next time you play, they’ll change it for the better.

Taking Care of the Course
Course maintenance is probably one of the most abused aspects of the game of golf, yet it is one of the most important elements of practicing good etiquette. Laziness is usually the culprit. So often I see that someone in a group in front of me is too lazy to walk around to the other side of a bunker to get a rake. Instead, he tries to level off the sand with his foot, or he just doesn’t do anything at all. Another shortcoming in etiquette for many players is fixing ball marks on the green. Everyone is capable of making a ball mark, beginner to professional. Take the 10 seconds to reach down and properly fix the mark.

If you aren’t sure how to properly fix a ball mark, ask your golf professional. He/she will be more than happy to show you. And, if you fix one, why not fix two? It is amazing how much better your greens will be if everyone would just do it. Greens superintendents love to have professional golfers come to their course. For one week, every ball mark is fixed on the greens, and they actually have a chance to grow consistently.

One other thing in course maintenance you can do is respect directional cart signs. They have been put there for a reason. Almost all courses ask that you keep the cart at least 30 feet from greens, bunkers and tees. This helps protect the course for others. If you witness someone damaging the course, confront them and suggest they be more careful. In most cases they just don’t understand what consequence their actions have to the overall condition of the course.
 

Where to Learn Etiquette
I learned good golf etiquette from my parents. When I first started playing quite a bit they would correct my mistakes on the course. It was an easy way to learn because they could demonstrate on the course the proper way to conduct myself. I also asked a lot of questions if I was unsure of what to do. When I started playing tournaments, I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t know what was proper, so I asked my instructor questions about tournament play. By the time I got on tour I had a pretty good grasp of how I was expected to behave. Tour players are not shy about telling you when they are bothered by something you are doing. Again, this became a quick way to catch on.

The best place to learn etiquette is on the course. Family and friends who play golf can help you with this. Find someone who is a good golfer, take to the course and ask him or her what is proper and what isn’t. Most good players love to explain proper etiquette to a beginner because we want everyone to learn and practice it. The USGA rules book has a section at the end on some of the rules of etiquette. Whenever you are unsure, your PGA/LPGA professional can guide you.

Summary
Golfers don’t all go about playing the game in the same way. Some are quiet and feel the need to stay in their own bubble all the time, where others need to joke around, play with the crowd, and generally take a happy go lucky attitude. But both types of personalities can demonstrate good etiquette. Golfers just need to respect that people play differently and react accordingly. When it is someone’s turn to play, the respectfulness starts when he or she starts a pre-shot routine. This shouldn’t be too hard for anyone to handle - the whole act is probably over in less than 30 seconds!

Respect your opponents, acknowledge their strengths and take care of the course. Following these principles of good golf etiquette will help you and your playing partners enjoy the game for years to come.

Elaine Crosby is a 16-year veteran of the LPGA Tournament Division and Founder & CEO of FINDaLESSON.com, a web site directory of 1,600 PGA/LPGA teaching professionals in 50 states.