“You’re on the dance floor,” is music to a golfer’s ears. You’re on the green!
Watch an experienced foursome, each moving about the green with quiet dispatch, precision and cooperation. It’s a beautiful thing – to the players and to the golfers behind them. Etiquette ensures fair opportunity for all players and moves play along.
Miss Manners of Golf? Please, not me. But knowledge and courtesy on the course are always prized. I’ll never master golf, but I can practice and become a good partner on the “dance floor”! Here are suggestions.
When you get to the green
- Don’t step on anyone’s putting line.
- Ball farthest away putts first.
- Mark your ball if you’re not first to putt, or if you wish to line it up.
- Look for dent or ding left by your ball and fix it. Repair other divots too.
Flagsmanship
- Take flag out and put it back nice and straight. It’s fragile around the cup.
- Place flag GENTLY out of all golfers peripheral vision and putting lines.
- Occasionally a player will request that you tend the flag. Do this correctly and you’ll score extra etiquette points. More on this in a later post!
- No scooping the ball out of the cup with your putter head. Ouch!
Putting in Progress!
- Stand out of the peripheral vision of person putting. You can “go to school” on someone’s putt with a similar line to yours but don’t get your education at her expense.
- Don’t wiggle, waggle or whisper, or crinkle the wrapper of your granola bar. Or anything like that!
- Keep your shadow to yourself.
- Be ready, by lining up your putt while others are doing the same.
- Putt-outs are allowable and courteous when you’re only a few inches from the cup and it won’t interfere with another’s ball. Ask, “Okay if I putt out?
Loiterers will be shot at – by the folks behind!
- Put clubs at back of green or on side where you’ll exit to next tee. ALWAYS think of how to save steps. Never leave clubs at front of green.
- Park cart so it is on shortest line to next tee.
- When you’re finished putting, move to the flagstick, ready to pick it up and replace it in hole after everyone is done.
- As you leave take a look over your shoulder for forgotten clubs.
- Record your score when you get to the next tee.
That’s it – some smooth moves around the green. Do you have more?