ON COURSE ETIQUETTE
Cell Phones
Cell phones are great - they allow us to keep in touch with friends and family and can be life savers in an emergency. However, they can also be annoying if not used thoughtfully. We're on the course to play golf and enjoy the company of the people we're playing with. Please silence your cell phone while playing so no one hears a phone ringing when they're preparing to hit the ball. Unless you have an absolute emergency it would be best to not answer or return calls while on the course. If you absolutely must use your phone, step away from the group and speak softly. If it's a long call, tell your group to go on without you and skip that hole rather than hold up play for eveyone.
Pace of Play
We play ready golf. This means that the player with the honors should be READY to HIT FIRST. If the player with the honors isn't ready, then whoever is ready should hit first. If you’re in the fairway and you’re ready, don’t worry about whether you’re further out; go ahead and hit it as long as no one else in your group is hitting and you’re not in danger of hitting anyone else.
Things you can do to play faster: Think about your club selection as you walk toward the ball. When you approach the green leave your clubs on the side you will approach the next hole from so you don't have to walk back across. If you take your club out to walk toward the green to chip, take your putter too so you won’t need to walk back. If you’re closest to the hole, tend or pull the pin for those further away. If you putt out first, be ready to put the pin back in when the last person in your group has finished. As you leave the green take one look back to assure no one forgot a club.
On the tee:
Don’t talk while someone is hitting their tee shot. Stand to the side so you are out of their line of vision and avoid moving while they are striking the ball.
On the green:
Look to see where others have marked their balls so you don’t step on their line. Stand to the side so you are out of their line of vision and your shadow doesn't cross their putting line. Generally the player farthest from the hole will putt first. To speed up the pace of play, someone else may be allowed to putt first if the person farthest from the hole isn’t ready. Ask first, though, to be sure you don’t both hit at the same time. Help other players out by tending the pin if they can’t see the location of the hole
Above all:
Strive to play the best you can play and resolve to have fun. Accept your limitations, control your frustrations and stifle the urge to scream and swear when things don’t go right.
Be someone people want to play with.