General rules and etiquette for a for a beginner

I just started playing on a weekly basis this season and I usually play by myself on my lunch break.  Since I am not very good, I mainly focus on what I did hole by hole rather than how I actually scored which has been giving me a better grasp on how I am improving week by week.  Because of this, general rules of the game and golfer etiquette haven't been an issue.

This weekend I went down to the course to play a twilight round and there was a two-some that started right after me.  They politely asked if I would like to join them, I explained that I was just getting into the game so if they wouldn't mind me holding them up here and there I would be happy to have the company.  The said they didn't mind at all and admitted that they too weren't scratch golfers by any means so I joined up with them.

Over the next few holes I had actually been playing one of my better rounds and I think I was hanging with them fairly well but I did evidently break/bend a few etiquette and game rules.  A few small things came up while playing that I normally don't even think about since I don't play with other people.  Things like, what the tee off order is, grounding the club in the bunker, where to drop the ball after hitting into water, etc.

On a par 3 with water in front of the green I came up a little short with my 9 iron and ended up in the water.  I asked the gentlemen I was with if they minded if I hit another, there wasn't a group behind us and they said sure.  So I jogged back to the cart, grabbed my 8 iron and hit again after they had both taken their turns.  The next shot was, for me anyways, a great shot which ended up in the rough but still still only about 10 feet from the pin.  They were both on the green but a fair distance from the hole.  I assumed since I wasn't on the green that I would hit first and mark my ball and then they would hit.  I guess this was wrong and one of them asked "So I guess we are playing ready golf?"  I didn't mean to step on any toes and had never heard this term.

A few other issues came up by the end of the game and the two I played with were polite and patient with me but I would like to avoid un-knowingly breaking any rules with other players in the future.  Does anyone know of an article I can read through explaining some basic rules of the game so I can be a little more prepared next time I group up with some people?

I really enjoyed playing with those guys and I think I learned quite a bit from them throughout that round so I would like to group up more often from now on but I want to avoid being an inconvenience to the others if possible.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Tyler

Get a copy of the Rules of Golf from the USGA or R&A.; The R&A; provide them free and you get a copy from any golf club. Not sure about the USGA.

Then read and get familiar with pages 11 - 21.

Then 22 - 35 when you have a bit more time.

This may also be helpful:

www.usga.org/Etiquette.aspx

Btw, regarding this specifically:

Ordinarily the person farthest from the hole goes next. Doesn't matter who's on the green and who isn't. Since they were farther away than you, they would technically putt before you play your shot. However in many cases, the group will agree to play "ready golf", which means if you're ready to play, go ahead and play, even if it is out of turn, unless it affects someone else.  So for example if you get to your chip and are able to play it before they get to the green, and you have agreed to play ready golf, you can just hit it. Sounds like in this case though, they *were* ready to hit their putts and were expecting to do so first. So they made the comment to kind of alert you that you were playing out of turn.

Another example: Often times a player who has honors on the tee (i.e., they made the best score on the previous hole, so would ordinarily hit first on the next tee) will not be ready, but someone else is. That someone else can ask "Are we playing ready golf?" as a way of saying "I'm ready to play, so if it's ok with y'all, I'll tee off even though I don't have honors".

It'll be great to learn etiquette, but you may then be better than most other golfers!  I played recently with someone who proudly told me he'd played golf for more than 60 years, but on one of the early holes he walked all over my line of putting.  When he did the same on the next hole I asked, politely, that he would not do that again.  He murmured an apology, but how can someone who has played for decades not know to take great care to avoid standing on the line of putt of your playing partners?

On the example you gave, playing from off the green when others are already on the green but further away, that's common.  Often a group will agree to always do that since you probably want the pin left in the hole while you play while they must have it tended or removed.  Taking the flag out for their putts and then putting it back in for yours takes time.  But playing out of turn breaches Rule 10b which says: " After both players have started play of the hole, the ball farther from the hole is played first."  (Note that the sequence of play comes under 'rules' and isn't about 'etiquette'.)  In stroke play there is no penalty but in match play an out-of-turn shot can be recalled by the opponent.

Many, though, champion 'ready golf' because it speeds up play, and few would argue with doing that.

The USGA will send you up to 2 copies for a shipping charge of a couple of bucks.

I've seen the USGA rules book for $3 or $4 at golf shops, which was close enough to the cost of shipping that I bought it that way.

With regard to ready golf, etc, I wouldn't sweat order of play too much. The general principles have been covered above, and it's generally expected you'll follow them. However, I've never seen anyone get bent out of shape over who plays first when I've been grouped with strangers. Players might get annoyed if you are consistently playing out of turn, which may be what happened to inspire the comment. But I'd consider someone getting genuinely upset about that, particularly with a new player, to be out of line. In cases where one player is off the green, reasonable people certainly do disagree about the best procedure in casual situations. Personally, if the putts are makeable, I'd generally have everyone chip on first, but if it's a 40+ foot putt, I would be more inclined to go in order by the rules.

In any case like this, it doesn't hurt to just ask. "I'm not sure who's up, what do you think?" is appropriate if it's hard to tell, I use this one if I can't tell whether the other guy is preparing to putt or just reading during my turn.

See these also -

http://www.usga.org/etiquette/tips/Golf-Etiquette-101/

http://www.usga.org/RulesFAQ/rules.asp

The above advice is excellent, go with it. And kudos to YOU for caring enough to wanting to learn the rules and etiquette of the game . . . so many folks don't bother.

Know the local rules for the course. For one of the courses I play, a written rule is "Play Ready Golf."

Most etiquette is around the green IMO, and that is where people can get upset. For me it has just been about common sense and observation. Stay away from your opponent and the hole when they are putting, ask before taking out the pin, be quiet, etc.

Things like grounding the club, order of play, and where to drop are the actual rules. Most regular golfers have big egos, so I would just start the round by letting them know you want to learn the rules a bit better and if they could help. They should be happy to show off their knowledge. (sadly they will probably be wrong sometimes, so often I've seen line of flight drops)

As others have said, most etiquette breaches are on and around the green.  For example, it's essential to be still and quiet while others are putting, and it's good etiquette (but often not recognized) not to stand directly in line of sight of the person putting - such as directly behind the hole.

And you'll know you've really arrived with etiquette if you take off your cap while shaking hands at the end of a round!

One of the biggest things in the game is to play the course as you find it and leave the course better than you find it.  Have someone show you the right way to fix a ball mark on the green. Always carry a divot tool with you (its the thing that looks like a two pronged fork). Rake All footprints in bunkers. Even if it's not important to you the group behind might be playing a match or money game. It doesn't matter if your playing at the Country club or the local Muny we are all stewards of the game.

The rule I used to always unknowingly break was when on the green to not walk through the imaginary line between anyones ball and the hole (where they will be putting over). Always walk around the back of the balls, or if you have to cross their path make sure you step over it without planting any feet in the balls future path.

Several things have been mentioned, but one of the best pieces of advice I can offer for pace of play is to play ready golf.  If you are ready to play, and if you don't interfere with or bother another player who is farther away from the hole than you are, then by all means, play your stroke.  Once you get to the green, then some players are more picky about playing in order according to who is away.

It is also quite common to have any players who are close to, but off off the green play first (you will often be asked if you want to "come on"), even if they are not away, because they can leave the flagstick in the hole, while the guys on the putting surface have to have it tended or removed.  It just saves a little time in handling the stick, and any time you can be more efficient, the players behind you will appreciate it.  There is little that is more frustrating that standing in the fairway watching the group in front of you tediously follow the order of play, putting and marking and putting and marking, for no better reason than their own satisfaction.  In a competition, especially in match play, order of play is more important, but in casual play there is really no reason to adhere dogmatically to it.