what forms of golf etiquette do you ignore and why?

[vangator]

I don't use a ball washer very often. I carry a damp towel for me on hot days.

[Gboroman]

Which leg?

Why the middle one, of course.  Ba-dum-tssh

[RFKFREAK]

1) Honors - Whoever is ready to hit, go!

2) Taking cap off to shake hands once the round is over - Just never think of it.

3) To go along with that, I only shake hands with people I don't know.  Just don't normally do it with my friends.

4) Sometimes I won't mark my ball.  If my playing partners are on the green and I'm chipping on, they're usually near their ball and ready to putt so, walking and marking my ball will just slow us down.  When I'm putting up a big number on a hole, I also won't mark and will just quickly putt to not slow anyone else down.

At the moment, those are the only things I can think of.

[sac1]

@vangator - what do you do when your own shadow is over the ball?  does that distract you?  i find it extremely difficult to concentrate on the ball if my shadow is on it and moving.

do you have a problem with people standing still but still in your range of sight?  is it really possible that you can still see them if they are not moving and you are focused on the ball?  i like to have someone behind me on the DTL view so they can help track my ball, seeing as i can hit it off the planet in any direction.

Yes, seeing my own shadow flailing around when I'm swinging is distracting, but it's something everyone of us has to deal with...............that doesn't mean its okay for everyone else to stand with their shadow in my line of sight!  Its just as distracting for me if I see someone's shadow six foot behind me as them standing there.

Typically many people will start to move whilst you are swinging believing you wont notice them.........stand still until you've heard me make contact!   People say one should be focussed on the ball?  Hello peripheral vision!  If I could get some blinkers to go with my sun glasses that would help, but otherwise is it really too hard for people to get out of the picture where you are somewhere as big as a golf course?

When was the last time you saw another player on the pro tour standing behind the hole when another player was putting or standing close to their line?  please none of the rubbish about it speeds up play.....how much time does it take to move 10 feet out of the way, and please when I'm the last to put out and have slightly more than a tap in, don't come right up next to me holding the flag ready to put it in........you can walk the 10 feet that you should be standing away whilst Im bending down to get my ball!

.......and something Ive only realised recently.....the remove the hats and sunglasses  thing at the last green.......I've just started doing it in case it offends someone else, not fussed whether others do it.

[sac1]

the first form of etiquette mentioned on the USGA list is safety, and the first item on the safety list got some airtime: "Players should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs or the like when they make a stroke or practice swing."

My regular group walks and plays ready, which means our guys routinely get in front of the player who is away.  Occasionally, when I'm in front at an angle where one of my hacker friends could possibly hit me, I make sure to stop and watch the player strike his ball so, if he mishit in my direction, it would be my responsibility, not his, for me to avoid his errant ball.  Its a simple courtesy, which seems to be routinely honored by walking ready golfers, but its not in the USGA list.  This seems to be adequate mitigation of the safety rule.  But I admit, I routinely ignore what USGA wrote, and thats why.

Where I don't ignore the recommendation is when I'm taking a practice swing.  I do not take a practice swing in the direction of my playing partners.  I would like to say I never do it.  I do however see newbies and experienced golfers give this no thought.  If you're a reckless practice swinger, consider this piece of advice to be my xmas present to you.

Seems common sense, but there is no end of players who think they need to face the target whilst taking their practice swing and end up swinging at those beside them on the tee box.......I quickly turn my back and duck to give them the message that what they are doing is dangerous......often the reply is " I wasn't going to hit the ground".......to which I reply, "Im not willing to gamble my eyesight on your skill level"  and often they do hit the ground sending stuff your way.

Walking ahead of those in your playing group and expecting them to hit whilst you are standing ahead of them?  +1 for turning around and letting them know you are watching so you can get out of the way if a mishit comes you way.............-1, for not realising that it is still the wrong thing to be doing.

Im often 50 yards behind some of the big hitters at my club and many of think nothing of ignoring where I am and walking up to their ball and staying there based on they aren't in a direct line with my ball and the green/target.  Often I prevent it  by when we get to my  ball actively tell them to stop right there.

It puts unnecessary pressure on the people behind you to steer their shot so they will not hit you, ie, guard against pushing it right, pulling it left because you are standing on the right/left  or swinging cautiously to avoid a shank etc.  Often, Ill be positioned that I want to hit a draw or fade and need to start the ball directly at them, very off putting, especially when its see easy to hit a double cross or straight shot when aiming for the curve ball.

Whether its your fault or not for getting hit, doesn't help the player who has just hit the ball and killed you when they have to turn up to the coroner's inquest and explain why the hit the ball when there were people standing ahead of them.  Im not that confident that the average person can move fast enough if I mishit a 3 wood from 50 yards away that comes straight at them.....do the maths on ball speed, reaction time and distance.

[CarlSpackler]

1) Honors - Whoever is ready to hit, go!

2) Taking cap off to shake hands once the round is over - Just never think of it.

3) To go along with that, I only shake hands with people I don't know.  Just don't normally do it with my friends.

4) Sometimes I won't mark my ball.  If my playing partners are on the green and I'm chipping on, they're usually near their ball and ready to putt so, walking and marking my ball will just slow us down.  When I'm putting up a big number on a hole, I also won't mark and will just quickly putt to not slow anyone else down.

At the moment, those are the only things I can think of.

The same for me except #4.

[sac1]

. Don't stand on the green when another player is hitting his approach to the green (from like 50+ yds anyway)

....another one of my pet hates.  Often in the groups Im playing we are all short of the green, everyone stands still whilst others are having their shots, until it is the last players turn to hit and then the other three start walking to their ball on the green?  ........leaving the last person to deal with the distraction of them moving or having to lob the ball next to them, over them etc.  If you've just skulled yours through the green, doesn't give them the right to walk ahead whilst its your turn, walk right around the outside of the green if you have to.

For me a pitch over a bunker off a tight lie is the hardest shot in golf, we don't need the added factor of "don't skinny it or Ill take out Freddy standing on the green" to put into the equation on such a shot.

[tqcishark]

Seems common sense, but there is no end of players who think they need to face the target whilst taking their practice swing and end up swinging at those beside them on the tee box.......I quickly turn my back and duck to give them the message that what they are doing is dangerous......often the reply is " I wasn't going to hit the ground".......to which I reply, "Im not willing to gamble my eyesight on your skill level"  and often they do hit the ground sending stuff your way.

Walking ahead of those in your playing group and expecting them to hit whilst you are standing ahead of them?  +1 for turning around and letting them know you are watching so you can get out of the way if a mishit comes you way.............-1, for not realising that it is still the wrong thing to be doing.

Im often 50 yards behind some of the big hitters at my club and many of think nothing of ignoring where I am and walking up to their ball and staying there based on they aren't in a direct line with my ball and the green/target.  Often I prevent it  by when we get to my  ball actively tell them to stop right there.

It puts unnecessary pressure on the people behind you to steer their shot so they will not hit you, ie, guard against pushing it right, pulling it left because you are standing on the right/left  or swinging cautiously to avoid a shank etc.  Often, Ill be positioned that I want to hit a draw or fade and need to start the ball directly at them, very off putting, especially when its see easy to hit a double cross or straight shot when aiming for the curve ball.

Whether its your fault or not for getting hit, doesn't help the player who has just hit the ball and killed you when they have to turn up to the coroner's inquest and explain why the hit the ball when there were people standing ahead of them.  Im not that confident that the average person can move fast enough if I mishit a 3 wood from 50 yards away that comes straight at them.....do the maths on ball speed, reaction time and distance.

by standing ahead i'm talking about standing not less than 30 degrees from the away golfers line.  I make that distinction because I understand your concern and routinely afford my regular partners an unspoken degree of error.  As a basketball player I think the degrees of encroachment should never be less than the low guy rebounding a freethrow.  Normally a significant advance is taken from the other side of the fairway, or worse, when a ball is in rough or hazard on the other side of the fairway.  I view this as a non-issue compared to the time it may take wait for a guy to hit and then begin the trek to a wayward ball in thick rough or hazard.  My regular group agrees to this etiquette breach as a way to avoid a much worse possibility that we will hold up play.  We never hold up play.  It is the opposite.  We play fast.  Me and any one of my playing partners can walk the blue tees on local courses in less than 3 hours.  We walk faster than most guys riding.  I think many etiquette rules can and should be questioned if they impede a better pace of play.

With all that said, when I am not with my regular group, I typically just hold back and wait.  Or I gauge what kind of golfers I am paired with, and make changes as we go, based on pace of play.

One of the most important rules or etiquettes in amateur golf is pace of play.  Golfers like myself who squeeze in rounds between work and house projects and kid coaching and honey-dos do not care about minor breaches if they can be afforded a brisk pace of play.  Many golfers score better than me because they take their time, think nothing of wittling away their day measuring every shot with range finders, or by taking multiple practice swings on every shot.  My regular group frankly avoids slow golfers at the expense of may things.

[sac1]

One of the most important rules or etiquettes in amateur golf is pace of play.  Golfers like myself who squeeze in rounds between work and house projects and kid coaching and honey-dos do not care about minor breaches if they can be afforded a brisk pace of play.

Pace of play should not be used as an excuse  to forgo proper golf etiquette. I don't consider people moving close by while Im hitting a minor breach......its just as big a distraction to me as someone blowing a whoopee whistle while I'm swinging.  My regular foursome can play within the bounds of proper etiquette and get round in less than 3 1/4 hours, its about walking quickly, knowing your turn to play, not taking forever over the ball.

[tqcishark]

Pace of play should not be used as an excuse  to forgo proper golf etiquette. I don't consider people moving close by while Im hitting a minor breach......its just as big a distraction to me as someone blowing a whoopee whistle while I'm swinging.  My regular foursome can play within the bounds of proper etiquette and get round in less than 3 1/4 hours, its about walking quickly, knowing your turn to play, not taking forever over the ball.

Maintaining a good pace of play is proper etiquette, so I think there are forms of etiquette in conflict.  I am not at all bothered by a playing partner ahead if he's 30 degrees off my line, because I so rarely mishit that far off my line.  On a wide part of the fairway, a golfer could be easily 100 yards ahead and I would not give it a thought. I am much more concerned about pace of play.  Foursomes walking local muni's significantly less 4 hours are rare.  Even my regulars push 4 hours when we're not hustling.

[sac1]

I am not at all bothered by a playing partner ahead if he's 30 degrees off my line, because I so rarely mishit that far off my line.  On a wide part of the fairway, a golfer could be easily 100 yards ahead and I would not give it a thought.

you obviously play on wider fairways than me or are over stating your angle, for someone to be a 100 yards ahead and be 30 degrees off your line on either side, your fairway would need to be 115 yards wide.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tqcishark

One of the most important rules or etiquettes in amateur golf is pace of play.  Golfers like myself who squeeze in rounds between work and house projects and kid coaching and honey-dos do not care about minor breaches if they can be afforded a brisk pace of play.

Pace of play should not be used as an excuse  to forgo proper golf etiquette. I don't consider people moving close by while Im hitting a minor breach......its just as big a distraction to me as someone blowing a whoopee whistle while I'm swinging.  My regular foursome can play within the bounds of proper etiquette and get round in less than 3 1/4 hours, its about walking quickly, knowing your turn to play, not taking forever over the ball.

You are much too easily distracted.  Golf requires the ability to focus on the moment, and that includes being able to ignore minor distractions.  A car on the street adjacent to the tee box should not be a delay causing distraction - the typical player should be able to filter that out.  The same does for players moving on the course around them.  You have no control over what players on the previous green are doing, or players on any other hole, really any players not in your group.  so why single out the guys you are playing with as a special case?

I have yet to see a whoopee cushion on a golf course, but someone yelling or otherwise making aloud noise just as I'm about to swing is about the only thing I can think of that would bother me.  I hit all the time with guys talking quietly, either in my group on on a nearby tee or green.  When I step up to the ball, most of the rest of the world ceases to exist.  When you play public course golf for 40 years like I have, you have to be able to shut out external distractions or you will just drive yourself nuts.

[sac1]

You are much too easily distracted.  Golf requires the ability to focus on the moment, and that includes being able to ignore minor distractions.  A car on the street adjacent to the tee box should not be a delay causing distraction - the typical player should be able to filter that out.  The same does for players moving on the course around them.  You have no control over what players on the previous green are doing, or players on any other hole, really any players not in your group.  so why single out the guys you are playing with as a special case?

Sorry, was I Icomplaining about noises/distractions that are beyond the immediate playing group?, certainly not, everyone has to deal with that, whether its traffic noise or an emergency vehicle siren.......whatever.  The issue is when the distraction comes from the group you are playing with who are much closer to you, who are then showing you the utmost disrespect in not following correct golf etiquette.

Same as golfing crowds, you could justify your cell phone ringing half way through Tiger's swing because there was possibly just as much traffic noise at some other time in the day, see how long you last with that one.

its really very basic; while I'm hitting/addressing the ball(its all over in 12 seconds): don't stand too close, stop moving, be quiet and don't walk ahead - unless your really need to search for your ball.

[RFKFREAK]

The same for me except #4.

Yeah, I know it's dumb.  I just feel bad when I take so long to play a hole b/c of wayward shots so I do it so as to not slow people up even more than I already have.

[tqcishark]

you obviously play on wider fairways than me or are over stating your angle, for someone to be a 100 yards ahead and be 30 degrees off your line on either side, your fairway would need to be 115 yards wide.

I'm not sure how you calculated 115, but I don't think that is right.  If I'm on one side of the fairway, and the fairway is 100 yards wide, and my playing partner is on the other side of the fairway, and he is 100 yards ahead...that is 45 degrees off my line, assuming no doglegs or special conditions.  But I'm not really talking about everybody being on the fairway. I'm assuming the advancing golfer is off the fairway, in rough or worse.  In my book that is not only an acceptable reason to advance, its desired that he move forward to find his ball.  Nothing slows down a round like searching for balls.  Go find your ball.

Don't mistake my rationale for an absolute must.  This is the way my regular group plays, and my guys like it that way.  When we're squeezing in a round before or after work, speed golf rules.

I also agree with fourputt.  We play so many courses with houses lining the fairway...I'm not sure I can make a significant distinction between a golfer way off my line, and houses for which I am responsible for damage.  I play a course with jet noise.  And overgrown trees.  Lateral hazards make me want to steer the ball.  Golfers migrating from adjacent fairways are common.  Its all part of the game.

[sac1]

I'm not sure how you calculated 115, but I don't think that is right.  If I'm on one side of the fairway, and the fairway is 100 yards wide, and my playing partner is on the other side of the fairway, and he is 100 yards ahead...that is 45 degrees off my line, assuming no doglegs or special conditions.  But I'm not really talking about everybody being on the fairway. I'm assuming the advancing golfer is off the fairway, in rough or worse.  In my book that is not only an acceptable reason to advance, its desired that he move forward to find his ball.  Nothing slows down a round like searching for balls.  Go find your ball.

why would you be on one side of the fairway, wouldn't you be more likely to be in the middle? than anywhere else?, its the person up ahead that will park themselves on the edge of the fairway.  Do the trigonometry, if you are in the centre with, allowing for 30 degrees of line either way, and the other person is 100yards  further down the fairway then you are then you are 57.7yards(tan30 = x/100)  from edge of the fairway, making it 115 yards wide

and yes, I did qualify if someone has gone ahead to look well into the rough, just not on the edge then that is an acceptable reason to walk ahead, its more those that bomb it 50 yds past me and can clearly see it but they still have to go walk ahead and be in picture when Im hitting that annoy me.

[sac1]

Its all part of the game.

distractions from outside influences are part of the game.....AND not what Im complaining about.  Playing partners that cause distractions.......be it causing one to aim in a slightly different spot on the fairway......because of where they choose to stand.......whether deliberately or not is GAMESMANSHIP........and that is not golf.

[tqcishark]

In my first reply to you I said " Normally a significant advance is taken from the other side of the fairway, or worse, when a ball is in rough or hazard on the other side of the fairway.  I view this as a non-issue compared to the time it may take wait for a guy to hit and then begin the trek to a wayward ball in thick rough or hazard" so I think we're saying the same thing.  I completely understand your concenr about two balls being in the middle of the fairway, where the longer hitter simply advances past you knowing his advanced position is on your line and he will be positioned well within your view.  The rule says something like 'don't stand on the others guy line.'  You're talking about your regular (?) playing partners ignoring who is away or any reasonable interpretation of golf etiquette...in the name of gamesmanship.  Since I already made it clear thats not what I'm talking about, I will risk repeating myself.  I'm not talking about that.  I'm talking about something different.  I'm talking about a case where we are not on the same line.  I think maintaining about 30 degrees off your partners line is about max encroachment, unless the forward golfer can hide behind a tree and take the risk of injury out of play.  What you're talking about is egregious willful noncompliance to gain an competitive advantage, which is sort of rare among friendly golfers, in my experience.  I played with a friend of a friend this year who did something like  what you described multiple times in a single round.  The third time he did it that day (on the front nine) without remorse, I considered hooding a five iron and sending a low screamer up his a$$.  Instead I played out the round without reacting to his nonsense, I shook his hand at the end, and I promised myself I would not seek him as a playing partner in the future.