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Unwritten Rules of Golf


Midpack
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3 hours ago, omelette said:

or playing with women do you shake hands or hug!

Well.. it might start out with a handshake, but that's gonna lead to a hug, then maybe a little squeeze... nibble on the earlobe...

Seriously, the few times I've played golf with a couple, I shook his hand and just said "good game" to her. Wouldn't have a problem with the handshake, but no self-respecting woman wants to hug some sweaty stranger.

Jon

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11 hours ago, BamaWade said:

 

2.)  Pull each partner inside 10 inches...nice and close...and shake from there.  We've all had one of those guys in our group (or family, etc.) at some point.  Makes for a nice personal touch.  ;-)

The "presidential" style, as some might say? ;-)

6 hours ago, omelette said:

Related to removing caps and sunglasses, do you remove your glove before shaking hands if you're a lefty? And if you're a woman or playing with women do you shake hands or hug!

 

 

Unless it's a woman I know, and well, I just say "good playing with you," and shake hands only if she offers first.

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At our club, after a competition round, we shake hands with the guys (hats off, usually) and kiss the women.
Once, and on the cheek, obviously :-)

When we're just playing with friends, it can be a handshake, fist bump, kiss if there are women in the group, or nothing at all.

Edited by Big_in_Belgium
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6 hours ago, Big_in_Belgium said:

At our club, after a round, we shake hands with the guys (hats off, usually) and kiss the women.
Once, and on the cheek, obviously :-)

 

That is the norm in the UK

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On 9/27/2017 at 3:51 PM, Midpack said:

How Many Unwritten Rules of Golf Do You Observe? I thought about a poll, but it would be too lengthy, so maybe how just something like 'I observe X of 18 as much as possible' if you're interested? I will admit there's one on the list I'd never heard before (#8). And gladly most of the people I play with are good about almost all of them.

  1. Silence – don’t talk, or make noise, while someone is hitting
  2. Fill your divots, fix your ball marks, rake your bunker
  3. Watch your shadow, don’t let it fall on the line of someone putting
  4. Don’t walk or step on the (putting) line of another player in your group
  5. Understand cart etiquette - Park in an area where you're not walking backwards after the hole to get back to the cart
  6. Stay on the cart path, off fairways and away from greens as much as possible
  7. Play “ready golf” (vs classic tee honors/furthest away)
  8. No practice swings on the first tee (beside the tee before your turn if you must)
  9. Tend the pin - It's never a bad thing to ask someone with a lengthy putt if they want you to 'tend the pin.'
  10. Never stand behind a player, or his/her line when they’re hitting – stand well away, to the side in front of them and be completely still
  11. Let faster players go through (unless you’re waiting too?)
  12. Always help others look for their (lost?) ball for a few minutes
  13. Don’t give advice unless asked
  14. Don’t let a bad shot/hole/round affect your playing partners (it’s just a game)
  15. Yell FORE if there’s any chance you might hit another player(s)
  16. Stay on the cart path, off fairways and away from greens as much as possible
  17. Always return lost clubs, headcovers, etc.

 

Quote

5. Understand cart etiquette - Park in an area where you're not walking backwards after the hole to get back to the cart

6. Stay on the cart path, off fairways and away from greens as much as possible

16. Stay on the cart path, off fairways and away from greens as much as possible

You must be pretty adamant about this one to post it twice.  I follow good etiquette, but some courses have different rules and needs for cart usage.  Unnecessary running back and forth to and from the cart path leads to slower play.  Many courses I play ask specifically that you drive to a point even with the shortest ball, drive 90° to that ball, then remain in the fairway until you approach the green complex, at which time there are usually signs directing you back to the path.  I play quite a few courses which don't even have cart paths except around tees and greens.

There are other etiquette points for carts too, like dropping and picking up your rider in an efficient manner rather than just sitting and waiting for him to play every shot;  taking care to not drive through obviously soft or wet areas of turf.  Mostly what I would call common sense stuff.

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8. No practice swings on the first tee (beside the tee before your turn if you must)

Since a single practice swing is part of my preshot routine, I shall continue to do it on the first tee and every tee thereafter.  I wonder if that prohibition is actually aimed at no practice shots rather than just swings (AKA no breakfast balls).

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13. Don’t give advice unless asked

Don't give or ask for advice, period.  That IS a written rule of golf.

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18. (Remove your hat and) shake hands with your player partners at the end of every round

Shake hands, yes.  Remove hat.... nope.  Like Erik said, this is not a tradition, it's a new addition that comes from watching too much TV Golf.  Would you remove your hat when shaking hands with a business associate you are greeting?  I've never seen anyone do that, so why do it on the golf course?

Edited by Fourputt
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Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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1 hour ago, Fourputt said:

Would you remove your hat when shaking hands with a business associate you are greeting?  

 

The 'tradition' goes back centuries.

Many would find that insulting in the UK. But given that hats these days equates with caps, it is an unlikely to crop up in a business situation.

 

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49 minutes ago, Rulesman said:

The 'tradition' goes back centuries.

Many would find that insulting in the UK. But given that hats these days equates with caps, it is an unlikely to crop up in a business situation.

Yeah that’s a weird one @Fourputt. Why are business men wearing hats?

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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3 hours ago, Fourputt said:

I follow good etiquette, but some courses have different rules and needs for cart usage.  Unnecessary running back and forth to and from the cart path leads to slower play.  Many courses I play ask specifically that you drive to a point even with the shortest ball, drive 90° to that ball, then remain in the fairway until you approach the green complex, at which time there are usually signs directing you back to the path.  I play quite a few courses which don't even have cart paths except around tees and greens.

I was going to bring this up, too. My "home" course tells people to take the carts down the fairway and with the most direct route to the ball possible.


I got a rule, how about don't be an asshole?

@nevets88 and I were playing this week at a course neither of us knew. Pace of play was good but we had to wait on some holes, so the twosome behind us had to wait for us sometimes. We're on the 18th tee waiting so we were chatting, then when they cleared the landing area, I hit my first drive OB. I stepped back to let Steve hit and by now the threesome in front of us was moving up around the green. The group behind us pulled up to wait. I waved to say hello and one guy throws his arms up like we're holding up play. Steve hits a good drive so I tee up my third and I could hear them talking the whole time we're on the tee.

I hit my shot and we drove to my ball, I hopped out and grabbed my club. Steve took the cart to his ball. We were both ready to play and the group in front hadn't even cleared the green yet. I turned around to give those guys on the tee the old stink eye. We finished the round in 3:30.

Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

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1 hour ago, iacas said:

Yeah that’s a weird one @Fourputt. Why are business men wearing hats?

Not all business owners are suit and tie guys.  Lots of small businessmen in the crafts - plumber, carpenter, electrician, remodeler, etc.  Most of those that I'm familiar wear ball caps as a part of their daily apparel, whether on the job or meeting with potential customers.  Never seen one take his cap off just to shake hands - seems a bit silly to me.  

Watch any old move from the 40's and 50's where all the men are wearing suits and ties with hats.  They take the hat off going into a house or when meeting a woman, but rarely in a commercial building, and I can't recall any of those roles requiring them to remove their hats when meeting or greeting another man, who is also wearing a hat.  Makes me wonder where the so called tradition came from.

Edited by Fourputt

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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30 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

Lots of small businessmen in the crafts - plumber, carpenter, electrician, remodeler, etc

Tradesmen aren't really the same as "businessmen." Hell, I own my own business, too, but I'm not a "businessman" when I'm teaching a golf lesson or whatever.

But yeah, whatever. We shouldn't need to take our hats off.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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On 9/28/2017 at 2:32 PM, sjduffers said:

I think that we have a failure to communicate here. The unwritten rule is that only the guy who is up, on the tee, is supposed to have practice swings. The other three should remain still and not doing willy-nilly practice swings, you know like 5-10-20, on the side just to warm up.

Thank you.  I was lurking this thread and pulling my hair out about the no practice swings thing.

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5 hours ago, Fourputt said:

Makes me wonder where the so called tradition came from.

I'm sure you've heard of knights in shining armor, right? In the old days, in the old countries... Well, it's a tad impractical to look someone in the eyes (and show them that one is not being in an offensive posture) with that big helmet on. Ergo, you take it off, look at the other guy in the eyes and he can see that are now vulnerable with your head exposed, for a greeting and nothing more.

The tradition of not wearing a hat to say hello, and I might add of not wearing a hat indoors (anywhere, not just say at church) is indeed old, but I have personally never failed to uphold it, and actually find it strange and mildly disrespectful that people don't take their hat off in those circumstances.

In fact, my rule of thumb is that if a man is wearing a hat while driving (I'll make an exception for a ball cap in the US, because it is so common), it's most likely a bad driver so I watch out. Try it, you'll be surprised how accurate that prediction is! :-P

Edited by sjduffers

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Shaking hands at the end of a round is not a greeting. You've been together for four+ hours. And there's no imminent threat, unless someone plans to welch on a bet. :-)

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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7 hours ago, sjduffers said:

 

In fact, my rule of thumb is that if a man is wearing a hat while driving (I'll make an exception for a ball cap in the US, because it is so common), it's most likely a bad driver so I watch out. Try it, you'll be surprised how accurate that prediction is! :-P

There is an old saying over here 'Never trust the driver of a car who is wearing a hat".

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Tend the flag, or pull it, if you're the first one on the green or have the longest putt.  Stand by to replace the flag if you're the first one done putting.  (I'm a bit surprised we're three pages into this thread with no mention of the flag.  lol)

Don't park the cart too close to the other guy's ball.  Golf courses are big.  Give him 12 or 15 feet, off to the side.  

Edited by Avalanche
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On 28/09/2017 at 7:12 PM, Papa Steve 55 said:

Two of my rules.

1 That three foot putt you missed always goes in when you rake it back and try again.

2 The provisional is always better.

Somebody in the group always says "same Guy", and I say yes, but with more practice.

Wierd, so you are my bizarro golf personality then...

two of my 'laws' of golf

1 - that three footer you rake back because you know you'll make it this time.....it still doesn't go in, and misses in even a worse way

2 - The provisional is no worse and sometimes identical.  the rare case it was better and you played both balls, you still got the same score and the first drive resulted in a lot more fun hole to play.

On 01/10/2017 at 2:52 AM, Rulesman said:

There is an old saying over here 'Never trust the driver of a car who is wearing a hat".

Mine is, never get stuck traveling behind and old man wearing a hat

Bill - 

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(edited)
6 hours ago, Avalanche said:

Don't park the cart too close to the other guy's ball.  Golf courses are big.  Give him 12 or 15 feet, off to the side.  

Bizarre! I played league with a guy a few weeks ago that kept pulling to within 2-3 feet or my (or his own) ball, sometimes even behind the ball where you couldn't swing at the ball even if you wanted to - baffling. He had to move the cart every time. I don't know if it was poor vision/depth perception or what.

It's interesting to see how different each week is, rules interpretations (yes, I know the rules are clear enough), pace, skill level, courtesy, etc. I've had to make allowances most weeks.

But a few weeks ago I got (rightfully) scolded for after parking the cart I was driving too close to several greens, so I have my own inconsistent habits I guess. And I'm been more mindful about where I leave carts since, so the guy did me favor speaking up.

Edited by Midpack
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2 hours ago, Midpack said:

Bizarre! I played league with a guy a few weeks ago that kept pulling to within 2-3 feet or my (or his own) ball, sometimes even behind the ball where you couldn't swing at the ball even if you wanted to - baffling. He had to move the cart every time. I don't know if it was poor vision/depth perception or what.

It's interesting to see how different each week is, rules interpretations (yes, I know the rules are clear enough), pace, skill level, courtesy, etc. I've had to make allowances most weeks.

But a few weeks ago I got (rightfully) scolded for after parking the cart I was driving too close to several greens, so I have my own inconsistent habits I guess. And I'm been more mindful about where I leave carts since, so the guy did me favor speaking up.

Ha ha!  Yeah, a guy on my league team a couple years back was left handed.  He'd pull up four or five feet left of the ball out of habit--because that's where he'd pull up to his own ball.  But that's right where I'd be standing.  Used to drive me crazy.  :-)

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