Worried about breaking a rule nobody told you about? Golf etiquette is shorter than it looks, and none of it depends on your score. Here’s what to do from the first tee to the final handshake.
Golf Etiquette for Beginners: What It Actually Is
Golf etiquette for beginners comes down to three things. Look out for the people around you, keep up with the group ahead, and take care of the course. Everything else on this page is one of those three ideas in action.
It comes straight from the Rules of Golf. Rule 1.2a asks players to act with integrity, show consideration to others (a prompt pace and looking out for everyone’s safety are its own examples), and take good care of the course. The Rules attach no penalty to falling short in a casual round. It’s simply how the game asks you to treat the people and the place.
Your score isn’t on that list. A golfer who shoots 120 at a steady pace, fixes their marks, and cheers for the group is showing better etiquette than a golfer who shoots par and holds everyone up. A few customs do change from course to course, and we’ll get to those near the end.
Be a Safe, Easy Playing Partner
Safety comes first, and it starts with where you stand. When someone is about to swing, stand off to the side where they can see you, never directly behind them and never ahead of the ball. Picture standing beside a batter at a ballgame, not in the swing path.
Before you swing, look up. If the group ahead could possibly be in range, wait. If your ball starts heading toward anyone, shout “fore” right away and loud enough to be heard. (Our golf slang guide covers what to do when you’re the one hearing it.) The same goes for the maintenance crew. Make sure they’ve seen you before you hit towards them.
While someone else is playing:
- Stay still and quiet during their swing or putt
- Keep your phone on silent
- Play music only if everyone in the group, and the course, is fine with it
Bad shots happen to everyone, and frustration is normal. Thrown clubs and loud outbursts aren’t because they make the round uncomfortable for the whole group. Gurdy’s approach works better: laugh off your own shank and celebrate everyone else’s good shots like they’re yours. When the round ends, shake hands and thank your group.
Keep Up With the Group Ahead
The simplest pace-of-play test in golf is keeping up with the group in front of you, not just staying ahead of the group behind you. If a whole open hole sits between you and the group ahead, it’s time to speed up.
A few habits do most of the work:
- Arrive early: Leave time to check in, roll a few warm-up putts, and reach the first tee without rushing.
- Play ready golf: In a casual round, whoever is ready (and safe) hits first instead of waiting for strict turn order. In stroke play, the Rules of Golf say players are both allowed and encouraged to play out of turn as long as it’s safe.
- Be ready on your turn: Pick your club and plan your shot as you walk to the ball. The Rules recommend making each stroke in no more than 40 seconds once it’s your turn.
- Keep practice swings to one or two.
- Pick up on a blow-up hole: In a casual round, it’s fine to pocket your ball after too many strokes and move on. Our guide on how to keep score in golf covers what to write down.
- Write scores on the next tee: Walk off the green first so the group behind can hit. Still learning the card? Here’s how to read a golf scorecard.
- Wave faster groups through: If the group behind is waiting on every shot, let them play ahead. The Rules of Golf encourage it too.
If you think your ball might be lost, hit a provisional (a backup ball played from the same spot) so you don’t have to walk back. The slang guide explains how to announce one.
Leave the Course Better Than You Found It
Fix whatever you damage (divots, ball marks, and bunkers), and follow the course’s cart rules. The USGA’s course care guidance boils it down to leaving the course better than you found it, and every golfer behind you notices.
- Divots: A divot is the chunk of turf your club takes out on a swing. If it comes out in one piece, put it back and press it down with your foot. If the course hands you a bottle of divot mix, fill the hole instead. Then fill yours and one more.
- Ball marks: This is the small dent your ball makes when it lands on the green. Left alone, it can keep the putting surface bumpy for weeks. Fixing one is quick, and our guide to fixing a ball mark with a divot tool walks through it. The Birdie Chaser divot repair tool doubles as a ball marker.
- Bunkers: Enter a bunker (the sand trap) from the low side. Rake out your footprints and the spot you played from, then leave the rake where the course asks.
- Carts: Cart rules can change day to day, so ask before you tee off. Follow the signs and ropes, stay off wet or thin grass, and keep the cart well away from tees and greens.
While you’re at it, pick up broken tees and any trash you spot.
Golf Etiquette on the Green
On the putting green, one rule covers almost everything. Don’t disturb anyone else’s putt. That means marking your ball, staying off their line, and holding still until they’ve hit.
- Mark your ball: Set a ball marker or coin right behind your ball before you pick it up. If your marker sits in someone’s path, offer to move it. A Birdie Chaser ball marker with Gurdy’s face on it makes the job more fun.
- Stay off putting lines: A putting line is the path between someone’s ball and the hole. Step around it, never across it, and watch where your shadow falls.
- Handle the flagstick politely: Under the current Rules of Golf you’re allowed to putt with the flagstick left in the hole. If your group prefers it out, or someone asks you to tend it, hold it at arm’s length and stand clear of every line.
- Leave promptly: Once the last putt drops, head for the next tee.
What Changes From Course to Course
Not every custom is universal. Dress codes, cart rules, and music policies vary, so when in doubt, ask the pro shop before you tee off. Regulars ask too.
Many public and municipal courses are relaxed about dress, private clubs usually expect more, and resort courses often sit in between. Dress is the one people worry about most, and our guide on what to wear golfing breaks it down by type of course. Safety, pace, and care of the course stay the same wherever you play.
Everyone Starts Somewhere
Nobody expects a beginner to play well. They expect you to play considerately, and now you know how. Stay safe, keep up, fix your marks, and cheer for your group.
Keep building from here with the rest of our beginner guides in Gurdy’s Corner, from keeping score to golf slang. When you want gear that handles the etiquette jobs for you (a ball marker, a divot tool), take a look at Birdie Chaser golf gear in the Pro Shop.