My regular playing partner, Strukes, wanted me to ask this question on the forums.

So Strukes hit a very nice tee shot with his driver on a long, dogleg par four. As I'm lining up to shoot, he is struggling with his club cover. You know whow those rascally things can be sometimes (which is exactly the reason why I leave them off for the round). Well, just as I'm swinging, the cover either slipped or finally gave way. I didn't hit a very good tee shot. Hell...who am I kidding? I hit an awesome tee shot that went just as far as his except for the draw that put it about 20 yards farther from the green. He thought he affected my swing, so he asked out loud what the proper etiquette regarding putting your head cover back on is. Do you wait until everyone has shot? Or do you just do it hoping that you don't slip while your partner is swinging?

For what it's worth, he didn't affect my swing in the slightest. It takes a lot to take me out of my zone when I'm swinging the club. If you physically startle me, yep....that'll do it. Or if you flash something distracting....but otherwise, I'm pretty much immune to distraction.

I leave my head cover with my clubs, so it gets put back on when the club goes back in the bag after everyone has tee'd off.

Matt

People putting on their head covers does not bother me either. But personally, I usually leave the drive head cover off for the round. Fairway woods I replace after my shot, but then I am the only one hitting.

I put it back on when I'm putting the club back in the bag. If someone is getting ready to hit, I'll stop and wait for them to hit before completing the process.

yep...just common courtesy to not do anything overly noisy or distracting while someone is in the act of swinging. (i.e. rustling clubs, loud talking, zipping/unzipping bag, toe tapping, etc.)
Doesn't really distract me while i'm swinging usually...but it is a pet peeve of mine when people do it to others.

Best to not do anything while someone is at address.
Safer not to offend someone.
Sometimes the smallest thing can throw you off, and best not to be the possible reason.

Seems to be the general consensus to put it back on when everyone has hit or just when people aren't at address. I've been known to put them back on whenever, but the whenever ONLY happens when nobody is getting ready to hit. Either in between players or at the end when the club is going back in the bag. If i'm struggling, i wait until the person tees off, then curse and swear at it again when the ball is in flight. haha

When should you replace your head cover after teeing off? Only when you know you won't many any noise doing it. Your driver head and graphite shaft will not get dinged or scratched in 3 minutes your foursome spends on a tee box. Just hold your club, and your tongue while your buddies are teeing off.

Constant noise like an airplane or the cart girl driving up the adjacent hole are fine, but when it's quiet and all of a sudden someone rustles his clubs around it is distracting.

It's not that difficult to pay attention to what's going on around you and not make any noise for the 3 seconds it takes for someone to complete their swing.

I do like to keep my head-covers on during a round because that's when all the banging around happens.

I played with one of the most SENSITIVE players I have ever had the "pleasure" of playing with the other day.

I understand when they are at address, you gotta be quiet and stop moving, but this guy would give you dirty looks even when he was plum bobbing and walking his line. It was rediculous, and then he complained about us needing to keep up with the group in front of us.

If we were allowed to breath while he was walking to the green to check his line etc, it would have helped.

SO a little courtesy seems like nothing after playing with a SENSITIVE player.

gpickin

He would not like to play with me. I listen to music as I play. Breaks up the stress. Blues, rock and or roll, even some classical.

I dont play with the sensitive type.