Played Sunday and got paired up with two new golfers. There were some egregious breaches of ettiquette (such as standing right behind me when I am putting, stepping on my line or right on my marker on the green and excrucitaingly slow play). Do you feel obligated to help a new golfer with ettiquette issues. I feel it is better that a new golfer learn that kind of thing as soon as they start playing but I didn't say anything at the time. What are your thoughts?

IF they say they're new to the game, i try to help them. in a nice way though. I don't get angry, but i try to explain the concept of etiquette and pace of play. Sometimes it sinks in, sometimes it doesn't.

It's a little tricky to do without sounding like you are scolding someone. Couple weeks ago there was this NYU grad student from China in my group, I mean this kid was like right off the boat. But he had a pretty proper bag of Callaway newbie clubs and even though he was new I could tell he was yet another victim like us all, hooked probably for life. The first few holes he would stand behind me as I hit so I explained about "the line of play". He apologized and said he was just trying to get a good view of how I'm swinging. I also schooled him on putting line courtesy. His english was limited but he knew the word "etiquette" and thanked me for teaching it to him. I like to think I made a difference in the golf world that day.

Also if there's a slow play issue that's especially tough. I will usually point to the group in front and say Hey bro's (I don't really say bro's), I know it's kind of tough but we have to try and keep up with those guys up there, it's just for the sake of everyone behind us. Usually try to say something like not needing to play better but rather trying to shave off some of the time in between but yeah, it's not easy.

interesting topic. i have a pretty decent sense of etiquette, but maybe I'm not doing some things right... i've read that you shouldn't stand 'behind' a fellow golfer ever. since golf is a 'side-on' game, does 'behind' mean: A. literally 'behind', so that you can see their back? or B. to their 'right'(for right handed golfers) so that the golfer is between you and the target. hope this makes sense?

sometimes in order to help a golfer track their ball, specially on a shot facing a setting sun, I'll stand on the back of the tee box so that I have a clear view of their shot (I'll shield my eyes from sun). Am I 'behind' them? Should I stand somewhere out of their line of sight? and where is it acceptable to stand on a putting green if you are interested in having someone outside of you show you 'the line', but not impede their ability to hit their putt?

Duke of Hazards wrote:

interesting topic. i have a pretty decent sense of etiquette, but maybe I'm not doing some things right... i've read that you shouldn't stand 'behind' a fellow golfer ever. since golf is a 'side-on' game, does 'behind' mean: A. literally 'behind', so that you can see their back? or B. to their 'right'(for right handed golfers) so that the golfer is between you and the target. hope this makes sense? sometimes in order to help a golfer track their ball, specially on a shot facing a setting sun, I'll stand on the back of the tee box so that I have a clear view of their shot (I'll shield my eyes from sun). Am I 'behind' them? Should I stand somewhere out of their line of sight? and where is it acceptable to stand on a putting green if you are interested in having someone outside of you show you 'the line', but not impede their ability to hit their putt?

For sure, I meant behind the ball looking down the target line. I think as long as you can see someone's back or chest as they're hitting you are okay. But it seems okay to stand on the target line in those instances where it's hard to see the tee ball in the air. I have teed off 18 many a time in the dark, I've asked people to crouch behind the ball and hopefully get a glimpse of it off the clubface.

I think in putting the best you can do is move into the line for a better view but only after the putt's struck. I think this is even covered in the rules.

The teamplay I am playing, is very OFFICIAL with rules, and they will call you on everything.

Well, in reality, most of the guys we have played have INFORMED us what we're doing wrong, but haven't taken the rightfully due penalty.
Wanting to beat us on the course, not on paper... which I respect.

In match play, teams, you can give advice. They can help you read, like a CADDY, BUT they still can not stand behind your line or extend your line when you putt... which I thought was interesting... so you are right beef, even if you're teammates, you cannot do that.

As soon as they putt you are entitled to sneak in there though.

I have been playing a year now (apart from 2 rounds a few months prior) and I announce I'm pretty new, and any advice would gratefully be recieved.
I ask a lot, is my mark ok there, is my cart in your vision, etc... so I'm slowly picking up on it.

I am pretty relaxed about everything, but some people you can't breathe when they're plum bobbing.

With newbies, I usually tell them i'm pretty new too. Love the game, but still learning all the little etiquette stuff. I will follow that by saying most people are pretty cool, but some people will freak if you do this and do that. And then it usually starts a conversation where I can list all the issues I know of.
I tell the story of one duechebag i played with too, but by explaining I'm in the same boat as them, they usually take it as friendly advice, not a GOOD player talking down to them.

I always take advice from a friendly person rather than someone lecturing me.

gpickin wrote:

In match play, teams, you can give advice. They can help you read, like a CADDY, BUT they still can not stand behind your line or extend your line when you putt... which I thought was interesting... so you are right beef, even if you're teammates, you cannot do that.

Just to be clear, standing on your partner's line when you are playing as a team is agains the rules. When you are not on the same team, it is simply considered a breach of ettiquette.

The "line of play" breach is one that I think sometimes has to be sacrificed in order to respect other breaches. One of my primary objectives on the course when it's not my turn is to get to my ball as quickly as I can. Once a person in my group addresses the ball for his shot, though, it's time to keep still. From time to time, I find myself in the player's line when he addresses the ball, then it's a decision on whether I want to keep moving to distract him or to stand still (in his line) to distract him. Personally, having someone stand in my line has never bothered me, but having someone move around in my field of vision does. So the decision is easy.

Also, this phenomenon seems to happen a lot with the same guys. When I am getting ready to address the ball for my shot, I always allow a couple of extra seconds to let people get where they are going to go.

gpickin,

I too picked up on a lot of stuff doing tournaments, it helped a bunch. Like, if you need to move a ball marker on the green - find a tree to line up to when you move the mark. And don't forget to move it back before you putt! I read someone (on this website, probably) suggest they flip the marker over when they move it, to help remember to put it back.

On the tee, my regular weekend group has adopted the practice of leaving our bags off the teeing ground to the side, and we stand there too while another hits so we are clear of field of vision. Unless like you guys said, the sun is blinding and we need help spotting balls.

I really liked birdieXris' suggestion of "first in gets the pin" - gonna try to adopt that one.

Bryan K wrote:

gpickin wrote: In match play, teams, you can give advice. They can help you read, like a CADDY, BUT they still can not stand behind your line or extend your line when you putt... which I thought was interesting... so you are right beef, even if you're teammates, you cannot do that. Just to be clear, standing on your partner's line when you are playing as a team is agains the rules. When you are not on the same team, it is simply considered a breach of ettiquette.

Thanks for clearing that up too... I am learning what not to do, but not sure if its ettiquette or rules.

I tip my het to you mate, for at least trying to learn the "proper" etiquette! These little things make life a lot more enjoyable on the course. Some things are written in the rulebook (the first section describes "etiquette"), but a lot of other things are not (like the way you should mark the ballposition, when to ask if you need to move your marker, leave the extra clubs on the flagstick when it has been removed etc.).

Anyway, the original question was: "do you feel bligated to help a new golfer with etiquette". Yes, I certainly do, with the keyword being "help". He must show he's willing to learn the ropes, otherwise I will just ask him to step away without explanation if it hinders me.

jev wrote:

leave the extra clubs on the flagstick when it has been removed etc.).

Hmm...this is one I've never seen before, but it sounds like an extremely good idea.

That's one of the first things I learned about playing golf. Everyone I've played with drops their extra club across the flagstick. Only one time did I encounter a doofus who picked up the flag from under the clubs and didn't mention to the other players about the clubs they had forgotten there. He just walked off the green and the other players had to walk back up after they got to the cart and remembered them.

merlin3driver wrote:

That's one of the first things I learned about playing golf. Everyone I've played with drops their extra club across the flagstick. Only one time did I encounter a doofus who picked up the flag from under the clubs and didn't mention to the other players about the clubs they had forgotten there. He just walked off the green and the other players had to walk back up after they got to the cart and remembered them.

yea i've played with a few of those doofuses (doofi?). Anyway, that reminds me of something else that i usually tell younger golfers (if we have an older guy in the group). Along with "first in gets the pin" It's also, if there's an older guy in the group, you get the pin for them if they don't already have it. Just out of courtesy. I joined a group one time with a 14 year old kid and another single 70 y/o guy. Not only did the kid not get the pin unless it was within 3 feet of him, but he would routinely finish out, watch me putt alongside the old guy and then just leave the green assuming one of us would get the flag. He also never picked up anybody elses clubs for them. Grr on that.