I’m hesitant to use this stump to complain about things, but I’m going to indulge myself for a few moments. It seems like every time I go to the golf course, I’m reminded that golf course etiquette is becoming extinct. I’m not necessarily talking about how a player interacts with his group. I’m talking about how he interacts with other players and with the course itself. Maybe I just have expectations that are too high. I got a job at a golf course before I had ever learned the game. Before that, I think I played once and had only been to the driving range with friends here and there. A salty old pro, Bob, taught me that there was a right way and a wrong way to do things. He let me know that two (or more) people sharing clubs is forbidden because it unduly delays play. He taught me that there was a proper way to dress on the golf course. He explained to me that waving up the next group on a

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend who happens to be a golf course maintenance superintendent. He’s gotten so flustered with the players at his course that he asked me to help put out the word on a little bit of etiquette that too many people forget. At the end of summer, normally in September (at least in the northern U.S.), it’s prime time for courses to do core aeration on their greens. The process is pretty straight forward. A machine comes and removes little plugs of grass and dirt, leaving putting surface full of holes. Then, the greens are top-dressed, where a layer of sand and peat is used to fill the holes and is also spread across the rest of the putting surface. It does a few things: promotes root growth, smooths the surface of the green, and improves drainage by reducing soil compaction. What it really does is make the greens nice to play on for the rest of the year. Sure it’s bad for players for a few weeks until

Yesterday, in Part I of this two part post about golf etiquette, I covered pace of play and basic care for the course. Today, I want to focus more on safety and consideration for fellow players and course employees. Safety Safety on a golf course is too often overlooked. It seems like such a harmless game. However, there is the chance for serious injury if we aren’t careful. Here are some tips to help everyone stay safe. We all hit bad shots, but when one gets away from us, it is imperative that we yell “Fore!” to alert other golfers that an errant shot may be coming their way. This includes times when it might seem like no one is in danger. Golf courses may seem wide open, but it’s easy for people to be obscured from view in wooded areas, low spots, behind mounds, or in other areas. When a golf ball leaves the face of a driver, it may be traveling upwards of 150 miles per hour and even when it lands is

Golf is somewhat unique in that there is an entire code of etiquette to guide us. The Rules of Golf tell us how the game is played, but the rules of etiquette tell us how to go about it. I worked at a course for about five seasons while I was in college and have been a player and fan of the game for many years. It saddens me when people who know proper etiquette refuse to do the small things that make the game fun for everyone as if their greens fee gives them ownership of the course. I’ve also come to realize that many people just don’t know many of the details about golf etiquette. I wanted to spend a little time going over the basics so that those who don’t know will get an introduction. I’m also hoping that those who know proper etiquette but ignore it will have a change of heart. Pace of Play Pace of play is a huge problem in the United States. It’s surprising because if you