Golf Tip

Golf tip of the day

These are some rules of etiquette for all golfers to abide by. If you can think of any other good etiquette ideas that I havenºt mentioned here, please email them to me at bobby@mlbox.com

Rule 1: Golf lessons. Unless youºre a golf professional, donºt try and give advice during a round unless someone is begging for some help. This rule is especially true for husbands.

Rule 2: Stay back. When a group is on the tee, donºt get too close to the tee box. After you finish a hole go to the next one but donºt crowd people and try to be quite. Act as if you were in a library.

Rule 3: Be ready to hit. Unless the order of play is crucial to the outcome of the hole, play "ready" golf. Take two clubs, go to your ball and swing away. In other words, be ready to play.

Rule 4: Be quite. We all feel the pressure of the first tee shot of the day and we all want to do our best. When someone else is swinging, show them some respect and be silent.

Rule 5: Keep an extra ball in your pocket. Keeping and extra ball in your pocket stops you from going to your bag every time you lose a ball in the water. There is nothing wrong with being prepared, even Tiger loses a ball once a year.

Rule 6: Extra swings/putts. "Wait, let me hit another." Uh, how about, "No." First tee mulligans are understandable but should not happen if someone is waiting behind you. If you are by yourself you can take all the time you want. but when you are with a group you have to keep up.

Rule 7: Bunker manners: Go in and out of the bunker the same way. The caddies have a hard enough job carrying your bag; make it easier for them to rake the bunkers by keeping your tracks to a minimum.

Rule 8: Speaking of putting, putt out. If your putt stops within two feet of the cup, finish up. There's no need to mark and re-read every putt. Tell the caddies to stay away and let you finish the putt. Just be careful you donºt step in other players lines.

Rule 9: Be sensitive. If a player in your group has a bad hole, wait until his next good shot to ask for his score.

Rule 10: One practice swing only. Most people donºt take practice swings, they take real swings without hitting the ball. One lose swing to feel the shot is fine but you should never ever ever take a divot.

Rule 11: Stop searching. The U.S. Golf Association says you have five minutes to find a lost ball. We say you've got two, and if the ball is deep in the woods, move on.

Rule 12: We are here to play golf. Some people like to talk a lot some people donºt. 99% of golfers are there to play golf, if you are there for the conversation wait in the clubhouse and talk to people who have finished, Iºm sure they have a lot to tell you about.

Rule 13: Let faster people play through. Beginners are slower, it is a proven fact. Itºs not a problem but you must try and keep up to the group in front of you. And if you are holding people up just let them play through and enjoy your game.

Rule 14: No comment. Some golfers feel the need to comment on every shot -- theirs and ours. We don't care why you just topped your shot over the green. And we appreciate your concern, but we donºt need your opinions about why we made a bad shot. It was probably because you were talking too much.

Rule 15: The caddies are there to carry your clubs. Most caddies are almost too helpful. That's because most golfers are too spoiled. Donºt be afraid to take out your own club from the bag. It doesnºt bite. If your ball is on the green, have a mark ready to mark the ball. Take your putter from the bag and walk to the green after your approach shot. If youºre standing on the green without a putter in your hand itºs your fault.

Rule 16: Caddies are not teachers. They are most likely worse than you so donºt ask them what club to hit. If you donºt know‰. You need a golf professional.

Rule 17: Collard shirts and pockets. Most people know that you need to wear a collard shirt when you play golf. You may see the pros wearing something different on tv but they are stars and get special treatment. If you are not sure if the club will allow what you are wearing, bring an extra Polo shirt just in case. And last but not least, between the tees, ball markers and extra ball you should be carrying, your pockets should be pretty full. So if you wear a skirt or pants without pockets‰‰‰.. where do you put all that stuff??????