Corporate Golf Services

Barb Hanson

Those of us who love the game of golf understand its great history and tradition.  We respect that history and tradition by responding to it in many ways:

We play by the rules.
We observe specialized etiquette.
We rely on our own personal integrity to “referee” ourselves.
We adhere to certain standards and expectations associated with the game.

One of the basic standards is that of proper attire.  Dressing appropriately for the golf course immediately says:  “I respect this game.  I respect my fellow golfers.  I understand the expectation and am happy to comply.”

As a teacher, I often had the opportunity to observe students on “dress-up days”.  The students planned everything from  “Seventies Day” to “Team Day” to “Pajama Day”.  But the day that was the most interesting was the day when everyone was supposed to dress in nice clothes.  The change in attitudes and behavior was astonishing. There was a different type of decorum present.

I believe that to be taken seriously as a golfer, I should look like a golfer.  In order to play my best, I start with trying to look my best.

I observed a group of young girls playing golf this past week. I was so impressed with their care of the green. They laid the flag down very carefully out of the way of play. Have you ever looked at the groove that a flagstick makes on the green when dropped from full height? They fixed their ballmarks. They walked around the lines of others’ putts and were conscious of others’ lines when tapping in a putt.

A negative habit I’ve observed on occasion is that of scooping the ball out of the hole with the head of the putter. There’s too much potential for damage to the cup when doing this.

Good etiquette is simply being considerate of the course and other players.

Scorekeeping can be a factor in pace of play. First of all, you should never linger at the green in order to write down scores. Scorekeeping can be done mentally and verbally while moving to the next hole and then written down on the next tee. The scorekeeper should either hit first, recording scores afterwards or hit last after scores have been recorded. If a back-up scorecard is being kept, the scorekeepers should listen carefully so that scores don’t have to be repeated. Play should never be held up because of scorekeeping.

Do motorized carts speed up play? Not necessarily. It depends on how effectively the cart is used.

• Riders should be willing (if able) to walk some short distances in order to keep play moving.
• The driver and passenger might have to exchange roles occasionally.
• Carters should only take one trip from the cart to their ball. Bring a choice of clubs if uncertain about yardage, lie or type of shot.
• After completing a shot, consider whether putting the club away in the bag is most time-efficient at that moment or not.