Golf – A Gentleman’s Game
Golf has never been about winning. It’s the one and only sport that has always been about playing like a gentleman, and winning. If there’s any larceny in a man, golf will reveal a man’s true self. Golf is not about strength or muscles, it’s about strength of character and mind.
That one moment of distraction could cost a golf player a winning shot, which is exactly why etiquette is so very important in the game of golf. From casting shadows in the line of play to causing disturbances with ringing mobile phones and divots in the fairway, you want to be the last person responsible for your fellow player loosing focus, and ultimately losing the game.
Believe it or not, but golf etiquette is actually an unspoken set of rules, designed to make the game of golf more enjoyable for its players. Although many of these practices are not part of the formal rules, golfers are customarily expected to observe them. So, here’s our top five gentlemanly golf rules you should observe on the green:
- Silence Please: Your voice is both a distraction as a player swings and an excuse if the player hits a bad shot. So save your small talk for afterwards, you don’t want your opponent blaming you for losing the game
- Fair Shots for Everyone: Be respectful toward your fellow players and leave the course like you found it, or better. When your ball lands in an unfilled divot in the fairway or a footprint in a bunker, it decreases your chances of hitting a good shot. So fill your divots, fix your ball marks and rake your bunker so everyone has a fair shot at the game
- Watch your Shadow: Hitting the perfect shot is down to the tee, so don’t allow your shadow to get in another player’s putting line or visual field when another player is hitting or putting
- Watch your Positioning: Standing directly behind a player’s hitting or putting line or really anywhere that encroaches a players’ visual field as they swing, can be a real distraction
- Tame your Tamper: Throwing clubs, sulking and barking profanity makes everyone uneasy. If you hit a bad shot, cool your jets, you don’t want to set a bad precedent for your fellow players
