Etiquette & dress code

Golf's etiquette can feel like a secret code, but it boils down to two ideas: look after the course, and look after the people you're playing with. Do those and you'll fit in anywhere.

Care for the course

• Replace divots (or fill them from the sand bottle on the cart).
• Rake bunkers after you play from them.
• Repair your pitch mark on the green and maybe one other.

Respect the group

• Stay still and quiet while others play.
• Don't stand in someone's putting line or let your shadow cross it.
• Shout "fore!" loudly if your ball flies toward anyone.

What to wear

A collared shirt and non-denim trousers or shorts cover almost every public course. Some clubs are stricter, so check ahead — but you rarely need to overthink it.

The first tee: what actually happens

The most nervous moment of a beginner's round is the first tee, so here's the script. Arrive at the course 20–30 minutes early — enough to check in, hit a few putts, and breathe. At the tee, introduce yourself to anyone you've been paired with; a first name and a handshake is all it takes. Traditionally the lowest handicap tees off first, but in relaxed play someone will just say "go ahead" — accept cheerfully. Nobody expects your drive to be good. They expect you to be ready when it's your turn, and that's a much lower bar.

On the green: the choreography

The green has the most etiquette per square metre, and it's all learnable:

• Mark your ball (coin behind it) if it's in someone's way or you want to clean it.
• Walk around other players' lines, not across them — imagine a string from each ball to the hole.
• The flagstick is a team job. Anyone can tend or pull it; offer when you're closest.
• First one in the hole picks it up last: whoever holes out first grabs the flagstick, ready to replace it when the group finishes.
• Leave promptly. Mark your scores at the next tee, not beside the green.

Phones, trolleys and where to stand

Keep your phone on silent and calls for the car park — photos between shots are fine. Park your trolley or bag on the side of the green toward the next tee, never in front of the green. When someone's swinging, stand still to their side, roughly level with them and well out of swing range — never behind the ball on their line, and never ahead of them.