On The Course

Good etiquette on the golf course means that you play at a good pace and keep up with the group ahead of you. Your place on the course is directly behind the group in front of you, NOT directly in front of the group behind you. You should try to be only one shot behind the group in front of you. Often slow players don't realize how they impact others, throwing off their tempo and ruining their enjoyment of the round.

Golf is the only game without an umpire or referee present to enforce the rules. Rules are enforced by players; therefore, it is important for all of us to be knowledgeable on the rules of golf. The PL9GA Rules Committee will hold periodic Rules Seminars based on the USGA rules of golf for stroke play.  The goal of the committee is to encourage learning, not assign penalties.  
 
Any questions or concerns should be directed to the rules committee chair, Barb Tabaie. Any disagreements will be referred to the club professionals. Let us know the question that comes up during play, we can address so that we can all learn together.  Have fun, play by the rules! 

Ready golf allows the golfers within a group to take their swings whenever any member of the group is ready to play. If you reach your ball and are ready to hit, while other members of your group are not yet prepared, then go ahead and hit.
 
A few simple guidelines for ready golf include:
 

• Be attentive—know when it is your turn to play and be ready to go.
• Walk to your ball as soon as possible, so that you can choose your club and think about the shot in advance, not when it is your turn.
• Carry tees, extra ball, ball marker, and more than 1 club (if necessary). 
• Hit your shot only if it does not interfere with other players or when it’s apparent that the player furthest from the green needs additional time.
• Once on the green—slow down—and follow the rules of etiquette on the putting green. Wait until it is your turn to play and take advantage of learning how to read the green by watching the path of the ball while others putt. Line up your putt while you wait and proceed immediately when it is your turn to play. Putting is one of the most important parts of the game of golf—one half of all strokes allotted for a score of par are putts!

Look to the group in front of you, not behind you. When you are:

• on a Par 4, you should see the group on the green. 
• on a Par 5, you should see the group in the fairway. 
• on a Par 3, you should see the group on or leaving the green.

We are not asking you to race through your game. You just need to play efficiently and know when to pick up your ball and move on. Golf is not a game of “entitlement". Because you have paid your greens fees does not entitle you to play at a pace that disrupts the game for others in your group or those behind you. Following is a list of suggestions to speed up play:If the group in front are close, players with the shortest potential yardage should tee off first.Persons playing from a bunker should hit first and rake while other players hit.Cart drivers should drop their partner off and then proceed to their ball or park between both balls. If you’re not sure which club to use, take a couple with you.Limit practice swings.The numbers of strokes per hole should not exceed your ESC. If you need to speed up the pace, pick up when it’s evident that your achievable score will not be lower than your ESC.Continuous putting is recommended if you are within one club length of the hole. This is a recommendation—the player reserves the option to mark and wait. Record your score at the next tee box, not at the green.Always leave carts positioned toward the next shot or the next tee. You should never have to walk back to get to your cart or your bag.Help your foursome. Watch others hit and watch the ball flight to help everyone find balls quickly.If a player has lost a ball, other players should hit their ball first and then assist in the search.Limit your search for a lost ball to 3 minutes or not at all, if you know it will not be found. USGA rules state 5 minutes but they also state that if a group is waiting they should be allowed to play through.Never delay making a stroke because you're having a conversation with another player.  
The Club has permitted our association to schedule league play during prime time.  It is critical that all players maintain the proper pace of play to enable the Club to open the course for other players at a pre-determined time. The typical time for a 9-hole round of golf on our course is approximately two hours. The Ranger will monitor the field during league play to ensure our group's pace of play conforms to the allotted time. If the group in front of you is not within sight, the ranger may recommend that your foursome speed up its pace. A concerted effort should be made to minimize the gap between the group in front of you. If there is one player slowing up your group, she should voluntarily pick up and record her ESC for the hole. If it is necessary for the Ranger to issue a second warning, your foursome may be directed to pick up and move on to the next hole. Players that are unable to complete the hole should record their ESC as their score.