Basic Golf Etiquette

Girl Meets Green
Jan 10
2 min read

Golf has a reputation for being rules-heavy and quietly intimidating—but here’s the truth: etiquette is mostly about respect, pace, and awareness, not perfection. You don’t need to be “good” at golf to belong on the course. You just need to know a few basics.

1. Pace of Play Matters

You don’t need a perfect swing—but you do need to keep things moving.

Remember: No one will remember how bad you played, but they will remember how slow you played. This is as true as the sky is blue.

Good etiquette means:

Be ready when it’s your turn
Take practice swings sparingly
Pick up your ball if a hole is getting rough(Seriously—everyone does it. No judgment here.)
Let faster groups play through if you’re holding things up - Don’t be the roadblock.

2. Know When to Be Quiet

Golf isn’t silent—but timing matters.

Quiet moments include:

When someone is swinging
When someone is lining up a putt

Talking, laughing, and music between shots is usually fine—especially during casual rounds. Just pause during swings and you’re good to go.

3. Where You Stand Matters

Standing in the wrong place can be distracting—or end badly.

Try to:

Stand behind and slightly to the side of the person hitting
Never stand directly behind someone swinging or putting (This is called being in someone’s line of sight and can be very distracting.)
Avoid stepping on someone’s putting line (The imaginary line from ball to hole.)

If you’re unsure, follow where others stand—it’s the fastest way to learn.

4. Take Care of the Course

This one is big—but easy.

Basic course respect:

Replace or fill divots (That massive chunk of earth you took out with your swing.)
Fix ball marks on the green
Rake the sand after hitting out of a bunker
Don’t drag your feet on putting surfaces
Keep carts off tees and greens

Effort matters more than perfection here.