Golf Tips: Etiquette on the Green

I've played a lot of golf in my lifetime, and I can honestly say that the easiest place to spot a newcomer to the game is on the green. Unless they have been properly instructed, new players don't always understand that there are specific rules of etiquette that should be observed on the putting surface. They often stand where they aren't supposed to, walk where they aren't supposed to, and fail to perform the quick ground repairs that help keep the green smooth for a true roll of the ball. The following tips are offered to those who may have just started playing golf, and to those who need a reminder about proper etiquette on the green.

1. Repair those ball marks. When those high, lofted golf shots land on the green, the impact will usually leave, at the very least, a small indention in the surface of the green. Obviously, left in this condition, the indention leaves a bumpy spot for golf balls to roll across, and can turn a putt in an unexpected manner. In addition, a ball mark that hasn't been repaired immediately will leave an unsightly brown spot on the golf green. It only takes a few seconds to lift the point of impact back to level with the surrounding surface (using a green repair tool or a long golf tee), and then lightly tap the whole area flat with the bottom of your putter.

2. Mark your ball. If your golf ball has come to rest in a position between another player's ball and the hole, make sure you mark the shot with a small coin or a ball marker (in such a way that the marker is also out of his way). Other players should not have to remind you that your ball needs to be marked.

If the marker from your golf shot will still be in his/her direct line, ask the other player which direction your mark should be moved. Then, placing the heel of your putter next to the coin, point your putter at some distant object about 90 degrees from the line to the hole, in the direction indicated by the other player. Move the marker from the heel to the toe of your putter. When it is your turn to putt, reverse the sequence, first moving the marker to the original position, and then placing the ball where it originally came to rest.