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22 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | AUGUST 2021 | By Brian Garlington, PGA, Director of Golf The Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a good basis for golf course etiquette: treat fellow golfers and course property just as you would like them to treat you and your property. Proper golf course etiquette, for the most part, involves just plain common sense, courtesy, and respect. Serious golfers, in fact any of us who play the ball "as it lies," become very upset when we find a course in bad condition because of negligence by previous golfers. Divots, footprints in the bunkers, sunflower seeds on the greens or cigarette butts not properly disposed can quickly ruin a great game as can the lack of basic courtesy towards fellow golfers. So, along with enough balls, remember to take The Golden Rule to the course with you each and every time you play. Dispose of butts and trash properly If you smoke cigars or cigarettes, don't throw your butts on the course. The golf course is one of the last places you have complete freedom to smoke. That privilege may be taken away if we litter the course with butts. It certainly doesn't look good and besides, what happens to that great shot when the ball just happens to collide with a cigar butt? Dispose of butts, drink containers, and any other trash in proper receptacles on the course or in your cart. Repair your Divots Divots occur when your clubface takes a chunk of grass and dirt out of the ground on your swing. Divots happen as the result of good and poor shots. Either way, divots are acceptable — not repairing them is unacceptable. It's hard enough to hit a good golf shot, but if you've ever attempted to hit a ball from a divot hole you'll likely never forget to sand and seed your divot for as long as you play the game. Rake Bunkers You may spend a lot of time in bunkers or sand traps and might really mess them up trying to get out. Be sure to rake the bunker neatly when you leave. A neatly raked bunker is not only more attractive, but also allows subsequent players to more easily "play the ball as it lies" in the sand. Repair Ball Marks Ball marks are small craters in the green caused by the impact of a spinning golf ball when it lands on the green. You should ALWAYS repair your ball mark and one other when you get on the green. A properly repaired ball mark will start growing grass in a day whereas an unrepaired ball mark will take 10 days before grass will begin to grow in it. Safety on the course The safety of those in your group, other golfers on the course, and spectators is very important. Always be careful when swinging a club. Serious injuries have occurred when golfers have been accidentally hit in the head with a club or ball. Do not stand directly in front of or behind any golfer getting ready to swing. Make sure the group in front of you is well out of range before taking your shot. If, by chance, the ball heads directly toward another golfer or group, be sure to yell "FORE!" the accepted warning for "watch out for the ball." Be particularly careful with children - golf clubs are not toys, and in fact can become a deadly weapon. Respect for the Game This means not only foregoing displays of temper on the course, but also being respectful of those in your group and other golfers around you. Don't move, talk, or stand too close to a player when they are taking a shot. Concentration is required, and noise and movement can be disconcerting. Don't dawdle. Be ready to hit your ball when it's your turn. Keep conversation to a minimum and leave the cell phone behind - several minutes of "unnecessary talk" on each hole will add an hour or more to your round. Keep the game moving - delays and slow play are aggravating to groups behind you. If those behind you are playing faster than your group, then speed up your play if possible. If your group is slower because of less experienced players, then invite the faster group or groups to "play through" - or your group could skip ahead to the next hole. Never step on the line of another player's putt. It can affect the smoothness of the putting surface and may also cause the putting golfer to lose concentration and miss the putt. (Now, you wouldn't want that, would you?) Have respect for all golfers. Golf is one of the few games that can be truly enjoyed by both men and women, young and old, and everyone in between. Have respect and encourage respect from golfing buddies, and for all players - regardless of whether they're "in your league" or not. Practicing these Golden Rules of Golf Etiquette will help everyone to have a more enjoyable and successful game. Good golfing! The Golden Rules of Golf Etiquette

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