Whether you're stepping onto your first fairway or you've been chasing birdies for decades, golf etiquette remains the invisible backbone of the sport. It's what separates a frustrating round from an enjoyable one, both for you and everyone sharing the course.
The beautiful thing about golf is that it trusts players to govern themselves. There's no referee watching your every move. That self-regulation depends entirely on a shared understanding of proper course behaviour, respect for fellow golfers, and care for the grounds beneath your feet.
In 2026, these time-honoured traditions blend with modern realities. Smartphones are on every fairway. GPS apps have become essential tools. Dress codes have relaxed at many courses. But the core principles of golf etiquette remain as relevant as ever.
Let's walk through everything you need to know to be the golfer everyone wants in their foursome.
What Are the Most Important Golf Etiquette Rules?
The most critical golf etiquette rules centre on pace of play, safety, and respect. Keep up with the group ahead, stay quiet and still when others are hitting, repair ball marks and divots, and always let faster groups play through.
Why Golf Etiquette Matters More Than Your Swing
Here's a truth that might surprise newer golfers: your playing partners will remember your behaviour long after they forget your score. A golfer who shoots 95 but moves quickly, repairs their pitch marks, and stays positive is infinitely more welcome than a scratch player who slows down the course and throws clubs.
Golf etiquette exists for practical reasons. When thousands of people share a piece of land throughout the day, small acts of consideration add up to either a smooth operation or complete chaos. That five-minute delay you cause ripples backward through every group behind you.
Beyond logistics, etiquette reflects golf's deeper values. The sport has always prized integrity, respect, and self-discipline. How you conduct yourself on the course says something about your character. That's not empty tradition; it's the culture that makes golf special.
The good news is that proper etiquette isn't complicated. Once you understand the reasoning behind the rules, they become second nature. You'll find yourself automatically doing the right thing because it makes sense.
Pace of Play Etiquette That Keeps Everyone Happy
Nothing frustrates golfers more than slow play. A round that should take four hours stretching to five or six hours drains the enjoyment from even the best score. Making pace of play your priority transforms you into a golfer everyone wants to play with.
Be Ready When It's Your Turn
The simplest pace-of-play rule is this: be ready. While your playing partner is hitting, you should already be thinking about your shot. Check your yardage, select your club, visualise your target. When it's your turn, step up and go.
This doesn't mean rushing your actual swing. Take your practice swings, commit to your shot, and execute. But all the preparation should happen while you're waiting, not while three other people stand around watching.
Using a GPS app like Hole19 speeds this process dramatically. Instead of pacing off yardages or hunting for course markers, you'll have accurate distances at a glance. That's time saved on every single shot.
Ready Golf Is Good Golf
The old strict rotation of play (farthest from the hole hits first) has given way to "ready golf" at most courses. If you're prepared to hit and it's safe to do so, go ahead. Just make sure your partners are aware and positioned safely.
Ready golf keeps everyone moving without sacrificing safety or courtesy. Call out "I'm going to hit if you're okay" and proceed once you get the nod.
Keep Up With the Group Ahead
Your pace benchmark isn't the group behind you; it's the group ahead. If there's a gap opening between your foursome and the players in front, you're playing too slowly. Close that gap, even if it means hustling between shots.
When you fall behind, the pressure compounds. You start rushing shots, which leads to poor results, which leads to more shots, which makes you even slower. Staying in position keeps everything relaxed.
Let Faster Groups Play Through
This is non-negotiable. If the group behind you is consistently waiting on your shots and there's open space ahead, let them through. Wave them up on a tee box and step aside.
It's not an insult to your playing ability. Different groups move at different speeds for countless reasons. Letting them pass benefits everyone: they stop waiting, you stop feeling pressured, and the entire course flows better.
On the Tee Box: Courtesy That Sets the Tone
Stay Silent and Still
When someone is addressing their ball, absolute stillness is required. Don't rustle in your bag, unwrap a snack, or take practice swings. Don't move in their peripheral vision. And most importantly, don't talk.
This isn't excessive formality. The golf swing requires deep concentration. Any distraction can send a ball slicing into the trees. Give your partners the quiet respect you'd want for your own swing.
Position yourself where the golfer won't see you during their backswing. Off to the side and slightly behind is ideal. Never stand directly behind them on the target line.
Wait for the All-Clear
Before hitting, confirm the fairway is clear. If the group ahead is still within your driving range (even your best-ever driving range), wait. Hitting into another group is dangerous and incredibly rude.
When in doubt, pause. Better to wait an extra minute than to yell "fore" and pray.
Honour the Tee Order
The player with the best score on the previous hole traditionally has "the honour" and tees off first. In casual rounds, this often relaxes into ready golf, but in competitions or when playing with new partners, observe the tradition.
On the first tee, a simple agreement among the group works fine. Flip a tee, call odds or evens on a putting green, or just let the host club go first.
Fairway and Rough: Respect the Course and Fellow Players
Repair Your Divots
When your iron carves a chunk of turf from the fairway, fix it. Most courses provide sand-and-seed mixture on carts or at tee boxes. Fill the divot, press it down gently, and move on. It takes seconds and helps the course recover quickly.
If no fill mixture is available, replace the turf plug if it's substantial. Either method beats leaving a bare gash in the fairway for the next player to contend with.
Avoid Distracting Movement
When your partner is preparing to hit, find your position and stay put. Don't wander across their sightline, practice your own swing in their peripheral vision, or make any sudden movements.
This attention to stillness should feel natural after the tee box, but it's worth emphasising throughout the hole. Even on full shots from 200 yards, golfers can sense movement around them.
Move Efficiently
Carry multiple clubs when walking to your ball if you're between yardages. There's nothing more pace-killing than walking to your ball with a 7-iron, realising you need a 6, and trudging back to the cart.
A quick glance at your Hole19 app as you approach gives you exact yardage. Grab the appropriate club plus one option in either direction, and you'll be ready for whatever lies await.
Around the Green: Where Etiquette Gets Precise
Repair Ball Marks
When your approach shot lands on the green, it likely leaves a pitch mark—a small depression in the turf. Repair it immediately using a divot tool. Push the edges toward the centre, never prying upward, then smooth with your putter.
This takes fifteen seconds and dramatically speeds the green's recovery. Unrepaired ball marks can take weeks to heal and create bumpy putting surfaces for everyone.
Make it a habit to repair your mark plus one more. The course will look better, and putting will be more consistent for everyone.
Mind the Putting Line
Never step on the line between another player's ball and the hole. This imaginary path is their putting line, and footprints can subtly affect the ball's roll. Walk around their line, stepping well clear.
The same applies to the extension of their line past the hole—balls do miss and roll beyond, so protect that area too.
Tend the Flagstick Properly
Modern rules allow the flagstick to remain in the hole during putts, simplifying things considerably. But if a partner asks you to tend it, do so correctly. Stand to the side so your shadow doesn't cross their line, hold the flag to prevent flapping, and remove it smoothly once they stroke the putt.
Quiet on the Green
The demand for silence intensifies on the putting surface. Putts require precise touch and deep focus. Any noise or movement can break concentration at the worst moment.
Keep conversation for the walk between holes. On the green, it's all business.
Bunker Etiquette: Rake It Like You Found It
Enter and Exit Strategically
Enter the bunker from the low side nearest your ball. Climbing down a steep face leaves footprints and disturbs more sand than necessary.
After your shot, rake the bunker thoroughly. Smooth over your footprints, your stance area, and the crater from your swing. Leave the sand looking like nobody was there.
Where to Leave the Rake
Courses differ on rake placement. Some want rakes left inside the bunker, others outside. Look at how other rakes on the course are positioned and follow suit.
The idea is consistency. If all rakes are placed the same way, golfers know what to expect.
Phone and Technology Etiquette on the Course
Silent Mode Is Mandatory
The moment you step onto the first tee, your phone should be on silent. Not vibrate—silent. A buzzing phone in a quiet pocket can still break concentration during a swing.
If you're expecting an urgent call, let your partners know in advance and step away from the group to take it.
GPS Apps Are Welcome; Distractions Aren't
Using an app like Hole19 for yardages, shot tracking, and scoring is not only acceptable but encouraged. It speeds up play and helps you make better decisions. Pull out your phone, check your distance, and put it away.
What's not acceptable: scrolling social media while others are hitting, texting during someone's backswing, or taking calls on the tee box. Keep your phone usage strictly golf-related.
Photos and Videos Require Permission
Capturing your friend's swing or a scenic moment is fine if everyone's comfortable. But ask first, especially with newer acquaintances. Some golfers prefer to keep their rounds private.
Never post photos of someone without their explicit approval.
Cart Etiquette and Course Care
Follow the 90-Degree Rule
When carts are allowed on the fairway, use the 90-degree rule. Drive on the cart path until you're directly across from your ball, then turn 90 degrees, drive to your ball, and return the same way.
This minimises wear on the turf while still providing convenient access to your shot.
Observe Cart Path Only Days
After heavy rain or during course maintenance, courses often require carts to stay on paths at all times. Respect this without exception. The groundskeeping team knows when the turf can handle traffic.
Park Considerately
Never park on or near the green, a tee box, or any hazard. Position the cart where it won't distract players hitting and where you can exit toward the next hole quickly after finishing.
What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Yelling "Fore"
If your ball is heading toward another golfer, yell "fore" immediately and loudly. Don't hesitate or wait to see if it will miss. The warning gives them time to protect themselves.
When you hear "fore," cover your head and turn away from the direction of the shout. Don't look up to find the ball.
Apologise for Mistakes
If you accidentally hit into a group, walk or drive over and apologise sincerely. It happens to everyone, but acknowledgment matters. A simple "I'm so sorry—completely misjudged that" goes a long way.
Control Your Temper
Bad shots happen. Terrible shots happen. But throwing clubs, cursing loudly, or slamming equipment into the ground is never acceptable. It makes everyone uncomfortable and disrupts the entire group's round.
Take a breath, accept the result, and focus on the next shot. Golf is hard. Grace under pressure is part of the game.
Modern Etiquette: Dress Codes and New Norms in 2026
Golf's dress standards have evolved significantly. Many courses now welcome joggers and hoodie-adjacent attire, while others maintain stricter traditional codes.
Check Before You Arrive
Review the course's dress code on their website or call ahead. Arriving in prohibited attire creates awkward situations and might prevent you from playing.
When in doubt, err on the side of formality. Collared shirts and tailored shorts or trousers work at virtually every course.
Respect Private Club Standards
Private clubs often maintain stricter expectations. Tuck in your shirt, skip the denim, and observe any posted guidelines. You're a guest, and following their traditions shows respect.
Hats Off Indoors
A simple traditional touch: remove your hat when entering the clubhouse, especially the dining areas. It's a small gesture that shows you understand golf's culture.
Etiquette Is the Game Within the Game
Golf etiquette isn't about stuffy rules imposed by tradition-obsessed elders. It's about making the game enjoyable for everyone who plays it. Every act of consideration—fixing a ball mark, staying quiet during a swing, letting a faster group through—contributes to a better experience for the entire course.
The best golfers, the ones you genuinely want in your foursome, combine solid play with impeccable etiquette. They make the round flow. They keep spirits high. They leave the course in better condition than they found it.
In 2026, that means embracing technology as a tool for faster, smarter play. It means updating old traditions where they no longer serve the game while preserving the core values that make golf unique.
Master these etiquette fundamentals, and you'll be welcome at any course, in any group, for any round. That's a skill more valuable than shaving strokes off your handicap.
Now get out there, respect the game, and enjoy every fairway.
Jorge Robalo