Section I
ETIQUETTE
Courtesy on the Course
Safety
Prior to playing a stroke or making a practice
swing, the player should ensure that no one is standing close by or in a
position to be hit by the club, the ball or any stones, pebbles, twigs
or the like which may be moved by the stroke or swing.
Consideration for Other
Players
The player who has the honor should be allowed
to play before his opponent or fellow-competitor tees his ball.
No one should move,
talk or stand close to or directly behind the ball or the hole
when a player is addressing the ball or making a stroke.
No player should
play until the players in front are out of range.
Pace of Play
In the interest of all, players should play without
delay. If a player believes
his ball may be lost outside a water hazard or out of
bounds, to save time, he should play a provisional ball.
Players searching
for a ball should signal the players behind them to pass as soon as it
becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found. They should not
search for five minutes before doing so. They should not continue play
until the players following them have passed and are out of range.
When the play of a
hole has been completed, players should immediately leave the putting
green.
If a match fails to
keep its place on the course and loses more than one clear hole
on the players in front, it should invite the match following to pass.
Priority on the Course
In the absence of
special rules, two-ball matches should have precedence over and
be entitled to pass any three- or four-ball match, which should
invite them through.
A single player has
no standing and should give way to a match of any kind.
Any match
playing a whole round is entitled to pass a match playing a
shorter round.
Care of the Course
Holes in Bunkers
Before leaving a bunker, a player should
carefully fill up and smooth over all holes and footprints made by him.
Repair Divots, Ball-Marks and
Damage by Spikes
A player should ensure that any divot hole made by him
and any damage to the putting green made by a ball is carefully
repaired. On completion of the hole by all players in the group, damage
to the putting green caused by golf shoe spikes should be repaired.
Damage to Greens —
Flagsticks, Bags, etc.
Players should ensure that, when putting down bags or
the flagstick, no damage is done to the putting green and
that neither they nor their caddies damage the hole by
standing close to it, in handling the flagstick or in removing
the ball from the hole. The flagstick should be properly
replaced in the hole before the players leave the putting
green. Players should not damage the putting green by leaning
on their putters, particularly when removing the ball from the hole.
Golf Carts
Local notices regulating the movement of golf carts
should be strictly observed.
Damage Through Practice
Swings
In taking practice swings, players should avoid
causing damage to the course, particularly the tees, by removing
divots.
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