One of the most important aspects of the game of golf is the manners you show toward other players as you travel the course. Nothing screams “Beginner!” more than talking loudly and running to your next hole. This article will give you a few tips about course behavior; what’s expected of you, and what you should avoid, if you want to become a real golfer.

Most of all, good common sense will keep you from upsetting the experienced players. Practice safety first; don’t take practice swings toward other people or swing your clubs when someone is close to you.

When you watch golf on television, you’ll notice that it’s very quiet. Golfers need time and calm surroundings to be able to concentrate, so keep your voice down when you are on the course.

Try not to take too long when it’s your turn to hit your ball. To keep a good pace to the game (and so you don’t delay the play of other golfers), plan your shot ahead of your turn. Be ready! Take just one practice swing and then hit the ball.

If you are driving a golf cart, go slow around the course and respect other players. As you navigate to the next green, park your cart on the side where the next tee is located.

If the course is crowded, pay attention to the group ahead, rather than the one behind you. When the group ahead of you is done with their hole, your group should be ready to move on to that tee. Be careful not to rush that group by hitting your ball into them. If the group ahead of you is playing slowly, be patient. It’s very bad golf etiquette to hit a ball into the group ahead just to get them to speed it up.

You can, however, politely ‘play through’ the group. Playing through is quite sensitive, as it implies that the golfers ahead of you are inexperienced or slow. If you and your group want to play through the group ahead of you, ask them if it’s OK before you decide to go ahead. Be quick as you will be delaying their game. By the way, if you think you are playing slowly, it’s considered very good manners to invite the group behind you to play through. They will appreciate it, and you won’t feel so pressured to speed up your game.

Keeping these tips in mind will keep you much safer and make you a more popular golfer!