Note to all you GolfPUNKS!

Golf Etiquette
Etiquette is a word that's often heard in relation to golf, more so than with any other sport. But it's not just about manners. It's about not pissing me off on my day off and especially when i'm playing golf because you haven't been to Golf Etiquette 101.

Golf etiquette is an essential part of the game. And it's something that newcomers to the game often learn as they go - on the course, when playing with more experienced golfers. If you are new to the game, or just need to brush up on your golf etiquette, here are some basic rules of the road that will help keep the game enjoyable for you and those around you.

Keep It Safe
• Do not swing your club until you know that others in your group are at a safe distance. Likewise, keep your distance when others are swinging. Be aware to steer clear of trouble.
• When practicing your swing, never swing in the direction of another player. There may be pebbles or twigs or other matter in the grass that could fly up and injure a playing partner. Trust me, i've been hit a couple of times by twigs and soil. It's not nice.
• Do not hit the ball until you are certain that the group ahead of you is out of range. Or else be ready for a war of words and a barrage of abuse.
• If your ball appears headed toward another player or another group, give them a warning by yelling out, "Fore!". In Brunei, golfers yell,"Ball!" which is good enough but please shout it out loud and don't murmur okay. Sound travels slower in air than it does through solids.
• Observe the safety suggestions posted in golf carts and drive carefully. Golf etiquette requires keeping your cart off the grass as much as possible. Not a rule that is adhered much in Bruneian golf courses and i am guilty of it too.
• Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it could also be dangerous. Plus anger is not conducive to playing good golf.

Maintain a Good Pace
• Keep the round moving by being prepared to hit your shot when it is your turn. You probably don't like waiting on other groups - don't make other groups wait on you.
• The player who is away hits first in a group. However, in friendly matches (as opposed to tournament play), this rule can be ignored in favor of "ready play" - players hit as they are ready. All players should agree to "ready play" before it is put into effect.
• Do not spend too much time looking for a lost ball, particularly if there is a group behind you ready to play. If you insist on taking the full five minutes allotted to look for lost balls, golf etiquette says wave up the group behind to allow them to play through.
• Always try to keep pace with the group ahead of you. If space opens in front of you, allow a faster group to play through.
• When two players in a cart hit to opposite sides of a hole, drive to first ball and drop off that player with his club, then drive to the second ball. After both players hit, meet up farther down the hole.
• When walking from your cart to your ball, take a couple clubs with you. Taking only one club, then having to return to the cart to retrieve a different club, is a huge time-waster.
• Always leave the putting green as soon as your group has finished putting.

Be Kind to the Course
• Observe cart rules. Some courses will post "cart path only" signs; others will ask you to observe the "90-degree rule." Do as you are told. In Bruneian golf courses, it's like asking smokers to stop smoking.
• Do walk properly on greens so that the spikes of your shoes won't ruin the putting grass.
• Keep carts away from greens and hazards.
• Repair all divots. Yes, i hate it when my ball lands in a divot because i can't hit a proper shot when my ball's in one.
• Repair all ball marks on the green.
• Always rake sand traps after hitting to erase your footprints and damage to the area where your ball was.
• Never take a divot on a practice swing.

And a Few More Golf Etiquette Hints
• Quiet, please! Never talk during another player's swing.
• Do not stand behind another player while he/she is teeing off or setting up a shot or a putt. It is very distracting and golf is a difficult game itself.
• Do not yell out following a shot. Even if boisterous behavior doesn't bother your playing partners, there are other people on the course who may be within earshot.• Be aware of your shadow on the putting green. Don't stand in a place that causes your shadow to be cast across another player or that player's putting line.
• Never walk through a playing partner's putting line. Your footprints might alter the path of a partner's putt. Step over the putting line, or walk around (behind) the partner's ball.

Right, so we've got the knowledge, now let's action it. Play well and have a good golfing day!