Good Course Etiquette...yes or no???

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By Dr. Kovatchian

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  • 37 Replies
  1. Dr. Kovatchian

    Dr. Kovatchian
    Carlsbad

    Just noticed this nice image on the Titleist Site.

    What is the correct path to take when approaching your ball on the green?

    Is it poor course etiquette to walk across a green carrying your bag? Do you save time by walking straight to your ball? Does the added bag weight cause more wear on the putting surface?

    Open for discussion.

    Dr. K

    Post Image
  2. Ben A

    Ben A
    Los Gatos, CA

    Good topic! If I'm carrying, I always feel it not proper to carry my bag and walk on the green. While there are many people that play and weigh the same as I do with my bag, I think the greens are a holy place that only certain things are allowed on.

    :-D
  3. Samuel C

    Samuel C
    Phoenix, AZ

    I always put my bag off the green, as I think the weight would create some marks on the greens. It's not as if everyone fixes their pitch marks. (UGH) If someone needs me to mark my ball right away, I try to drop by bag off to the side quickly, mark my ball and then do my routine.

    But if you watch the pros, they walk up and most of them lay their staff bags off the green, as the player would walk up, mark and then grab their golf ball.

    I would imagine, if I were in that group from the image, I would simply lay or stand my bag up at the front of the green and grab my putter. This doesn't take anymore time since you are already there and it takes a few seconds to grab your putter and put your bag down.

    It's personal preference, but just a big reminder to fix your pitch marks and any marks left by your bag or anything else.
  4. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    Walk to the exit point off the green and put your bag down, if your ball is on the green. The proceed to your ball and mark it.
  5. No'l

    No'l
    Palmdale, CA

    Interesting topic. Whenever I'm walking, or when I used to carry my bag, I would normally walk towards where I'll exit to side of the green and leave my bag there. I think I remember once maybe twice when I walked on the green with my bag strapped behind me- no one said anything, but doing so feels awkward to me doing this.

    In addition to your question, Dr. Kovatchian, I've seen walkers with their push cart around the apron of the green. I don't do this, but I see that it can save a few steps or seconds to get to your ball or fix a ball divot. I've just never felt comfortable when I see this go on, I just don't say anything- or should I? What's the etiquette on those?

    There are times that I think it's mostly observed at private courses or the high end courses, but then again, a friend of mine played Bandon Dunes- he had a pull cart... the caddies were telling him it's okay to cross the green with a bag on a wheeled pull/push cart. Yikes!
  6. Lee T

    Lee T

    I like this topic. I play in an area where golf is played by those that don't normally play, so ediquette is lacking.
    My own thought is to not carry a bag into the green. In fact, although it may be a shorter quicker to drop my bag and then walk straight to my ball, I will walk the fringe around the green to get to my ball. Greens are delicate and the least amount travel on them the better.

    And I must say it drives me crazy all the ball marks on a green that people don't repair.

    Golf ediquette is important everywhere on the course.
  7. Dylan L

    Dylan L
    Evans City, PA

    Military
    Chuck and Noel nailed it.
  8. Joseph C

    Joseph C

    I don't carry my bag on the green either. I drop it at the exit point and then proceed to my ball.
  9. Bomber3

    Bomber3
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Military
    I was taught to never walk across a green carrying my bag. I would always walk to where I would be coming off the green to head to the next tee and set/stand my bag there a few feet off the green.
  10. george t

    george t
    Old Lyme, CT

    I'm with Chuck Z; walk around the green and leave your bag/push cart at the exiting point from the green. Even if your ball is just off the green and you're chipping on, bring the clubs with you. I always shake my head when the foursome is leaving the green, and that one guy has to go to the front of the green to put away his putter, record his score and show up to the next tee box minutes after the rest of the guys. Don't be that guy!

    But yes, I think carrying your bag on the green, or worse, rolling your cart across it isn't good form. Heck, one local course gets touchy when you roll your push cart across the tee box.
  11. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    "Get's touchy when you roll your cart across the green". I use to work as a ranger/marshal at a local muni and that was a good reason to get escorted off the course. That is the most inconsiderate thing you could possibly do at a golf course, next to not repairing ball marks, which does more damage to greens. Both show lack of respect for the game and the courses. You pushed my button. With respect. Chuck...............
  12. george t

    george t
    Old Lyme, CT

    Chuck Z said:

    "Get's touchy when you roll your cart across the green". I use to work as a ranger/marshal at a local muni and that was a good reason to get escorted off the course. That is the most inconsiderate thing you could possibly do at a golf course, next to not repairing ball marks, which does more damage to greens. Both show lack of respect for the game and the courses. You pushed my button. With respect. Chuck...............

    Chuck - no worries, but I think you misread what I wrote. I said pushing a cart across a tee box, which I don't do either! I meant it more as a reply to folks who think it may be okay to push one across a green. We're on the same page, believe me!
  13. MADGOLFER

    MADGOLFER
    HENDERSON, NV

    Dr.K great question. First let me tell the entire TT family that everyone in that picture did drop there bags before they took one step on the Green! I should know I'm the guy on the far left. Back to the question, I personally think you should never walk on the Green with your bag. Although I realize that sometimes because of sizes of greens and the next holes ' teebox it may impossible to not walk across some greens. All you can do is the best you can sometimes..
  14. Robert

    Robert
    Corpus Christi, TX

    that's a great photo!
  15. Todd S

    Todd S
    Beavercreek, OH

    Looks to me all for players are on the green in the Picture.
  16. Allen L

    Allen L
    Clarington, OH

    Carrying a bag across a green is not likely to hurt anything. The pro's caddies frequently cross greens with a bag and you will sometimes see them set down a bag that crosses onto the fringe. I have never seen a case where laying the flag stick on the green caused any problems. Unrepaired ball marks is bad etiquette. And, it seems as though there are more and more scuff marks on greens from players who can't seem to pick up their feet.
  17. PRO V

    PRO V
    golf course

    I feel the green is a sacred place and should not be walked on except with a putter. But, I've seen tour caddies carry their bags on the green and clean a player's ball before setting the bag on the fringe.
  18. Travis B

    Travis B
    Palmyra, PA

    This is an awesome discussion. I like to try to be as efficient as possible whether using a cart or walking. It is a pet peeve of mine when people leave their clubs, bag and/or cart all over the place. My father taught me to play ready golf, make sure you put your extra clubs that you took with you to the green on the flag stick so that you don't forget them and always make sure when you're leaving the green, you're always moving towards the next tee box.

    I am an extreme case, I like to play as quickly as possible. I usually have hit my 2nd shot before my playing partners 2nd shot comes to rest.

    The way I look at it is, would I be ok if the group in front of me way playing how I am.

    The one thing that I would like everyone's opinion on is a push cart. I am brand new to this method ,I would never take it across the green, but would you walk around a green side bunker before pushing your cart across the fringe? If I can stay in the rough completely, obviously that is the preferred method, unless it is out of the way.

    Travis
  19. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military

    Travis B said:

    This is an awesome discussion. I like to try to be as efficient as possible whether using a cart or walking. It is a pet peeve of mine when people leave their clubs, bag and/or cart all over the place. My father taught me to play ready golf, make sure you put your extra clubs that you took with you to the green on the flag stick so that you don't forget them and always make sure when you're leaving the green, you're always moving towards the next tee box.

    I am an extreme case, I like to play as quickly as possible. I usually have hit my 2nd shot before my playing partners 2nd shot comes to rest.

    The way I look at it is, would I be ok if the group in front of me way playing how I am.

    The one thing that I would like everyone's opinion on is a push cart. I am brand new to this method ,I would never take it across the green, but would you walk around a green side bunker before pushing your cart across the fringe? If I can stay in the rough completely, obviously that is the preferred method, unless it is out of the way.

    Travis

    As long as your cart is not on the green. Slow down a bit there California Chrome. Nothing worse than having someone in your peripheral vision hitting out of turn when you are getting ready to hit. Golf etiquette, steady pace (and playing under four hours is a good pace), but playing race horse golf can be annoying to your partners. I have had to deal with this in my group at times and it is disruptive. Have said something to them and it has gotten controversial. So I started playing with another group. Our normal pace of play was around 3 and half to four hours without the Kentucky Derby tactics. Golf should be about having fun and hoping you can score a good round. With respect to all levels of play.......
  20. Travis B

    Travis B
    Palmyra, PA

    Travis B

    This is an awesome discussion. I like to try to be as efficient as possible whether using a cart or walking. It is a pet peeve of mine when people leave their clubs, bag and/or cart all over the place. My father taught me to play ready golf, make sure you put your extra clubs that you took with you to the green on the flag stick so that you don't forget them and always make sure when you're leaving the green, you're always moving towards the next tee box.

    I am an extreme case, I like to play as quickly as possible. I usually have hit my 2nd shot before my playing partners 2nd shot comes to rest.

    The way I look at it is, would I be ok if the group in front of me way playing how I am.

    The one thing that I would like everyone's opinion on is a push cart. I am brand new to this method ,I would never take it across the green, but would you walk around a green side bunker before pushing your cart across the fringe? If I can stay in the rough completely, obviously that is the preferred method, unless it is out of the way.

    Travis

    Funny you say this. There are many people I play with that I don't mind playing with. The way I phrased it did sound as though I'm trying to play speed golf. The people I do this to, I would actually enjoy a controversial "discussion". These people sit in the cart, expect to be driven directly to their ball and take SG  time to hit a 50 yard worm burner. Many times I play in the evenings and we are racing the sunset, playing at a reasonable pace will enable us to finish, but waiting for him to be charioted to his shot, we'll be about 4 hole short at curfew.

    Thanks for calling me out Chuck Z!

  21. Dave N

    Dave N
    Dade City, FL

    I only carry my club while on the green. With that said they run mowers back and forth across it. I hope that the mowers would weigh more than me and my bag. I don't see an issue, but I could be full of crap too.
  22. David M

    David M
    Lexington, SC

    Place your bag between the green and your next hole every time.
  23. Sebastien D

    Sebastien D
    Mascouche, Qc

    I always walk around with my bag. At the same time, I look at the contours to get an idea of my putt or short game shot.

    I drop my bag at the exit direction for the next hole.
  24. Matt B

    Matt B
    Columbus, OH

    I learned to walk along the fringe and always drop my bag off at the exit point. I always read the green slopes while walking along the fringe to get a general idea of the break & speed of my upcoming putt, after I drop off my bag I typically walk along the low point when I mark my ball & fix divot, constantly reading the green, by then I have a really good idea of what my putt is going to do. This helps with the pace of play especially when walking.
  25. Frank P

    Frank P
    Port St. Lucie, FL

    Military
    From my days as a caddie to the times when I could carry a bag when playing, never carry a bag across the green and certainly never put the bag on the green.
  26. Todd S

    Todd S
    Beavercreek, OH

    Good topic. I was taught that nothing touches green but the ball, marker, putter, divot tool and your feet. With this said it is ok to walk accost the green caring the bag, just stay away from the hole.
  27. LBazzard

    LBazzard
    Essex

    Definately walk around. Great post!
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