Ladies On The Links

Ladies On The Links Tips

1.	Etiquette Tip On the Tee On the first tee, anyone can hit first, there is no specific order of play. On the second hole and thereafter, it is proper etiquette to let the player who had the lowest score on the previous hole hit first. This is called "the honors." Players can waive their honor if someone else is ready to hit before them, this is called "ready golf" and is encouraged by most courses to speed up play. So whoever is ready, can step up and hit. Watch your tee shot and everyone else's in your group. This creates a friendly atmosphere and helps in locating the tee shots and keeps up pace of play. Quiet is queen. Do not move, talk or whisper while others hit. For LOL scramble format, you are all a team, so no playing order required...whoever is ready should hit first !
2.	Etiquette Tip in the Fairway In the fairway, the player who is farthest from the hole goes first. Be ready! Decide your yardage and club selection quickly. Don't wait until it is your turn to begin the process. If all players are in the same general vicinity, play ready golf! Be realistic! If the group ahead is on the green and you are 250 yards away and you have never hit the ball longer than 150 yards, it is unlikely that you will at that moment. Play away! Replace all divots based on the course policy. For LOL purposes, if your group falls behind the pace of play, then two players can hit at the same time ...until you catch up to the group in front of you...then go back to one player hits at a time.
3.	Etiquette Tip in the Bunker Avoid stepping on the edge of the bunker. If you are near the green, take your putter and the club you would use to chip with (in case you don't make it out and on to the green). Enter the bunker on the side that is the flattest and closest to your ball. Take the rake with you and leave it just outside the bunker. Place the rake back in accordance with the local rules (some courses tell you to replace the rake just inside the bunker, some tell you to replace it just outside the bunker). For LOL Scramble players, you will probably NEVER choose a ball in the bunker, so make sure you get some practice time in the practice bunker by the Robles Putting Green !
4.	Etiquette Tip In the Woods In the woods, water, or any other undesirable location, take another ball with you as you may have lost yours and need to drop another one. This is not legal according to USGA rules of play, but it works for our league purposes. Avoid looking endlessly for your ball, take no more than 5 minutes, and the drop another ball nearest to where yours was lost and add a stroke (local rule, not USGA). Help your playing partners look for lost balls to help keep pace of play. Resist hitting impossible shots! They are impossible for a reason. Besides, falling in the water or getting struck by a ricocheted ball will not add to anyone's enjoyment of the day. Remember if you hit an errant shot and it is heading toward someone, the universal warning in golf is to loudly yell "fore!" (do not yell "duck" as it rhymes with a lot of other words you hear on the golf course)... For LOL Scramblers, you will rarely select a shot from the woods, so make sure to practice your low lofted shots at some of Sally's Small Group classes !
5.	Etiquette Tip on the Green The player who is farthest from the hole putts first. The player who is closest to the hole tends or removes the flag. Always mark your ball...especially if you may be in the way of another player. Avoid stepping in or on the line of another player's putt. Be quiet and stand still where you (or your shadow) will not interfere with someone putting. The first player to putt the ball in the hole is in charge of putting the flag back into the hole after everyone has putted out. Repair your ball mark and one other. Avoid stepping on the hole or digging the ball out with your putter. Once everyone has holed out...move off the green immediately. Pick up clubs left on the side of the green. Record scores on your way to the next hole. For LOL Scramble format, you will probably select an order of who putts 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc on each green.
6.	Etiquette Tip in the Cart Obey all cart rules and follow all cart signs. Never drive a golf cart within 10 yards of any green or tee ground. Always park the cart in a safe spot....not ahead of someone hitting, and towards the next tee you will be playing from. Don't be a cart hog and drive to your ball only. Take your playing partner to their next shot if they are furthest from the hole. Use common sense...if you are not sure if the hill is too steep, or the terrain too rugged, chances are it is.... so don't do it. You don't want the day to be memorable because you slid uncontrollably down the side of a hill.
7.	Etiquette Regarding Pace of Play It is the entire group's responsibility to keep up with the group ahead of you or let smaller and faster groups play through. It's really all about the keeping the group in front of you within your sight, so even though there is a group behind you who seems impatient and wants to play through, if there is no room in front of you, then you are keeping pace and the group behind you will just have to wait. You might tell them that if any room opens up ahead that you would consider letting them play through, but studies have been done that show this does not help overall pace of play for the course, it just makes that one group behind you happy. Remember to pick up at double par (10 on par 5's, 8 on par 4's, 6 on par 3's) this will help keep up the pace of play in our LOL league. For LOL Scramble format, please have two people hit at the same time until you catch up to the group in front of you.
8.	Cell Phone Etiquette It is not good etiquette to hear a cell phone ringing while someone is getting ready to hit a shot or putt. Please turn off all cell phones as well as PDA's and pagers when playing on the golf course.
9.	Good Sportsmanship Etiquette When someone hits a good shot, it is ok to compliment them! When someone hits a bad shot, then the best thing to say is .... NOTHING ! Remember to make the effort to congratulate your teammates and opponents, it feels good to them and especially good to you ! Golf is the one sport where we don't need referees, we call penalties on ourselves and understand that integrity is a huge part of our great sport.
10.	Rule: Ball in Water When you hit your ball into the water, do your best to locate the spot where it entered "the hazard." Find the markings or lines on the ground or stakes which will be either red or yellow. The color will determine how you must proceed. If there are no lines or stakes present, the edge of the water is used and is played as a yellow hazard. WATER HAZARD - YELLOW STAKES Option (1) Stand behind the spot where your ball went into the water, adjusting so you are lined up with the pin; you may go backward from this position as far as you want and drop your ball. Penalty: One Stroke Option (2) Go back to the exact spot of your last shot and replay it. This is often referred to as "stroke and distance." Penalty: 1 stroke. LATERAL WATER HAZARD - RED STAKES Option (1) Stand behind the spot where your ball went into the water, adjusting so you are lined up with the pin; you may go backward from this position as far as you want and drop your ball. Penalty: One Stroke Option (2) Drop a ball, within 2 club lengths, no closer to the hole, from the spot where your ball entered the water. Penalty: 1 stroke. Option (3) Go back to the exact spot of your last shot and replay it. This is often referred to as "stroke and distance." Penalty: 1 stroke Keep in Mind: Playing the ball where it lies in any water hazard, without penalty, is always an option. A ball touching the line or stake is considered to be in the hazard. If you ground your club in a hazard you will incur a 1 stroke penalty. For LOL Scramble format, you will probably never have to follow the rules for hitting a ball in the water...usually someone on your team has found land with their shot !
11.	Rule: Ball At Rest Moves When you move your ball by accident, then replace in its original position. Penalty 1 stroke When someone or something else moves your ball (another ball, animal, wind blown object, wind or rain), the replace in its original position. No Penalty For LOL Scramble Format, you are not only allowed to move your ball, you are highly encouraged to do so (especially in the C and D flights).
12.	Rule: Lost Ball or Out of Bounds If you lose your ball or hit it out of bounds (which is defined by white lines or stakes or fence) then you must play another ball from the same spot the original was played. Penalty: 1 stroke In our LOL Play Your Own Ball Division, instead of hiking all the way back to the same spot where you originally hit your shot, we will allow you to drop a ball in the area where your group agrees that you lost your ball or hit it out of bounds and add one stroke. For LOL Scramble format, you will probably never have to invoke a Lost Ball Penalty.
13.	Rule: Unplayable Ball You may declare your ball unplayable (e.g. under a shrub) at any place (except in the water) on the course. If your ball is unplayable, you have 3 options all of which cost you one penalty stroke: (1) Play a ball from the spot where the original shot was hit. (2) Drop a ball within 2 club lengths (no closer to the hole) of where the ball sits. (3) Drop a ball behind where the ball sits and in line with the hole, as far behind that point as you wish. For LOL Scramble format, you can always take one club length of free relief and will probably never have to take an Unplayable penalty.
14.	Rule: Obstructions Your ball may come to rest in a spot with abnormal ground conditions or on or near man-made objects. You can get relief without a penalty if you are in any of the following situations: (1) Abnormal Grounds Conditions: Common conditions include: ground under repair casual water (water accumulates under your feet when you take your stance to hit) animal holes You may drop a ball within 1 club length of the nearest point of relief that is no closer to the hole. (2) Man-Made Immovable Obstructions: These are things which cannot be moved - examples include cart paths buildings sprinkler heads You may drop a ball within 1 club length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole. (3) Movable Obstructions: These are things you can move like: a person's lap a napkin a golf cart a blanket etc You may lift your ball and drop it on the ground as close as possible to where it would be if the obstruction was not there. For LOL Scramblers, you won't have to worry about Obstructions !
15.	Other Rules (1) If you swing and miss, it counts! It is called a whiff ! (2) "Gimmies" count too! You need to learn to putt every ball into the hole. (3) It is a good idea to put an identification mark on your ball so you will be able to identify it. If you cannot identify a ball as yours, it is considered lost (and that is no fun). (4) If you hit the wrong ball, it is a 2 stroke penalty and you must go back and play your original ball / shot (this is no fun either).
16.	Conclusion If after reading these tips on rules and etiquette, you find yourself throwing your hands up in the air and yelling "how am I ever supposed to remember all of this?"....please don't give up playing golf. We were all beginners at one time or another, so you will find most golfers you are paired with are willing to help teach you the rules and etiquette. Some will be gentle about it, some won't. (Depends on how their golf game is going that day) But over time, and it does take time, you will learn all about the important rules and etiquette that many seasoned golfers know about. In the meantime, get out on the golf course during the Ladies On the Links league nights and if golfing on your own, try to play with someone who is better than you and will be patient with you (this is not always your spouse!) Look for clinics Sally will be offering to help players improve their knowledge of rules and etiquette.