The Perfect Golf Date

Golf courses and clubs vary in attitude and strictness. In this article, I’ve outlined a plan that will allow you to behave graciously at a municipal course, private club, and everything in between.

Wear proper golf attire

If you want to impress your boss, client, boyfriend, or future in-law’s, dress the part of the golfer. Thomas Jefferson said: “In matters or style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” A woman should wear a collared shirt. It can have sleeves, or not. There are courses where you can wear a nice collarless t-shirt, but there are also courses where you can wear a one piece, strapless, terry cloth, pull-on. It’s best to err on the conservative side.

Long pants, shorts, or skorts are all appropriate. Just make sure shorts or skorts are long enough. Some country clubs require shorts be at least 18” long. If you’re not sure, call ahead of time and inquire. Nicer clubs often have a no denim rule also.

Don’t forget sunscreen, a hat or visor, sunglasses, and a golf glove. I put my sunscreen on in the morning when I’m getting ready. That way it’s absorbed into my skin by the time I hit the links. Ears, shoulders, and the triangle where the shirt opens, are all areas that need extra attention. I like spray on sunscreen; it makes it easier to get sunscreen on my ears. Just make sure you cover your hair with your hand so you don’t get it wet.

Golf shoes and sunscreen should be put on at home or in the locker room. Some private clubs specifically ask that golf shoes be put on in the locker room. I’m sure you’ve seen lots of people changing their shoes in the parking lot, and putting sunscreen on at the first tee. It just doesn’t look nice; hunched over, one foot on the bumper, rear end in the air, pulling on and tying golf shoes. On the sunscreen issue, it’s better to put it on at the first tee than not at all. Just try to get there early enough that you can put it on in the locker room, which leads us to the next point.

Be on time, better yet, be early

As simple as this may sound, many new and even experienced golfers are not on time. I like to be at least 30 minutes early. That way I can:

  • get checked in,

  • load my clubs onto the cart,

  • scope out the first tee,

  • get something cold to drink,

  • hit a couple of balls,

  • go to the bathroom, put on sunscreen if I didn’t do so at home, and

  • still be at the first tee five minutes before my tee time.

I would rather not play golf, than blow in late. If I’m late, the group behind me knows that I barely missed my tee time, and now I’m going in theirs. It’s a rotten way to start a round of golf. It is much more relaxing to get there early. Then I’ll be waiting at the starter when my tee time comes up.

Speed of Play & Ready Golf

We’ve all played behind a slow group. It makes an otherwise enjoyable round of golf torture. Nobody wants to be the cause of slow play. So how do you avoid it?

  • Have your club ready, and be standing at your ball when your turn comes.
  • Make sure your preshot routine is brief. Walk up to the ball, address it, take only one practice swing (if this is part of your routine), then hit the ball. Don’t stand there and grind over the ball, thinking about your grip, left arm, stance, head…that should be done on the driving range. When you play, you shouldn’t have more than one swing thought. More than that, and you’ll slow everybody down.
  • If your ball is far from the cart, take three clubs with you; the one you think you’ll need, the one above it, and the one below.
  • Study your putt while the others are putting out. Your putting preshot routine should be consistent, but brief.
  • Always keep up with the group in front of you. As long as you do this, no ranger ever has a right to tell you to speed up.

Take Lessons from a Professional

If you want to be comfortable on the golf course, you need lessons from a professional. I cannot stress this enough. Do not let your friend, boss, or any other amateur give you lessons. Just because your boyfriend is a good golfer doesn’t mean he knows anything about teaching the golf swing. Good athletes function on an unconscious level. That means they don’t consciously know what they’re doing.

Professional instructors go through years of training to learn how to teach the proper swing. Pros know the mechanics, not just how it feels to them. Bite the bullet, spend the money, and get proper instruction.

When people try to give you swing advice, you should say, “My golf instructor asked me not to get input from anyone else. It can interfere with our progress.” If they still insist on giving you advice, you may have to be more direct. Such as, “I’m sorry, but your advice is negatively affecting my game.” You’re out there to enjoy yourself, if someone messes up your swing, you won’t.

A friend of mine was subjected to non-stop, unwanted advice from her cart partner during an outing. He was so rude that he actually walked up to the ladies tee when it was her shot. He nitpicked her for five hours. Needless to say, she will never ride with him again. Luckily, most people will not be that rude. Unfortunately, many people feel free to give golf advice, especially to women. I suggest you politely, but firmly, discourage them. The only swing advice you need is from a pro.

General Golf Etiquette

  • Don’t walk, talk, or make distracting noises while someone is preparing to hit their ball, during their golf swing or putting stroke.
  • Don’t step on someone’s line (from the ball to the hole) on the putting green.
  • Fix your ball marks. These are the indentations made on the putting green after your ball hits
  • Fill or replace divots
  • Always keep an eye on your ball after you hit it. Many people pay no attention to where their ball goes. The whole foursome then has to take five minutes to find it. While that will no doubt happen occasionally, it should be the exception, and not the rule. Make sure you get a landmark; such as a tree, hill, or shadow.  If you loose sight of it, limit the amount of time you spend looking for it to just a few minutes. Always keep an extra ball in your pocket in case you need to take a drop.

Knowing how to behave on and around the golf course makes me more comfortable. As a result, I enjoy the game more. I hope these ideas will help you relax and enjoy the game too.

Link back to the Ladies Interests page.