 The purpose of golf etiquette is to ensure the game is safe and enjoyable for all players. To this end, most experienced players will be glad to pass on tips to beginners.
1. Safety for All
You must never swing at your ball until all the other players are a safe distance away. Should any of your shots go wild and swerve too close to anyone, shout out "fore!" as a warning. Don't stand so close to another player that you could hit them when you swing your club, and never hit a practice shot toward another player, as clubs can smack loose stones into the air that can strike bystanders.
2. The Pace of Play
Slow play must be avoided. You can still take time to swing properly and not race through your game, but it's bad sportsmanship to waste time in between shots. When you walk onto a tee, have your ball, tee and club ready so that as soon as your turn comes you can take your shot in a timely way. It's standard etiquette for the player who scored best on the last hole to tee off first on the next hole. However, some players practice "ready golf" - whoever's ready goes first. The idea is to play at a speed that keeps in pace with the group ahead of you, not the group behind.
Once everyone has finished putting, leave the green; you can mark your cards at the next tee.
3. Respect for Other Players
When another player is preparing to take a shot, don't disturb him or her; it's vital for a golfer to focus mentally as well as physically on the game. While it's easy to break some golfers' concentration by talking or shuffling around, other players aren't affected by noise and movement. If the same people are always part of your golf group, you'll all soon learn each other's tolerance for distractions.
4. Behavior on the Green
Never walk in between a player's ball and the hole, as your footprints can alter the lay of the grass and cause the ball to roll in an unexpected way.
Don't stand so that your shadow falls in another player's sight line to the hole; if you're tending the flag, this rule is especially important for you.
Pay attention to where you lay the flag down: if it's placed too close to the hole and is struck with another player's ball, the player will get a 2-point penalty. To be on the safe side, don't even put it on the green. You should replace any pitch marks you make on the green, so keep a pitch repair device with you. It's also good etiquette to fix other pitch marks you see on the green.
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