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GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
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 Not every round can be as leisurely as this one (Photo: Photodisc/Karl Weatherly/Getty Images). Each scenario comes with a different set of rules and expectations. Mixing them can be disastrous. As golfers, we’re taught to adapt to the course and weather conditions. But we also have to adapt to our social surroundings. In my 30 years of playing the game, I’ve outlined the most common types of golf and the potential social traps associated with each. Social Golf These are my favorite rounds. The tension is non-existent, and there is little to nothing at stake. You might be great or you might play poorly, but the only thing that matters is who gets off the best one-liner. Someone will suggest a small bet or team game, and everyone will whine that they haven’t touched their clubs in months — even if it isn’t true. Witty remarks about your playing companions’ clothes or expanding waistline are encouraged. Don’t treat these rounds like the final stage of Q-School. Stop plumb-bobbing from 18 inches, and stop burying your club in the ground every time you lay the sod over one. You’ll just bum your friends out. There’s a reason why you sit at a desk five days a week, so the rule of thumb is to have fun and keep up with the group ahead of you. Corporate Golf Think of the golf course as an outdoor conference room. The mood and tone are set by the highest-ranking work official or client. That person is the “boss” of the foursome. If he wants to bet, everyone bets. If he wants to scrape away 5-foot gimmes while you have to make every 2-footer, so be it. It’s not the place to get competitive, unless, of course, the boss likes competition. You have to get a feel for whether the boss is going to get upset if you fist pump after every birdie or shout, “In your face!” when you close him out on the 12th green. One of the reasons I love golf is that it builds character and exposes it. It’s better to be known around the office or among clients as the guy who is gracious in victory and defeat rather than the guy who curses and throws his sand wedge when he hits a bad pitch shot. I once played with a television personality who was popular, but his demeanor on the course was miserable. An executive in our group leaned in and sternly told me he wouldn’t hire the guy to mow his lawn. Keep that in mind the next time you want to fling your driver in the presence of the people who sign your checks. Competitive Golf People who play this style of golf are serious and don’t particularly care for a bunch of small talk or lame jokes. They also don’t want to hear you curse after every bad shot or your explanations about how this is “the worst round you have ever played.” Here are some basic rules. Etiquette is extremely important. Know when it’s your time to play and hit your shot. Be mindful of the other players’ lines. When you hit a good shot or make a putt, it’s OK to smile, but save your victory lap around the green for when you win the U.S. Open. Also, know the rules. When you start playing competitively, everyone out there is trying to win something, be it money or a trophy. They don’t want to deal with your sketchy drop from a cart path or your asking if you can bump your ball out of a divot. Golf is a great game, but you have to adapt to your surroundings. Nobody cares what score you shot or what you hit into the last green. Have fun, know your audience and act accordingly. It will make the game more fun for everyone. |
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