Golf is a frustrating and agonizing game. But to make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone, golfers must avoid these 10 mistakes.
With summer in full swing across the United States, you can play with anyone, anywhere, anytime. We highlighted the 10 things all golfers should do during a round, but now we want to list 10 mistakes all golfers should avoid every time they play:
You should park your cart at the closest point between the green and the next tee. That point should also be in the back of the green, so you are not walking towards the fairway you just played, further delaying the group behind you. Cart etiquette is important, but so is using common sense.
You should never bring your cart close to the green unless you have a medical condition forbidding you from walking a considerable distance.
The same can be said for teeing areas.
The pace of play on a course is important. And no, you are not on the PGA Tour. So do not take more than three practice swings and waste everyone’s time, including yours.
I usually take two to get in a rhythm, then swing away.
Scrambling to the first tee in a dizzying hurry is terrible, but it angers the pro shop staff, too. Be there on time so you can ease into your round and have a proper warmup.
You will have more strokes on the green than anywhere else. It’s essential to get the speed of the greens down beforehand so you don’t make a mess of things over the first couple of holes.
Fix your ball marks.
Fix your ball marks.
Fix your ball marks.
Nobody wants to play on damaged greens, and nobody wants a good putt disrupted by a bump.
Every golfer has made the mistake of leaving a club behind at some point.
If you bring your wedge or short iron to a green, put it on the green or fringe—somewhere easily visible. I usually place clubs next to the flagstick—a good reminder not to forget them, too.
Treat the golf course like your own home.
Replace divots and use dirt mix if available. And always, always repair your ball marks on the greens. Fix another one, too. A course’s most valuable assets are the greens—take care of them.
If you need to take more than five minutes looking for a golf ball, it is clearly not in the spot you think it is—or it is buried in the rough where you would struggle to hack it out.
Take a drop and move on.
It’s a frustrating game that even angers Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, and Bryson DeChambeau. Have fun.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
