While playing Barnham Broome in Norfolk UK I was having the round of my life and as we made our way around the course my Cousin and I remarked on a number of occasions about the height of the aircraft that were flying to and from the local Royal Air Force base a few miles away. It wasn’t until the 17th par 3 that we both hit the deck as one of the many fighter jets that had been buzzing around flew directly over our heads at a height that was somewhat lower than we were ready for! Needless to say we hit the deck!

Another occasion that springs to mind was playing another course in the UK, a fantastic little course called Brett Vale where when playing a round with an old friend we were in the process of teeing off on the 15th hole which is a downhill par 3 and involves threading the ball through some telephone cables that go over the fairway. However on this occasion it wasn’t the telephone cables that got in the way. Due to the amazing open countryside in this area there was a great deal of hot air balloons that used the area to take off and land. Well unfortunate for this poor chap he had chosen this particular green to set his balloon down! (green keeper was not impressed)

The reason for writing this is because today I have been hit by a golf ball! Two fairways running parallel and I was just about to hit my second shot into the green and a ball struck me on the elbow. The fairway itself is lined with trees and there is no way of really seeing through to the other side unless you look hard. The other party as apologetic as they were failed miserably in one of the main rules of golfing etiquette! FORE! No shout of Fore! No reason to move away from my shot, no warning just a ball pinging off the end of my elbow!

As much as I am laughing at the fact it has taken 19 years for me to get struck by a ball it hurts like hell and I don’t advise any of you try it! Look out for fighter jets, hot air balloons and low flying golf balls! The etiquette of the game was put there to protect us all, if your not sure then give a shout!

The next set of etiquettes relate to maintaining the pace of the game including
• Avoiding delays in the game making other groups of golfers wait for their turn.
• Adopting strategies such as ready-play where the golfer nearest to his ball takes up the next turn rather than waiting for the sequence to be followed unless it is a professional tournament.
• Avoiding spending too much time on a lost ball and if there is a need, allow other golfers to take their turn.
• Maintaining pace with the golfers group that is playing straight before and allowing the successive group to take their turn if they are faster.
• Dropping the player who has the next turn first in case the players in the same cart hit the ball in the opposite directions.
• Making sure that the necessary set of clubs are always carried to avoid time delays in bringing other clubs from the cart.
• Leaving the putting greens as soon as the players in the group finish putting.

The golf etiquettes pertaining to the golf course maintenance include
• Observing the cart rules.
• Keeping carts away from greens and hazards.
• Repairing all divots, ball marks. Making sure that the foot marks and the ball traces are removed by sand rakes
• Avoiding taking divots on a practice swing.

Other etiquettes include maintaining silence in the golf course, avoiding unnecessary yelling, making sure that a golfer’s game doesn’t interfere in any way with the other golfer even including the shadows cast on the other player’s putting line and footprints preventing the other golfer’s putting. In short it is not just one player in the course and there are groups of players who turn up to enjoy the game. It is important to follow these golf etiquettes and make sure that one golfer is never a disturbance to the other.