10 Golf Course Etiquette Tips Every Beginner Should Know

Golf is one of the few sports where the rulebook is only half the story — the other half is etiquette. Nobody is going to blow a whistle if you walk across someone's putting line or forget to rake a bunker, but the golfers around you will absolutely notice. Good etiquette is what keeps a round enjoyable for everyone on the course, and it's the fastest way to stop feeling like the newest person out there.

If you're heading out for your first round at Westfield Country Club — or your first round anywhere — this guide covers the ten habits that separate a considerate playing partner from an unwelcome one. None of it is complicated, and once it becomes second nature you won't even think about it. Here's what to know before you book your tee time.

1. Repair Your Divots

Every full swing that takes a chunk out of the fairway leaves a divot behind, and it's your job to fix it before you walk away. On grass fairways, pick up the divot (if it came out in one piece) and press it back into place, or use the sand-and-seed mix provided on the cart if the course supplies one. Leaving a trail of unrepaired divots doesn't just look bad — it damages the turf for the next group and, over a season, for the whole course.

A quick way to remember this: if you took a piece of the course with your swing, put it back. It takes five seconds and it's one of the clearest signals that you respect the course you're playing.

2. Rake Bunkers After You Play Out

Sand traps get walked through and dug into constantly, so nearly every course keeps a rake at each bunker for exactly this reason. After you hit your shot, smooth over your footprints and the divot your club left in the sand — rake from the back of the bunker toward the entrance you used, then leave the rake outside the bunker, lying flat near the edge, so it doesn't interfere with the next group's shot.

Skipping this step means the next golfer to land in that bunker inherits your footprints and has to play their shot out of a mess they didn't create. It's a small habit, but it's one of the most noticeable when it's missing.

3. Keep Pace With the Group Ahead

Slow play is the single biggest etiquette complaint on any golf course, and it's usually not caused by bad shots — it's caused by bad habits between shots. Be ready to play when it's your turn: line up your shot while others are hitting, keep your pre-shot routine short, and walk (or drive) directly to your ball instead of following the group at a leisurely pace.

A good benchmark is to keep at least one open hole between you and the group in front. If you fall behind and a shorter group is waiting on you, wave them through — it costs you a couple of minutes and earns you a lot of goodwill. This matters even more on an executive course like Westfield's 9-hole layout, where part of the appeal is finishing a round quickly; slow play undercuts the exact reason many golfers choose the course.

4. Respect Other Players

Stay still and silent while someone else is hitting — no walking, talking, or standing directly in their line of sight. On the green, this extends to not standing in anyone's putting line (the direct path between their ball and the hole) and not casting a shadow over it either.

It's also common courtesy to stand where the player hitting can see you clearly, away from the flight path of the ball, and to avoid giving unsolicited swing advice unless someone actually asks for it. Golf is social, but there's a time for conversation and a time to let someone concentrate.

5. Silence Your Phone

Put your phone on silent (not just vibrate) before you tee off on the first hole. A ringtone going off mid-backswing is one of the fastest ways to throw off everyone within earshot, and a phone conversation carried across the fairway breaks the quiet that most golfers come to the course for in the first place.

If you need to take a call, step away from the group and keep it brief. Photos between holes are perfectly fine — just be mindful of when and where you're taking them.

6. Follow the Course's Dress Code

Most golf courses, including Westfield, expect proper golf attire: collared shirts, golf shorts, pants, or skorts, and soft spikes or golf-appropriate shoes. Cut-offs, ripped jeans, athletic tank tops, and track pants are generally not permitted on the course or in the clubhouse.

Dress code isn't about being formal for its own sake — it's a shared expectation that keeps the course feeling like a golf course. If you're ever unsure what's appropriate for your first visit, a quick call to the pro shop before you arrive will clear it up in seconds.

7. Follow Golf Cart Rules

Carts are convenient, but they can also do real damage to a course if they're driven carelessly. Stick to cart paths near tees, greens, and hazards, follow any posted 90-degree-rule or cart-path-only signage, and never drive a cart onto a green, tee box, or bunker.

When you park, leave the cart off to the side rather than blocking the flow of play for the group behind you, and always park on the side of the green closest to the next tee so you're not walking back across the green to retrieve it.

8. Play "Ready Golf"

Traditional etiquette says the player farthest from the hole hits first, but most casual rounds today move faster with "ready golf" — whoever is ready and it's safe to do so simply plays their shot, regardless of whose ball is farther out. This is especially useful on a shorter course, where groups are moving through holes quickly and waiting for strict honors slows everyone down.

The one exception is on the putting green and around safety — always make sure it's clear and safe before you play out of turn, and defer to whoever's ball is in the most dangerous position if there's any doubt.

9. Replace Your Ball Marks

When your ball lands on the green, it often leaves a small indent called a ball mark or pitch mark. Left alone, these scar the green and create a bumpy surface that affects everyone's putts for days. Use a divot tool (or a tee) to gently lift the edges of the mark toward the center and tap it smooth — never twist or dig, which tears the roots underneath.

A good habit is to fix your own mark and one more nearby that someone else missed. Greens take a beating over a season, and a few extra seconds of repair work goes a long way toward keeping them smooth and consistent for every group behind you.

10. Keep the Flagstick and Green in Good Shape

A few small habits round out good green etiquette: don't drag your feet across the putting surface, place your bag or cart off to the side rather than on the green, and handle the flagstick carefully — lay it down gently rather than dropping it, and never lean on it or use it to test the wind.

Once everyone in the group has holed out, mark your scores away from the green rather than lingering on the putting surface — it's the last small courtesy that lets the group behind you move in cleanly.

Final Thoughts

None of these ten habits require athletic skill — they just require a little awareness of the people playing around you. Repair what you disturb, keep moving, stay quiet when someone's hitting, and dress and drive the way the course asks you to. Do that consistently and you'll fit in on any course, at any skill level, from your very first round onward.

Westfield's 9-hole executive layout is genuinely one of the friendliest places in Surrey to practice these habits — the shorter format means less pressure, smaller groups, and plenty of patience for golfers still finding their footing. Book your next round at Westfield Country Club today and put these etiquette basics to work on the course.