Your first round of golf, etiquette and pace of play without the fear
Nobody expects a beginner to play well. What matters is staying safe, keeping up and caring for the course, and all three are easier than they look.
The first round on a real course can feel like walking into a room where everyone knows the rules except you. The good news is that hardly anyone expects a beginner to play well. What your playing partners and the groups around you hope for is much simpler: that you stay safe, keep up and look after the course. Get those three right and the rest will follow.
Safety comes first
A golf ball travels fast and hard, so the first habit is knowing where to stand. When someone is about to play, stand to the side and slightly behind them, never in front and never directly behind the line of their swing. Keep well clear of anyone taking a practice swing, and wait until the group ahead is clearly out of range before you hit.
If your ball heads towards other people, shout loudly and at once. It is not an admission of failure, it is a warning, and every golfer has shouted it many times. If you hear it, crouch, cover your head with your arms and turn away rather than looking up to find the ball.
- Stand to the side of the player, out of the line of play.
- Never swing while someone is close to you.
- Wait for the group ahead to move out of range.
- Shout fore early and loudly if a ball might reach anyone.
Pace of play and ready golf
Slow play is the complaint you hear most at any club, and it is the one a beginner can most easily avoid. The Rules of Golf recommend that you play a stroke within 40 seconds once it is your turn and you can play without interference, and usually quicker. That is plenty of time if you plan your shot while others are playing.
means playing when you are ready and it is safe, rather than strictly in the order of who is furthest from the hole. In stroke play it is encouraged. Keep a spare ball in your pocket, leave your bag or trolley on the side of the green nearest the next tee, and walk briskly between shots.
Searching for a lost ball is limited to three minutes under the Rules. If your ball may be lost or out of bounds, tell your group and play a provisional ball, so that you do not have to walk back. And if a hole is going badly, there is no shame in picking up your ball in a friendly round and starting fresh on the next tee.
Caring for the course
Looking after the course is the part of etiquette that matters long after you have gone home. Three small jobs cover most of it: pitch marks, divots and bunkers.
When a ball lands on the green it often leaves a small dent called a , or ball mark. Repair yours, and another one if you see it. Push a repair tool or a tee into the edge of the mark, ease the sides towards the centre, then tap the surface flat with your putter. Do not lever the centre upwards, which tears the roots and leaves a scar for weeks.
A is the piece of turf your club takes out on a fairway shot. Depending on the course, you either replace it and press it down with your foot or fill the hole with the sand and seed mix that many clubs provide. If you are unsure which applies, ask when you check in.
After playing from a bunker, smooth the sand with the rake, including your footprints, and leave the rake where the club asks. Enter and leave the bunker from the low side nearest your ball, so you do not damage the steep faces.
On and around the green
The green is where etiquette is most visible, because players are close together and concentrating. Avoid walking on another player’s putting line, the imaginary path between their ball and the hole, and do not stand where your shadow falls across it. Mark your ball with a coin or a marker when it might be in someone’s way.
Since 2019 the Rules allow you to putt with the flagstick left in the hole, so agree in your group whether it stays in or comes out. If it is removed, lay it down gently off the putting surface. Take care around the edge of the hole, and never lean on your putter on the green.
When the last putt drops, leave the green promptly and write down the scores at the next tee. The group behind is waiting to play their approach shots, and nothing slows a course more than four players chatting on a finished green.
The first tee, dress codes and letting groups through
Book a tee time through the club and say honestly that you are new. Many clubs can suggest quieter times for beginners. Arrive early enough to check in, warm up and roll a few putts, and be on the tee a few minutes before your time. On the tee, the player with the lowest score on the previous hole traditionally plays first, which is called having the , but in a relaxed round ready golf on the tee is fine as long as it is safe.
Dress codes vary widely. Some clubs ask for collared shirts and tailored trousers or shorts and do not allow denim, others are far more relaxed. Many courses accept spikeless golf shoes or clean trainers with flat soles for a first round, but check first. The simplest approach is to read the club’s guidance or ask when you book, and nobody will mind the question.
If the group behind is clearly faster and there is a gap ahead of you, invite them to play through. Step aside safely, let them play, and carry on afterwards. It is a courtesy that is always appreciated, and it takes the pressure off you as well.
Nobody expects a beginner to play well, only to keep up and care for the course.
Terms in this article
- Fore
- The warning shouted when a ball might hit someone on the course.
- Ready golf
- Playing when you are ready and it is safe, rather than strictly in turn, to keep the round moving.
- Pitch mark
- The small dent a ball makes when it lands on the green, also called a ball mark.
- Divot
- A piece of turf cut out by the club during a shot, to be replaced or filled.
- Honour
- The right to play first from the tee, traditionally held by the lowest score on the previous hole.
Questions readers ask
Do I need a handicap to play my first round?
Not always. Many courses welcome beginners without a handicap, especially at quieter times, while others ask for a handicap certificate before you can book, particularly at busy weekends. Ask when you book and say honestly that you are new. A round on a shorter course or a nine-hole loop is also a relaxed first step.
What if I am holding up the group behind?
Keep an eye on the gap in front of you. If it grows and the group behind is waiting on every shot, invite them to play through at a convenient moment, usually on a tee or once you have finished a hole. Picking up your ball on a difficult hole in a friendly round also helps keep everyone moving.
