5 etiquette guidelines you might be breaking on the greens

“Yup, right here is where this game is won. Right here on the green.”

The commentary, uttered by caddie Bagger Vance in the fictional — though, at times, veracious — golf film, The Legend of Bagger Vance, is true. Rarely is a match, a tournament, a major championship determined by a tee shot or a superbly struck iron. Golf’s biggest moments reveal themselves on the green.

Incidentally, a golfer’s etiquette is most on display there, too.

You might know the basics of how to behave on and around the putting surface, but there are finer points to conducting yourself with class when play reaches the green. Here, we highlight five key aspects of upstanding etiquette when you and your playing partners have a putter in hand.

Standing matters

When it comes to green etiquette, most faux pas are made by standing in the wrong places. For example, you’ll never see the pros standing behind a player on an extension of their putt’s line, not because it’s against the rules, but because it’s understood that taking such a position could be a distraction. The same is true for standing beyond the hole on a direct line with the player who’s putting. As a good rule of thumb, avoid standing in areas where you’re likely to be visible either in a player’s peripheral vision or in their direct line of sight as they’re looking down the line of their putt.

Casting shadows

Only on the most overcast of days — or those unfortunate rounds played in the rain — will you not cast a shadow on the ground. At all other times, the orientation of the sun has the potential to create distractions and challenging lighting situations. So, when you’re standing on the green, take a moment to locate your shadow. If it falls over a playing partner’s line or it’s covering the cup, take as many steps as necessary to reposition your shadow — it might otherwise be a distraction or interfere with the player’s ability to accurately judge the break and speed of their putt.

Tread carefully

Most golfers know to be careful about stepping in another player’s line on the green. If this is news to you, here’s a quick primer: When players walk on the green, each footstep causes a slight depression in the turf. Most of the time, these depressions won’t be visible, but on softer greens, they can be. Depending on the firmness of the putting surface, the length of time it takes for these depressions to recover varies, but on average it takes at least a handful of minutes. That means a footprint made on the line of a putt has the ability to impact how the ball rolls over that section of the turf — it might affect the putt’s speed or it could impact the break. Either way, there’s a good chance a fresh footprint will negatively interfere with an otherwise well-struck putt, even if that footprint isn’t visible to the naked eye.

So make sure you keep tabs on where the other players are on the green and the lines that their putts will take. Extended strides can usually do the trick if you’re walking in between a player and the hole; however, taking a few extra moments to walk behind the player is always more courteous. This applies to scenarios when golfers are just off the green, too. Before walking in front of a player who’s a few yards back in the fairway, on the collar, or perhaps in the first cut, take a look at the club he or she is holding. If they’re planning to putt, go the extra mile and walk behind them — the courtesy won’t go unnoticed (or unappreciated).

Capture the flag

If you’re playing with strangers or a mix of people you don’t normally play with, chances are the topic of the flagstick will come up on the first green. “Do you like the pin in or out?” someone will inevitably ask. If the stakes of the match are significant — or if you’re playing in a tournament — by all means stay resolute in how you like to putt. But if you’re just playing a social, fun round of golf, and the other players are all in agreement on how they prefer the flagstick, don’t be the guy who rocks the boat. If the group’s consensus is they all like putting with the flagstick out — and you’re a pin-in kind of guy — don’t insist that the flagstick needs to be in when you putt. It’ll only make for awkward exchanges.

Also, if you’re holding the flagstick while the other players in your group finish up, make sure you hold onto it near the top, high enough on the stick that you can wrap up the flag and keep it in your grip. The sound of the flag flapping in the breeze can sometimes be a distraction; and if you’re responsible for taking the pin, make sure you keep the flag under control.

Ready, set….

If you’ve read my column on slow play, you know all the minutia that goes into assessing a shot, whether on the tee box or in the fairway, it takes time. More time than you may realize. The same is true on the greens. Reading the break, assessing the slope, making sense of the grain (if you’re playing on traditional Bermuda grass), this chews up precious time. I’m not suggesting not to do these things — the greens are where the game is won, after all — but recognize when you can start doing them.

If you’re not the first in your group to putt, but you (including your shadow) are out of the field of vision for the player who is, start assessing your line. You might even have time to reposition your ball and be ready to putt moments after your playing partner does. There’s no guarantee the players in your group will notice this expedited approach on the greens — they’re likely going to be too focused on the putts they’re trying to make — but I can guarantee that the golfers behind you in the fairway will. Your initiative will speed up your entire group’s play.