The Spirit of the Game of Golf

Golf is a game played, for the most part, without referee or umpire.  The integrity of the individual, both general public and CTGA to abide by the USGA, Local, and CTGA Rules of Golf and demonstrate courtesy, sportsmanship and proper manners at all times is what makes this sport so great.

SAHITH THEEGALA 
“If I let it slide, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep or look my fellow players in the eye.”  If you watched the PGA Player’s Championship event last weekend, you would have seen the true essence of Golf Honor and Sportsmanship when he imposed a penalty on himself for touching the sand with his putter at address.  The 2 stroke penalty cost him a tie for 2nd place with Collin Morikawa and a potential loss of 2.5 million dollars.

ARNOLD PALMER
“From the time I first stepped onto a golf course I was taught to observe golf etiquette.  What that meant to me then, and what it means now, is being considerate of other golfers, takin care of the course, playing quickly, and controlling my temper.”

Following Mr. Palmer and Mr. Theegala’s lead, here are the Keys to CTGA Golf Etiquette:

BE YOUR OWN OFFICIAL ON THE COURSE

by observing and playing to the CTGA Rules of Golf.

 

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CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS ON THE GOLF COURSE 

Golf is played best, for you, your partner and/or competitor, when your emotions are under control and pleasant.

  1. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
  2. When others are taking their shot, avoid disturbances and distractions.
  3. Watch the flight of the ball for all players in your foursome.  Eight eyes are better than two.
  4. Avoid club throwing, profanity and other negative emotionally blatant actions.
  5. Be a Pace of Play Champion at all times and help those in your foursome to do the same.
  6. If you must play music on the course, do so at a volume that doesn’t disturb others.

CARE OF THE COURSE 

Treat your golf course with respect.

  1. CTGA RULE #1:  Always leave the course in better condition than we found it.
  2. Avoid taking divots in the fairway with your practice swings.  If you displace grass, replace the grass and use sand bottles, if available, to fill in around the divot.
  3. Enter and exit bunkers from the lowest point to avoid damaging high lips and edges and always rake the bunker after playing from it .
  4. If you know you hit the green on the fly, there will be damage.  Find it…repair it…then look for and repair one more
  5. Take extra care when removing the ball with the flag still in the cup.
  6. Never remove the ball from the cup with your putter…always use your hand.
  7. Take care when removing and replacing the flag.
  8. Use the 90 degree rule until you’re parallel with your ball.
  9. If the course requires “Cart Path Only” for specific holes and/or the full course, please comply and stay on the cart path at all times.
  10. During soggy conditions, take extra care with carts to avoid standing water on the fairways as it could cause ruts and damage.
  11. If you see standing water on the cart path, DON’T go off the path to avoid the puddle.  Carts are waterproof and when there’s water on the path, the grass around the path will definitely be saturated and vulnerable to ruts.
  12. If the course has signs on the fairways, as you approach the green, requesting you to return to the cart path, please do so and stay on the cart path till you leave the next teeing area.  If there are no signs, make sure you stay at least 30 feet away from greens and teeing areas.
  13. Dispose of your empty wrappers, bottles, etc., in appropriate waste bins and clean out your cart when you’re finished playing.
  14. Sunflower seeds, cigarettes and cigars, and snuff are fine for some, but don’t leave remnants of these pleasures on the playing course.

PACE OF PLAY 

Simply put, your expected position on the course is immediately behind the foursome in front…NOT… immediately in front and causing delays to the foursome behind.

 

CTGA DIRECTORS   01/26/25