Where to stand on tee and in fairway

[atlanta golfer]

Usually this is a topic I don't even think about. But this weekend I played a tournament and a couple of the guys in my group kept placing themselves in distracting positions. The guy driving our cart liked to park it, literally, like 4 feet from my ball, so that at address I was looking right at him and the cart. I asked him to please circle around and move it to maybe ten feet away. After a hole or two, he figured it out. He didn't look very healthy, and I think he just was used to parking near his ball to minimize his walking. I just didn't need or want that situation for myself.

 

Then on the tee box, another guy kept standing directly behind me, and even moving as I was addressing the ball. I asked him to move to an angle from me, either behind me out of sight, or in full view more in front of me. For me, usually, on the tee box, I will stand at an angle from the person hitting, a good 10-20 feet back, and if I can, next to the other golfers. Like I say, I usually don't notice these things at all. It was either a weird group of people, or else I was more attuned to it on this partular day. I actually shot a great score on the day. What is the custom or etiquette expected? And was I wrong to politely ask people to move?

[scotchblade]

I would never stand within a person's peripheral vision when they are playing their shot. I'd feel the same way you did with a cart right next to me.

[mwl111006]

Agreed. Never in someone's peripheral vision.

[johnburgelin]

I actually feel more self conscious when I'm playing with strangers than when I'm addressing my shot. I hardly ever notice where people are standing but I'll always be the furthest one away when playing with anyone who I'm thinking will be judging me on my etiquette. I just don't understand why other people are so lackadaisical about it

[jjj912]

Imagine that the person about to play is standing in the center of a clock where 12 points at the target. When I'm nearby, like when teeing off or on the same portion of the putting green, I try to stand either between 7 and 9 or between 4 and 5. In either case, I try to stand several feet away.

[youraway2]

I stay off the teeing ground and out of view when it isn't my turn to play. I think golfers with poor ediquite think it's smart to stand behind you on your line so they can see the flight of the ball and help you out. For me please stay off the tee nor stand in back of me when I playing my shot. I can tolerate all forms of bad ediquite; talking, moving, slamming clubs down, but standing behind me really bothers me.

[caboom42]

I did walking scoring for a champions tour event in hickory, NC a couple years ago (one of the coolest experiences ever) and the pros and caddy's were VERY clear and adamant about where we were to stand, and most of them asked we stand directly behind the pros completely out of their view or straight across from them in clear sight and of course, remain super still and quiet, basically just wanted us to stay out of their way as much as possible...

after the 3 rounds the caddy's and pros in our group said we were some of the best theyve had score for them, didnt even kno we were out there with them, got some autographed balls and i even won a putt-off for Jim Dent's putter (he did not putt well that week haha), I just wish i had asked him to sign it, now i just have a 38" long odyssee putter that i can only claim to be Jim Dent's with no proof haha, but still very cool experience

[vferrari]

If you can see the person's chest or back you're usually good. I forget the exact degrees but I was always taught that it's basically 45* on each side of center and you can assume you're out of peripheral vision. Generally the pros I see on TV stand directly in front or about 30-45* off center-of-chest. But never directly behind!

[Carolina Golfer 2]

AG...that is just weird. The cart thing would have absolutely bothered me. I have played with some guys who will park as close as possible to the ball, I just don't get it. I like at least 10 feet or so away.

As for standing on the tee box and greens, I take the same approach usually right in front of them or as someone said, about 3:00 or 4:00 on a clock. Or if that side of the box is not conducive to it, then I will stand behind their back like at 9:00.

On the subject one thing that really is a pet peeve of mine, is someone dropping the flagstick directly on an extension of my putt line behind the hole, even if it's 5 or 6 feet behind, it's distracting. I always take it and put it as far out of sight of anyone's possible line as I can. It doesn't kill any of us to take a few extra steps to pick it up afterward.

[duswalk]

Great insight. I have not been playing very long and the guys that I play with spray the ball all over the place so we got into the habit of standing right behind each for the simple fact of keeping track of golf balls. I played in the MGA tournament a couple of weeks ago and got paired with a couple of older fellows. About three holes into it I could tell they were irritated but I didn't know why. It took them 12 holes to ask me to move. I was totally embarrassed and apologized 100 times but I am pretty sure they requested to never be paired with me again. I still feel bad about it.

[shall]

I try to stay on angles personally. I have the worst time with my shadow on the greens. I am always tripping over myself to get it in the right place. Also got caught tending the stick the other day - wrong side so my shadow was across the whole...whoops!

I get the "directly behind you" people mostly when playing with older folks that like to watch your ball [i]for[/i] you. Then there are the folks that like to stand directly facing (face to face) me, so they can watch my swing. The third type I run into is the stand in line with my putt, front or back. When I ask any of them to move they act like it is a big deal since (I assume since we are not professionals).

As another poster mentioned, I don't care for the stick laying beyond the hole on my line...kind of like it marks the end of the earth.

[bermuda]

If I'm playing by myself with a cart, I will sometimes park it within 5 feet or so of my ball. I did that one time when my gf was riding along, and she was adamant that I was too close. If she's hitting, she wants the cart about 20 feet away.

However, I learned after playing with her that the distance isn't the only thing to beware of. You don't want the cart to be downwind where if you take a big, sandy divot you send a cloud of dirt blowing toward your cart passenger. So distance, orientation and wind direction are important.

As far as where to stand, when playing with her I stand in the correct position (perpendicular to her in front or behind), and she makes me move. Basically, anywhere I stand is not the right place, and I have to move, and why don't I get it about where to stand??!!??111?

Once, I was told to get about 20 or 30 feet perpendicular to her back and look in the opposite direction, and she hit an awful shot then asked what she did wrong. I had to tell her I didn't know because I was told to stand far away and look in the other direction.

[sigmapete1]

Duswalk brings up a good point. There are a lot of golfers that either because of being new to the game or playing with the same friends all the time, are unaware of these little unwritten rules. It's certainly not their fault (except for maybe some common sense stuff like not talking during a shot). I think courses should be more proactive in educating all of its customers, either through signs or on the scorecard of these types of etiquette rules. It would make for a much more enjoyable round when you go out alone and get paired up.

[youraway2]

[quote name='Carolina Golfer 2' date='18 May 2010 - 11:24 AM' timestamp='1274199888' post='2450241']

On the subject one thing that really is a pet peeve of mine, is someone dropping the flagstick directly on an extension of my putt line behind the hole, even if it's 5 or 6 feet behind, it's distracting. I always take it and put it as far out of sight of anyone's possible line as I can. It doesn't kill any of us to take a few extra steps to pick it up afterward.
[/quote]

I noticed caddies on tour never lay the flagstick down but pass it around. When I play with some of our scratch (not me) golfers I noticed they never lay the flagstick on the green but always in the first cut and normally in the dierction golfers would exit towards the next tee.

[duswalk]

[quote name='sigmapete1' date='18 May 2010 - 01:34 PM' timestamp='1274204044' post='2450436']
Duswalk brings up a good point. There are a lot of golfers that either because of being new to the game or playing with the same friends all the time, are unaware of these little unwritten rules. It's certainly not their fault (except for maybe some common sense stuff like not talking during a shot). I think courses should be more proactive in educating all of its customers, either through signs or on the scorecard of these types of etiquette rules. It would make for a much more enjoyable round when you go out alone and get paired up.
[/quote]

I also learned last week while playing in our weekly club scramble that when showing a teammate a spot to putt to, that is against the rules to touch the ground. I have learned so many rules in the past year... Is there a book out there that covers the common rules and etiquette of golf?

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Not to worry..You didn't know, now you do. I think a lot of beginners naturally do that, and the reason you mention is probably one of the reasons why..you kind of have the entire hole in front of you. If you haven't already, you'll learn to pick up the flight of the ball just as easy from the side.

This thread reminds me of one of the made for TV events about 5 or 6 years ago, might have been the dual at Sherwood or something like that. Jack Nicklaus was playing in it and Melissa Stark was the on course reporter.

He was on the front of the green putting to a middle of the green or back flag. Melissa was walking back and forth behind the green. Jack just stops and the TV Microphones pick up him saying "Honey..You're pretty to look at and all...but you gotta quit walking in my line" I laughed my A off for about 10 minutes.

One of the local sports talk radio shows still plays that soundbite a lot.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='youraway2' date='18 May 2010 - 01:37 PM' timestamp='1274204228' post='2450443']
[quote name='Carolina Golfer 2' date='18 May 2010 - 11:24 AM' timestamp='1274199888' post='2450241']

On the subject one thing that really is a pet peeve of mine, is someone dropping the flagstick directly on an extension of my putt line behind the hole, even if it's 5 or 6 feet behind, it's distracting. I always take it and put it as far out of sight of anyone's possible line as I can. It doesn't kill any of us to take a few extra steps to pick it up afterward.
[/quote]

I noticed caddies on tour never lay the flagstick down but pass it around. When I play with some of our scratch (not me) golfers I noticed they never lay the flagstick on the green but always in the first cut and normally in the dierction golfers would exit towards the next tee.
[/quote]

Yep it is rare that you see them lay it down..but it does happen on a rare occasion. The rule of thumb between them, is usually the caddie of the player that is closest to the hole will pull the flag when they get to the green, as the away player may be getting help from his caddie on the read. Also that player is most likely to be the last in the hole and his player can replace it.

In our groups usually the first player in the hole will pick the flag up and hold it until all have holed out then he'll replace it.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='duswalk' date='18 May 2010 - 01:43 PM' timestamp='1274204606' post='2450456']
[quote name='sigmapete1' date='18 May 2010 - 01:34 PM' timestamp='1274204044' post='2450436']
Duswalk brings up a good point. There are a lot of golfers that either because of being new to the game or playing with the same friends all the time, are unaware of these little unwritten rules. It's certainly not their fault (except for maybe some common sense stuff like not talking during a shot). I think courses should be more proactive in educating all of its customers, either through signs or on the scorecard of these types of etiquette rules. It would make for a much more enjoyable round when you go out alone and get paired up.
[/quote]

I also learned last week while playing in our weekly club scramble that when showing a teammate a spot to putt to, that is against the rules to touch the ground. I have learned so many rules in the past year... Is there a book out there that covers the common rules and etiquette of golf?
[/quote]

Yep..that's one that gets a lot, good that you learned it easily. Good question on the etiquette. I think this book is very good. Now consider it's written for the person who may be walking onto a course or range for the very first time, so a lot of it is basic but covers things like the etiquette on the putting green and such.

http://www.intheholegolf.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=2059&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping

[stevestrike]

I try to stand directly in front of a player on the tee box for three reasons:

1. You are completely out of the players sight when they address the ball
2. You are less likely to get hit by the player swinging a club than you would be if you stood behind them
3. That's how I saw most of the pros do it at the Shell Open when I went

In general, I never stand down-line with a player unless I play with my father who can't see his tee shots that well and I've got to help spot them.

[SNIPERBBB]

Some guys are more picky on this than others. I stay away as far as I can but when I am up...I dont really care where your standing as long as you arent in reach of my club. Once I go into my routine the only two places I am seeing is my target line and the ball.