Spring is coming – so clean your clubs and get ready for your first round of golf! It will be an exciting (and probably chilly) day, so arrive early. You may want to warm up a bit on the putting green, and perhaps stretch while your foursome gets ready to go. But once you’re all on the “tee box,” there are several rules to consider:
#1) Who’s on first? Golfers do have a rather cute way of deciding who hits the first drive off the tee.
Since golf is a polite sport, etiquette demands a fair chance among rivals. So, your group may determine who tees off first by tossing a tee in the air! In other words, four golfers kind of play spin the bottle with a little tiny stick. When the tee lands, whoever it points to goes first.
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Who’s on second? After the first hole, no one tosses their tee anymore. The person with the lowest score on the prior hole goes first.
#2) Wait for the fairway to clear. Most players have a pretty good idea of how far they can hit the ball, but until there is no chance that your 250 + yard drive may clip a fellow player, hold up.
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#3) Tee It Forward. There are generally three tee boxes at each hole. Highly-skilled players use the back tee, good players use the middle tee, and then there are the rest of us. The saying “Tee it Forward” relates to the aphorism “Know Thyself.” Why? Because when people choose a tee box that is too difficult, their game suffers.
Protocol aside, courses will be crowded again this summer, so many folks will opt to “Play Ready Golf.” In other words, if you’re ready ahead of your partners - swing away! Don’t dawdle and slow down the game. Keep up with the pace of play, or expect to be asked if faster golfers can play through.
As always, the Golf Tour of Greater Philadelphia* is ready to welcome new players, and will host two open houses (at Turtle Creek and Rock Manor) for prospective members: April 10th and 17th. A Golf Tour Philly representative will be there to welcome and introduce you to your partners for the day. And of course, we always look forward to getting to know you at the “19th hole.”
Golf Tour Philly guarantees your reserved tee times, most during prime Saturday morning slots, and has a great selection of courses lined up this year. Some featured courses are Neshanic Valley, the Links at Saint Anne’s, Hartefeld National, Iron Valley, Bluestone, Architects, and Sea View (Bay Course).
GTGP will also be honored to participate this year in the 25th Annual SuperKids Charitable Golf Tournament on July 26th at Sandy Run Country Club! This admirable charity supports abused, neglected, and abandoned children of Montgomery County, PA. www.superkidsofmontco.org
We hope you will join us! Further information is available on the website www.golftourphilly.org, by emailing TonyMcCarthy@golftourphilly.org or calling 484.753.4914. Think Spring, and see you on the links!
*The Golf Tour of Greater Philadelphia (GTGP) is a locally-operated golf league for amateur golfers. Our classification as a non-profit keeps costs down, and our club organization ensures all members have input in club operations. The result is competitive golf in a collegial atmosphere at a great price! GTGP is also an associate club of the Golf Association of Philadelphia. Members are eligible to play in GAP Member Play Days at private clubs in the area.