Friday Golf Association

Always play “ready” golf, which simply means that order of play is based on who's ready, not who's away or who had the best score on the last hole.

Keep up with the group in front of you. Your correct position on the course is immediately behind the group in front of you, not immediately in front of the group behind you. If you are falling behind, immediately call it to the attention of your group. Don’t let the gap get bigger.

While walking (or riding) to your ball, use the travel time to begin thinking over your next shot - the yardage, which club you'll use, and so on. Begin preparing before you get to your ball.

If sharing a cart, don't drive to the first ball, wait for the first player to hit, then head to the second ball. Drop the first player off at his ball, drive on ahead to the second ball. The first player should walk over to the cart as the second player is playing his shot.

When using a cart on a cart-path-only day, be sure to take a couple of clubs with you when you walk from the cart to the ball. This way, you won't have to return to the cart if you discover you didn't bring the appropriate club.

Carry a few extra tees, ball markers and a spare ball in your pockets so you don't have to return to your golf bag to retrieve them, should you find yourself in need of one.

When you think your shot might have landed out of bounds or be lost, immediately hit a provisional ball. Don't walk ahead to search, only to have to return to the original spot to replay a shot.

Limit your search for lost balls. If you're falling behind the group ahead, don't spend more than a minute or two searching.

Never hold up play because you're in the middle of a conversation. Put the conversation on hold, take your stroke, and then continue the conversation.

On the green, begin lining up your putt and reading the break as soon as you reach the green. When it's your turn to putt, be prepared to step right up and take the stroke.

Leave your bags or golf carts to the side of the green, and in the direction of the next tee, never in front of the green.

Never stand on or next to the green after holing out in order to write down your score. Write it down when you reach the next tee.

When leaving the green and returning to your golf cart, don't stand there fussing with your putter or other clubs. Get in the cart, drive to the next tee, and then put away your putter.

Pay attention to other player’s shots. If they lose sight of their ball, you can help direct them to it and avoid any searching.

Work on building a concise pre-shot routine. If your pre-shot routine is a lengthy one, it's probably in your best interests to shorten it anyway. Limit practice strokes to one or two at the most.

Remove club head covers at start of round and keep them off during round.

If possible, walk briskly between shots or when walking off the green.

Don’t step off or measure yardage for every single golf shot. Develop an “eye” for distance.

If your group has fallen behind, consider having a person who has completed putting out on the green move over to the next tee without waiting until all others have finished putting out.

Continue putting until you hole out unless you would be standing in another golfer's line.