Business Development, Strategy Alignment and Consulting News from The Business City London -

	Golf Etiquette
	It might happen that during a visit to a foreign country or region your business contact invites you to join him in a round of Golf. Do not decline the invitation. Just remark that you are a novice in golfing -- in case you are a novice of course! So that you do not embarass your host. Let us start you off with a few quick hints regarding basic rules:
	Quick Rules Do not leave your ball in the hole when you make a putt/chip. Golfers are a superstitious lot and many think that their ball will not fit in the hole if there is already another one in there. If you putt/chip your ball near the hole and do not plan to putt out, mark your ball with a coin or ball-marker. Aside from being a distraction, other players will incur a 2 stroke penalty if they play a putt from the green and their ball hits yours. As much as it may interest you, do not stand directly behind another player's intended target line. This is a violation of the rules if the player is your partner and otherwise distracting because the player can usually see you out of the corner of his/her eye. Besides it might be dangerous as the players club might slip and hit you hard. When *playing for the first time* with someone, be conservative at first about complimenting or critiquing a shot. Follow the lead of his friends, pay attention to his comments, and wait until you have a good understanding of what is a good and bad shot for a particular player. Take your time. You are a beginner but don't worry. The game is fun and a few tips from the experienced golfer will help you get the right grip of club. Don't assume that everyone's standards are the same as yours. Invite faster groups to play through.
	Silence In any sport where competitors are required to concentrate, "silence" is paramount. Whenever any player within hearing distance is about to play a shot, all talking and moving should cease until the shot has been played. You must make sure that you respect the person hitting their shot by watching without talking or moving. Movement As with the above, movement anywhere near a player in the midst of playing is frowned upon. Don't get the idea that the player won't be affected because their concentration is good. Very few players can concentrate that well. Besides , it can be quite difficult to reach the target if side winds and odd angle is making things quite unpleasant.
	Where to Stand When standing near a player playing a shot, stand so that you are out of their eyesight. Preferably stand so that you are out of their swing range behind them and are facing their back. In this position you can see their ball in case they lose sight of it after contact. Again, on the green, try and make sure that you are not in the line of sight of the player. It is on the green that much concentration is needed and by standing behind the player, you help him/her to keep their concentration. The other important thing to watch is that your shadow is not in the players line of sight. What I mean is, keep your shadow from going anywhere between the golfer and the hole and also, if your shadow is in the viewing range of the golfer, please stand still so that your shadow won't be moving.
	Where to Walk Don't stand directly in front of anyone playing a shot. Don't drag your feet when walking across the green as it cause spike marks that don't help when putting, and, you are not allowed to repair them when lining up your own putt. Don't walk up to the hole to collect your ball and stand on the lip of the hole. This causes it to collapse and doesn't make you popular with the players following you. Don't walk up the face of steep bunkers. Enter and leave them by the shallowest face, carefully raking it as you do. Don't waltz into the clubhouse wearing your spikes unless their is a specially designated area. If there is, keep to that area.
	When to Hit You do not attempt to hit a ball if you think that the players ahead of you are likely to be hit. On the tee, on a par four or five, you should wait until all players ahead of you have played their second shots, or more if necessary. On a par three, you should wait until the players ahead have cleared the green, unless they "call you up". On any fairway and you can reach the green, you should wait until the green has cleared. In a situation where your backswing or follow-through may hit someone, you should wait until the area is clear.
	Always remember Replace and repair your divots Repair your pitch markson the greens. Act with decorum Abide by the local rules When you arrive at any golf course, make immediate inquiries to find out what is required of you Conform to the dress standards as set by the club (After all, you are a guest of a club) Pay green fees before playing Groups of two or more have precedence over individuals playing alone. Players completing a round have right of way over those starting a round
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