Another bit of etiquitte that seems to be getting lost from what was once a much more classy sport: Loud and boisterous behavior. You're out playing on this typically beautiful serene landscape, deeply focusing so much on your game, serious about the outcome of every shot, and there is a well-imbibed group on the next fairway yelling and screaming, hootin' and hollerin' like they are at a football game. Since when did this behavior on a golf course become acceptable? I understand the excitement that may inspire a loud "YES!" after sinking a 40-foot putt. But, this loudness has now become common place for virtually any reason, including the simple popping of another beer can cap, the swing-and-miss of a fellow member of a group, or simply finding a ball in the woods. It seems there isn't much needed to trigger these types of people. What can be done? It is often a group of grown up, rather large, adolescents who would think nothing of INCREASING their boisterousness if you said something to them. There should be some sort of course rule about "Disturbing the Peace" that would get you thrown off the course. But, these days, on public courses anyway, it seems to have become accepted. Any thoughts?

Golf Rules Of Etiquette

1. Etiquette Rule One: Leave your cell phone in the car. If you want to experience golf rage (similar to road rage), just have your cell phone ring during a golfer’s swing.
2. Etiquette Rule Two: Arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled starting time, check in with the club’s booking office to confirm your starting time and have your equipment ready to play.
3. Etiquette Rule Three: Assess the skills of your group. If your group consists of beginners, it might be worth your while to enquire into the skill level of the group waiting behind you. If these individuals are single digit handicappers, playing from the blue tees, they are going to be running up on your group no matter what you do. Let them play through; it will save hassles later in the round.
4. Etiquette Rule Four: Golf courses have found, through years of experience, that the maximum number of players that should start at the same time is four; although it’s possible to start with less, but usually never more. If the golf course is busy (usually on weekends), and your party is made up of just two players, you may be asked to join up with another two some. This is not compulsory, but it is a proven fact that one or two players will usually play faster then a foursome. One or two players running up on a foursome can lead to animosity. Some courses will not allow a single player on weekends when the course is extremely busy.
5. Etiquette Rule Five: If your group or the group in front of you is playing slowly, that may cause the pace of play for the entire course to slow down appreciably. Unwritten golf etiquette says, you or the group in front of you should offer to let the faster playing group, play through. No one likes the feeling of being chased, so let faster groups play through.
6. Etiquette Rule Six: Your entire group has hit their tee shots. Etiquette says, the golfer furthest away from the green shoots first, and all talking should cease while players are shooting. Also a player should never advance past the person who is shooting. Clubs have been known to break and shots to go sideways presenting a possible hazard.
7. Etiquette Rule Seven: As your group approaches the green, players who are not on the green will continue shooting until on the surface of the green. Players who are on the green, are to wait until all players are on the green, before approaching their ball
8. Etiquette Rule Eight: Before commencing putting, the group should repair any divots in the green area caused by their approach shots to the green.
9. Etiquette Rule Nine: The golfer furthest from the flag putts first; balls that may impede that person’s putting line, are to be marked with a coin or ball marker, and removed.
10. Etiquette Rule Ten: The golfer who’s ball is closest to the flag should remove the flag, and place it away from any line of play. The person to putt out first, should retrieve the flag and be prepared to replace it when the last person has putted out. Make sure the flag is in the hole properly and standing erect.
11. Etiquette Rule Eleven: The golfer who scores the lowest from the previous hole, shoots first. Again all chatter and extraneous noises are to cease during a players shot. Players waiting to shoot should pay attention to the person shooting, with the thought of aiding that player to locate their ball. Due to sunlight or backdrop coloring, players can often times lose sight of the ball as it travels down the fairway.
12. Etiquette Rule Twelve: One of the players in the group has sliced their drive into the bushes. USGA rules state that if a ball appears to be lost, that person should hit a provisional ball. USGA also states that when the player goes looking for the lost ball, he/she has five minutes in which to find it, or count it lost, and play the provisional ball. It would seem like a nice gesture to assist this player find his/her ball, but this has proven to cause a delay in the pace of play and back ups on a busy course. Players are encouraged to go to their own balls and be prepared to play on. If the player finds his ball he can play it from where it lies and play continues. If it is lost, he/she should play the provisional ball.
13. Etiquette Rule Thirteen: If a player in the process of shooting, sees from the trajectory of the shot that his/her ball has the possibility of coming close to a fellow golfer, they should immediately yell in a very loud voice “FORE”, this hopefully will alert the player that your ball is coming in their direction. When a golfer has to use the word “FORE”, it is usually the result of impatience and inconsiderate play. Hopefully you will never have to use it.
14. Etiquette Rule Fourteen: Groups should try to maintain a pace of play that allows their group to play, as soon as the group ahead of them is out of range. Players should mark their scores at the next tee, not while standing around on the green.
15. Etiquette Rule Fifteen: After shooting from a sand bunker, players should use the provided rakes to smooth over any foot prints or divots. Be sure to place the rake outside of the bunker when finished.
16. Etiquette Rule Sixteen: When taking warm-up swings with either a wood or iron, players should take every precaution to ensure they have sufficient room around them to prevent contact with equipment or fellow players. Players should also attempt to skim the grass with the practice swings and not take unnecessary divots. If a divot is taken, make sure you retrieve the turf and tamp in back in place.
17. Etiquette Rule Seventeen: Do not leave golf carts or golf bags in front of the green approach area. Ascertain the direction to the next hole and leave the cart and bags on the path to the next hole.
18. Etiquette Rule Eighteen: Do not alter the golf course, such as breaking off limbs from trees to facilitate a shot.
19. Etiquette Rule Nineteen: Golf cart drivers should be conscious of wet and muddy areas. Driving a cart through these areas will result in huge ruts and chewed up areas when the course dries out. Excessive speed and hot roding can be dangerous to riders and those walking as well. Along with being abusive to golf course equipment.
20. Etiquette Rule Twenty: Deposit your garbage in facilities provided. Empty beer and pops cans, golf ball sleeve boxes, banana peels and sandwich wrappers add nothing to the playability of a golf course.

If anyone can think of any other rules they'd like to see added, by all means add them to the list..