70 most annoying golfer habits, according to annoyed golfers
We asked our loyal readers to name the most annoying things golfers do on the course. They had some strong opinions. Here's what they said.
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If you play golf, you know this person. Heck, maybe you’re this person. (Maybe I’m that person?!)
Regardless, when you are stuck on the golf course for four hours with your buddies or just some randoms you got paired up with, you’re bound to see some things. Frustration might boil over. Or maybe there’s a simple lack of understanding regarding proper golf etiquette.
Either way, it can get ugly. Or just really annoying.
That’s why we asked you, loyal golfers, to vent. So we posted a simple question to our GOLF.com Instagram account: What’s the most annoying thing you see golfers do? The comments section blew up (more than 600 responses!). Some people spoke generally, listing generic things that irk them while on the course, while others seemed to talk (very) specifically about individual incidents that got under their skin.
Below we’ll run through most of them — there were many repeats — for two important reasons: 1) you might learn something you do bothers other golfers; and 2) because it’s kinda funny. (Eds. note: Comments have been edited for clarity.)
70 most annoying golfer habits
1 — Leaving a bag or cart on the wrong side of the green, which slows down play when they have to go back to retrieve it
2 — Taking a mulligan on every hole
3 — Collectively going to each person’s shot as a group instead of playing ready golf
4 — Not repairing ball marks on the green
5 — Slow play
6 — Spitting sunflower seeds on greens
7 — High-handicaps talking through every shot with caddies
8 — Recording scores on greens instead of clearing the area and doing so on the next tee box
9 — Throwing clubs
10 — Handing out swing tips before you swing — right after they hit a bad shot of their own
11 — Spending too long looking for golf balls
12 — Spending too long looking for golf balls in areas where hitting from would be impossible anyway
13 — Those who despise slow play yet play slowly themselves
14 — Needing help to find their golf ball on every single hole
15 — When a twosome wants play through a foursome with nowhere to go ahead of them
16 — Waiting for the green to clear when there’s no chance they’d reach it anyway
17 — Poor attitudes
18 — Slowing up play by using rangefinders too often
19 — Not raking bunkers
20 — Driving carts too close to greens and tee boxes
21 — Playing from the tips when it’s obviously way too difficult or far for them
22 — Kneeling on the greens
23 — Slow pre-shot routines that copy pros
24 — Walking through a putting line on the green
25 — Talking in someone’s backswing
26 — Spending too much time talking to the cart girl
27 — Standing directly behind a player when they are hitting a tee shot
28 — Excessive practice swings
29 — Too many waggles
30 — Spending too much time reading two-foot putts like they are pros
31 — Chatting or lingering on the green when the hole is finished
32 — Sitting on greens
33 — Recklessly gambling on the round
34 — Spending too much time on tee boxes looking for usable tees to keep
35 — Lingering to clean clubs or put headcovers back on
36 — Leaving cigarettes or cigars on greens
37 — Leaving cigar ashes on greens
38 — Spending too much time digging in your golf bag looking for a second ball to hit
39 — Not getting ready to hit until it’s their turn
40 — Playing honors off the tee when it’s clearly slowing up the whole group
41 — Teeing off first on the next tee box even though someone else made birdie
42 — Cheating
43 — Asking if a putt is good and can be conceded
44 — Commentating on every shot like they are Jim Nantz
45 — Relieving themselves in areas on the course instead of using the restrooms
46 — Standing behind the hole when a player is putting
47 — Slowing down the group using AimPoint putting when they don’t know how to use it
48 — Damaging the greens with their putters
49 — Using range balls on the golf course
50 — Walking on the green with sandy shoes from the bunker
51 — Playing music too loudly
52 — Not asking other group members if it’s OK to play music
53 — Unsolicited advice
54 — Talking to another player’s golf ball
55 — Nonchalantly hitting short putts and counting them as made putts if they miss
56 — Breaking clubs
57 — Getting mad at bad shots they shouldn’t have attempted in the first place
58 — People oblivious to letting other faster groups play through
59 — Moving while someone is putting
60 — Having an excessive and slow pre-shot routine
61 — Retrieving the ball from the cup by using the head of a putter
62 — Fixing ball marks on greens the incorrect way
63 — Leaving clubs on the greens
64 — Taking divots with practice swings
65 — Telling everyone how far they can hit the ball
66 — Playing well ahead of your group on the hole
67 — Raking putts from short distances
68 — Leaving trash on the golf course
69 — Spending too much time lining up a shot putt for a quadruple bogey
70 — Putting driver and woods in the bottom section of the golf bag
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