The muni I often play is brutally slow. Like 2:45 minutes for 9 holes, late (6pm) in the afternoon. It actually does not really bother me all that much though because it beats the hell out of doing a lot of other things. But, to pass the time, I often chip on/ around the tee box, or if the group is real slow behind us, I will chip around the green we just played until the group behind us is walking of the tee.

Any etiquette problem with either?

Just make sure you are not holding up anyone behind you. What I like to do is just take a really long time reading my putts and make the wait not as long. And as the old saying goes hurry up to slow down.

We've all done it. As said before, as long as you're not holding anybody up, go for it. If your chipping on the previous green, I wouldn't hit flop shots, sand shots or anything like that, but regular chipping/pitching is fine. You're more patient than I am. I would probably go fishing if I knew it was going to take me 2:45 to play 9.

I'd fear for my life if I finished up a hole and continued to chip around the green while there was someone waiting on me to leave the green so they could hit their approach shot.

Chipping around the tee box, however, should be encouraged during slow play. Practice is practice. Who cares where you get it or how, just as long as you're getting it.

Offical round, no. Weekend round.....as long as you are not doing damage to the course with the practice shots.

On tee boxes - I do it all the time (making sure not to damage the tee boxes themselves). When I'm in the northeast US, pretty much any weekend round at a public course is going to be 4.5 - 5 hours. I can either go nuts, or practice. Nothing wrong with it. Practicing around the greens? Well, as long as no one is close, I suppose there's nothing wrong with it - but, I don't know, that just feels a little different (though for no rational reason).

Thanks guys. Thought it was okay - just was not 100% sure



I will never chip on the green if there is someone in the fairway behind. Only if they are still on the tee box. Can't stand when people loiter around the greens to fill out score cards. Would really annoy me if someone just started chipping as I was waiting to hit.

Why not during an official round too? It is allowed in the rules of golf. As long as you are not holding people up I say go ahead.

What do you mean by "official round"? Unless there is a specific local rule prohibiting the practice (i.e., PGA Tour), he is fine according to the Rules of Golf.

I chip on the tee box & in the fairway.

I like to hit flop shots over my golf cart. Kinda sucks when I skull one into the side of the cart though- he he he he!

Perfectly fine and within the rules of golf. (not out of hazards though)

Can you rival Tiger with wedge juggling? (bouncing, stalling, flipping ball on wedge)

I thought it was allowed during match play but not during stroke play. Could be wrong of course.

I do it all the time as well. As long as you are not holding anyone up, interfering with your partners play or damaging the course it should be fine.

I would take this as during a club tournament like club championship or member/guest where there is going to cash and prizes at the end. You are not allowed to practice during the round.

I ask this question to our club pro/owner. His opinion is, not during "official" play ie tournaments, league play etc. Most courses have driving/practice ranges.
He continued to say he feels it violates etiquette to do it anytime on the course and it is not what tee boxes were built for.
As for the question on whether it is allowed say on the PGA Tour, a few of you better read up on the rules. When was the last time you watched Tiger or Phil pratice putting after they just missed one, resetting the ball and giving it another go, or chipping around the tee box while waiting?

Not so fast.
According to the rules of golf - decision 7-2/2 - "Putting on the fairway while waiting to play to green".
Q: While waiting to play to the putting green, a player dropped a ball on the fairway and struck it several times with his putter. When questioned, he stated that he not practising but was "killing time". What is the ruling?
A: The player was in breach of Rule 7-2.
An example of pratice during the play of a hole - it could be the same for chipping while waiting too.

BUT!!

Rule 7-2 also states:
the player may practise putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the last hole played, any practise putting green or the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round, provided such practise is not played from a hazard and does not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7). Phew.
In the case of the OP, while waiting on the tee is fine. The only time it is frowned upon on some courses is to prevent damage to the course or teeing ground. Some courses even prohibit practice swings on the tee - no kidding.

Unfortunately, your club pro/owner is incorrect. See below Rules of Golf Rule 7-2 below. It is specifically allowed on the teeing ground in fact. The reason you never see Phil and Tiger not doing this, is because the PGA Tour has a specific local rule against it. But, Tiger did it all the time during his US Amateur days.

<H5 class=gray>7-2. During Round</H5>A player must not make a practice stroke during play of a hole.

Between the play of two holes, a player must not make a practice stroke, except that he may practice putting or chipping on or near:
(a) the putting green of the hole last played,
(b) any practice putting green, or
© the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round,provided a practice stroke is not made from a hazard and does not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7).
Strokes made in continuing the play of a hole, the result of which has been decided, are not practice strokes.

Um, the specific rules for stroke play on pro tours (See "Note 2" at the end of the Rule), are different than the USGA Rules of Golf. It is neither against the Rules, nor etiquette to do what the OP talks about.

This is "Rule 7-2. During Round":

A player must not make a practice stroke during play of a hole. Between the play of two holes, a player must not make a practice stroke, except that he may practice putting or chipping on or near:

(a) the putting green of the hole last played,
(b) any practice putting green, or
© the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round,

provided a practice stroke is not made from a hazard and does not unduly delay play (Rule 6-7).

Strokes made in continuing the play of a hole, the result of which has been decided, are not practice strokes.

Exception: When play has been suspended by the Committee, a player may, prior to resumption of play, practice (a) as provided in this Rule, (b) anywhere other than on the competition course and © as otherwise permitted by the Committee.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 7-2:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
In the event of a breach between the play of two holes, the penalty applies to the next hole.

Note 1: A practice swing is not a practice stroke and may be taken at any place, provided the player does not breach the Rules.

Note 2: The Committee may, in the conditions of a competition (Rule 33-1), prohibit:
(a) practice on or near the putting green of the hole last played, and
(b) rolling a ball on the putting green of the hole last played.

Echo.

Parenthetically - it occurs to me that this is slightly bizarre. For one thing, its hard to imagine a club pro saying this ... a lot of the Rules are very complex and convoluted, requiring seemingly endless interpretations and clarifications. Rule 7-2 is actually one of the most simplistic, clear Rules ... quite specific in exactly what is permits and does not permit. I simply cannot imagine any credentialed pro claming that it is a breach of etiquette to do something that is explicitly allowed in the Rules.

In, however, his role as "owner", I suppose I can understand how someone resposible for paying for course maintenance might prefer people not chip on tee boxes (not everyone is good ... idle chipping occasionally will lead to divots on the tee box & etc.). But even this has some real irony involved ... thing is, I don't find myself (and rarely see others) practicing chipping when I'm only waiting a few minutes on a tee box. It is when the wait is stretching into the 5 or 10 minute mark of idle time that everyone starts getting restless. And at the end of the day ... people suffering 5+ hour rounds have to bear them because of decisions made by ... course owners and management. Either they don't have rangers to maintain pace of play, or in an effort to increase revenue, they cut tee times from 10 minutes of spacing to 8, or even 6 (making it virtually inevitable there will be backups by the second or third holes), etc., etc.

Owners that manage their courses such that golfers aren't twiddling their thumbs on tee boxes for ten minutes at a time will rarely have any problems with people chipping on tee boxes.

I, personally, have always thought an additional section should be added to the USGA's "Etiquette" section ... one that specifies the etiquette expected of course management.

(Sorry 'bout the rant).

I should be noted twice as the responses where to a quote from a "club pro/owner". Said pro's professional status should be revoked until they can pass a rules test.

Like our pro told me, you can also chip with a wedge across the green on a long putt, just don't let him catch you doing it.
I was once waiting with my group at the tee, along with a second threesome, waiting to tee off and I was sitting in a cart talking, when one of the bone heads in the other group, while practicing his chipping, chipped a ball into the cart and hit the guy next to me in the head. The tee box is not the time or the place for this for this very reason.

Sometimes I'll throw open the little sand box and try to chip it in there or try and run it up to the tee markers. Makes the wait seem semi-productive.

I doubt the club pro/owner is a PGA Professional. If he was, he would have given you a correct answer.

Hate to say it, but this guy is sounding more and more peculiar. "just don't let him catch you doing it."? What? Why? Would he actually reprimand, or kick someone off the course for doing something completely legal according to the Rules of Golf? Or does he actually believe that he gets to make up his own special set of rules for golfers that play on his course? I've actually chipped on greens (and have seen pros do it). It is perfectly permissable. I certainly try not to damage the green, and repair anything I do ... but if a golf course is going to claim to follow the Rules of Golf, and wants to have an official, assigned rating and slope ... it is simply NOT permitted to forbid what the Rules explicitly permit (anymore than an individual golfer can pick and choose which of the Rules to follow, and which to ignore).

And an anecdote about a dumb golfer is not a reason to break the rules, nor claim something should not be done. That isn't about the rule ... it is about dumb golfers (which I admit are on most golf courses). They hit around blind corners on doglegs without checking to see that its clear, they tee off into groundskeepers crossing the fairway in the landing zone, etc., etc. Still, the vast majority of golfers do not do such things - just as the vast majority of golfers that chip on tee boxes don't chunk someone in the head with a golf ball.

Chipping on a teebox is neither against the Rules, nor is it a breach of etiquette. It would be against the Rules (and, IMO, a breach of etiquette) for a course owner to forbid it (or to forbid anything that the rules allow) if they want the golfers on their course to have the opportunity to enter legitimately rounds into their USGA handicaps.

I chip around tee boxes all the time if waiting of slow bozo's in the fairway... but seldom chip around greens because I don't want it to "appear" to those behind I am contributing to slow play. Appearances are everything at times, to see just read some of the junk that gets posted on this board.


In refererence to the idiot that hit another guy in the head while he setting his cart - that jerk shouldn't be on the course!

USGA Rules aside, every course owner has the right to apply and enforce local rules. The course rule, with a sign stating such, is "No Practice Allowed on the Course". There is also a rule stating "Only one ball may be played on the course". These rules were put in place many years ago along with a couple of others which were voted on by our clubs board (which I happen to be a member of) and the membership. We also have dress code rules, which are enforced to a large degree but it recently was brought up by some members that the enforcement is not strict enough and we have been discussing it.
As for the hitting of wedges on the green...the rule clearly states that you have the right to do so. It would be a very rare situation where you would ever need to do it, and I think you need to justify the damage you would do in making that swing.
Bottom line is everyone including me, has at one time or another, missed a close putt, placed the ball back in position and hit the putt again for whatever reason. However, it is not OK to go on the course and hit fifty sixty balls onto a green with a lob wedge, the same as it is not OK to hack up the grass around a tee box doing the same thing. Pretty simple stuff. Having a little respect towards the course goes a long way.

Funneling water can cause death!

I don't think anyone is advocating dropping 50 or 60 balls and hitting them onto a green with a lob wedge.

If things are slow...which is usually the case, we'll just have little chipping contests from one point to another. We take care to avoid damaging anything, but it really helps kill time and fine tune those short shots.

When things are going slow, rather than chip on the tee box, I usually take the opportunity to fire some broken tees at my playing companions with my driver. Really makes those waits fly right by.

The OP specifically asked about chipping around the tee box, note the word "around", and further stated it was at his local muni on those occasions where play was brutally slow. How that question, properly answered by several posters, gets 'morphed' into hitting 50-60 lob wedge shots at a private club sort of escapes me. One can create a set of circumstances that would make a particular behavior outlandish and inappropriate, what OP said in the original post didn't rise to that level, imo. Chips Ahoy!

"Every course owner has the right to apply and enforce local rules." ... yes ... but within limits. You cannot simply vote locally to decide (for instance) that a mulligan off the first tee is fine, or you can drop four club lengths from a path, or that players may only have 3 balls in their bag at the start of a round (etc., etc.). Specifically:
-------------------------------------------
33-8. Local Rules
a. Policy
The Committee may establish Local Rules for local abnormal conditions if they are consistent with the policy set forth in Appendix I.
b. Waiving or Modifying a Rule
A Rule of Golf must not be waived by a Local Rule. (my italics). However, if a Committee considers that local abnormal conditions interfere with the proper playing of the game to the extent that it is necessary to make a Local Rule that modifies the Rules of Golf, the Local Rule must be authorized by the USGA.
-------------------------------------------

In other words - specifying that only one ball may be played at a time? No problem, since this is actually already in the Rules of Golf - you're just affirming a Rule already in place ... in fact, you could even insist that the same brand and type of ball be used during the course of entire round. Dress code? Also no problem ... since it does not contravene anything in the Rules.

Its when you want to say "No practice on the course". In fact, Rule 7-2 does say there's no practice on the course - EXCEPT for the conditions that are stated in the Rule:

"A player must not make a practice stroke during play of a hole. Between the play of two holes, a player must not make a practice stroke, except that he may practice putting or chipping on or near:

a. the putting green of the hole last played,
b. any practice putting green, or
c. the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round"

It further goes on to say that the Committee (the USGA name for the local rule-making body) may, for competitions, prohibit (a) and/or (b) ... but NOT c ...

I do understand what you are saying about courtesy. Yeah - chipping (or, in fact, using any club) on a green is not prohibited ... but no golfer I know would do so save for an extreme condition (indeed ... it is the opposite that is more commonly the case ... golfers that putt from the fairway or fringe ... few amateurs are confident enough to use a wedge on a green). Same with chipping on the tee box. It is legal ... but most I see doing it (including myself) go out of their way not to damage the tee box.

Thing is, however, I hear a lot of people talk about the courtesy and responsibility individual golfers have, but very rarely hear anything about the responsibilities course management has. In fact, were they to live up to their responsibilities, a lot of these issues would go away.

For instance ... I have a friend that managed a course in Spain ... had serious problems on one green - a lot of people chipped. Why? The green was a big "hourglass" ... 25 feet wide at the top and bottom, 8 feet wide in the middle. Looked cool on paper ... but what did it lead to? You're on the left bottom bulge, and the pin is on the left top ... what can you do? Either putt through serious rough, or chip it over. Solution? Argue with people about chipping on the green (which he couldn't, its legal) ... or ... well, just re-design the green (which he did). Its every bit as hard (he put a bunch of levels in it) ... but there's no line on the green that requires jumping rough. Most pros (and pretty much all amateurs) would prefer a 40 foot putt to a 20 foot chip.

Same (IMO) with chipping on the tee box. Don't yell at golfers for doing it ... manage around it. As someone tat has been subjected to 10 (and even 15) minute waits on teeboxes ... gotta say, if the management that forces me to do that then lectures me about my "responsibilities" ... well, screw them.

For all the talk of bad, discourteous golfers, there's very little about how poorly many courses are designed and run. A great deal of problems blamed on golfers can easily be solved with intelligent management.

While the OP's question about chipping on the tee box or around a just completed green has been answered (legal), practicing shots in the fairway as you describe IS NOT.

You simply don't understand the rule.

What rule do you think I don't understand? Playing golf on any course is a privilege first off. As such you are obligated to follow the course rules. The course has the right to both apply and enforce rules to maintain order, pace of play, safety and to protect the course from damage.
Our course has a simple sign in the clubhouse that says "Please turn off cell phone while on the course or practice range".
Our course has a couple of signs on the first and tenth tee "Groups should keep up with the group in front. If you can not keep up, allow faster groups to play thru" All carts use cart path's where provided" "No practice on the course" "One ball in play per player".
At the par three tee's and around the green "Please repair all pitch marks" Around the course "PLease repair all divots"
All of these signs are in place for a reason and fully within the right of the club to apply and enforce. To say our PGA Professional does not know the rules of golf or have the right to apply and enforce course rules is both childish and rather boring.
A large number of players and some of you here have this attitude that because you pay to play someplace that you have the right to do as you choose on the course. Playing is a privilege and not a right. Showing some respect for the other people on the course and the course itself is the reason these rules are in place and enforced.

This is getting a bit hard to watch. You (and your club pro) answered the original question incorrectly. Most people when confronted with making this type of obvious error, say, "My bad" and move on. There's no shame in not knowing every rule in the book. But, you keep answering questions that were not asked, such as whether a course can allow cell phones, or if golfers should be allowed to damage the course.

This was a straight forward question and answer. It was answered correctly (a couple of times) and you chimed in with an incorrect answer. Like I said, no big deal there. We've all done it, or at least I have. But the constant posting of answers that are not relevant to the question isn't helping anyone. This thread has nothing to do with the sign at your club. The pro/owner at your club is probably a good guy and I'm sure in general he does know the rules. But, he got this one wrong.

WHAT DID HE AND I GET WRONG? That is the question.

Lets try this again. It is our view that this is in fact a etiquette problem. This is not something that should be done. If your course allows it, then so be it. Our course has a practice range and that is where one needs to go to practice chip shots. That is not what the course tee boxes and greens are there for.
If it takes 2:45 minutes to play nine holes, your course management needs to figure out why and correct it. If everyone maintains the pace of play, there will be no time for practicing shots at the tee or green.

Is your "pro" also in the sign making business?? Calling me childish for saying your "pro" didn't know the rule is pretty silly since he clearly gave you a wrong answer.

There were two main errors.

First, you and your pro brought up the idea of "official" vs. "weekend" rounds. (See post #5) There is no such thing. The Rules of Golf do not make this distinction. There is not a rule book for tourneys and a rule book for the Saturday morning nassau. Now there may be some additional local rules for tourney play, and how strictly we adhere to the rules may differ, but the rules are esentially fixed.

Second, you said (and I'm paraphrasing) that it is not ok to chipping and putting after holing out was not permitted. (See post #14) You said that tee boxes were not designed for chipping and hence is not allowed. And, used evidence of not seeing Tiger and Phil putt again as evidence that it is not permitted. Again, rule 7-2 is clear about this.

I understand that part of this discussion is about etiquette, and etiquette is often up for debate between individuals. But, the rules themselves are very clear on how this particular issue should work. It is hardly a breach of etiquette to follow the Rules of Golf. If your club has a local rule prohibitting the practice, then they have that right. But, saying it is not allowed (or is only allowed during weekend rounds) is simply not true.

Dude, your story keeps changing and getting filled with more local rules that you bring up ex-post facto.

Wish they had a smiley just eating popcorn (without party time), that'd be perfect for my post

Anyway it is amusing to watch the arguing of a rule clearly stated in the rules, that does not require any long explanation.

First DUDE, My story has never changed. My home course has very specific rules on several things, pointed out in my previous couple of post. Playing there is not a right but a privilege. When you arrive at the front counter or read the board near the first tee, there are several things pointed out. If you don't like any item or rule on the list, you are free to turn around and drive out the same way you drove in. If you don't like some the small signs posted around the course, as reminders of proper etiquette, which means following the course rules, then don't let the door bump you on the way out.
My point in the replies I made and it is the opinion of our Professional/Owner that it is not proper, USGA rule or not to practice while on the course, more so in tournament, leagues etc. than if you are alone on the course. It is a matter of not doing things that coule be a safety issue to the people playing around you. After all the world is not about you or me, it is about everyone and the course has the right to do whatever they see fit, to reason, for keeping everyone on the course safe and to protect the course from the potential damage done wacking balls around. The tee boxes were built to hit tee shots in the course of normal play and not for pratice. The range was built for that.
I'm even now more thankful I live and play where I do.

The rule has been explained to you several times. For some reason you think that the rules means that you can "whack" balls around, hit shots that will damage the tee box and taking out a bag of 50 or 60 balls. The rule allows you to practice putting on the hole you just finished as long as nobody is waiting. It also allows you to hit chip shots on the tee of the hole you are about to play. Do you know what chipping is? Chipping is not taking full swings that will damage the course or endanger someone else.

Yes, of course you are. God forbid that a bunch of cretins who live on the internet (and know the rules of golf) chip a few balls around the tee box on your really awesome course.

If you didn't live there, would you still travel to play there so that you could play a course where no one chipped on the tee box?

I think you should get a turkey and invite the Native Americans. Hopefully they won't chip on the tee boxes either.

"This isn't Russia is it Danny?"

And I'm even more thankful play where I do and NOT where you do.

The point is club owners do not have the right to change the Rules as thy see fit. The Rules are the same for everyone, across all courses, thats why the exist.