Golf Code IQ™
Before You Tee Off
Five things every golfer should understand before stepping on the course — the unvarnished truth about what actually happens when the basics get skipped.
#1
You skip fixing your ball mark
😅 The ugly truth
That tiny dent takes weeks to heal. Now every putt for the group behind you hops like a rabbit, greens turn into a bumpy mess, and everyone spends more time reading chaos than reading putts. Slow greens = slow rounds.
The easy fix
Fix yours — and adopt one more while you're down there. Divot tool in, push the grass gently inward, never pry up. Ten seconds of fame for a lifetime of smooth putts.
#2
You show up with fewer golfers than your tee time
😅 The ugly truth
The course built the whole day around your foursome. Empty seats mean lost revenue, a thinner field, and a tee sheet that wobbles for everyone ahead and behind. Oh — and plenty of courses still charge you for the no-shows.
The easy fix
Shrink your party in advance, or give the pro shop a heads-up so they can plug the gap. Everyone wins, nobody waits.
#3
You show up late
😅 The ugly truth
Tee times are a tightly choreographed dance. Stroll in late and the entire sheet backs up, rangers get involved, and your group can lose the spot entirely — skipped, or shuffled to the back of the line. Not the entrance you wanted.
The easy fix
Arrive 15–20 minutes early. Check in, loosen up, and stroll to the tee like you belong there. Because you do.
#4
You fall behind pace
😅 The ugly truth
Lag behind and the group behind you stacks up like cars in traffic. The course backs up, rangers appear, and your group may get asked to pick up and skip a hole just to survive. Everyone's round drags longer than it has to.
The easy fix
Keep up with the group ahead — not the group behind. Ready golf, watch your shots, and keep the practice swings to a quick rehearsal, not a full Broadway number.
#5
You leave divots and unraked bunkers
😅 The ugly truth
Bare divots scar the fairway for weeks. Unraked bunkers bury the next golfer's ball in your footprints — costing them strokes — and drag the grounds crew off course to fix what you left behind.
The easy fix
Replace your divot or fill it with the sand bottle. Rake the bunker smooth on your way out. Leave it nicer than you found it, every time.
Do your part
You've read the basics. Pledge to put them into play every round — and earn 10 IQ Points for stepping up.
Want to test what you know?
Take the Before You Go challenge — 5 quick questions, 60 seconds, and earn more IQ Points.
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