Pace of Play
Women golfers receive a lot of underserved criticism for playing slow. Even though ifs unfair, please be aware that you will very likely be under greater scrutiny when it comes to the pace of play. Even if you are a new golfer, you can take several steps to keep up with the group in front of you. Here are a few pointers for keeping the round moving along:

• Take only one practice swing. For the sake of argument, lets say your average score for nine holes is 60. If you take an extra 30 seconds for an extra practice swing, that adds an additional half hour to your playing time.
• Plan your shot before ifs your turn. Don't wait until you've reached the ball to start thinking about what club you'll use or whether you'll try to go over the water or lay up, for example.
• Plan ahead. As you approach the green, try to notice where the next tee is located and leave your bag off the green and on the shortest route to the next tee. That way you won't have to walk back across the green while the group behind you is waiting to approach the green.
• Play "ready golf." In a tournament situation, you should follow the rules, which specify that the player furthest from the green plays first. However, when you're just playing for fun, it's generally okay to play ready golf if the other members of the group agree. Ready golf means the golfer who is ready to hit can do so, even though she may not be the furthest away from the pin. This can really speed up the pace of play. When you're ready to hit make sure that everyone in your group knows that you're going to hit and make sure you know the location of your group members to avoid hitting into them.
• Watch the tee shots of everyone in your group. Sometimes your playing partner may not be able to see where her ball landed due to sun glare or an obstruction. She (and the group behind you) will be very grateful if you can help her locate her ball quickly.
• We all lose balls. It can be frustrating and expensive, but it happens to all of us. If you aren't already keeping the group behind you waiting, ifs ok to take a few minutes to look for a lost ball, but if it looks like ifs going to take more than just a few minutes, put down a new ball approximately where the lost ball landed (or your best estimate). Always carry an extra ball in your pocket for this purpose, so that you don't have to go running back to your bag to get another one. If you take more than a few minutes looking for a lost ball, the group behind you may get frustrated, particularly if it happens more than once in a round.
• Don't let talk slow the pace. Although few things should get in the way of a good story, don't let conversation stall a golf game. Golf is a social game, and we encourage you to chat with the golfers in your group, but no one should delay a shot just to let another player finish a story. There's plenty of time for conversation as you walk to the next shot.

On the Tee

• The player with the lowest score on the previous hole has the honor to tee off first— but see "Ready Golf" rule above; generally, whoever is first to the tee can go first, taking care to alternate from time to time.
• Don't stand directly behind the golfer on the tee, and avoid standing in her peripheral vision.
• Try to be as quiet and as still as possible. Avoid talking, laughing and rattling your clubs.
• If there is a group of golfers teeing off ahead of you, wait until they've hit their tee shots before you move up to the tee.

On the Green

• Don't step on a player's putting line. Walk behind all the balls lying on the green to get to your ball, or step over an imaginary line between any ball and the hole.
• Don't allow your shadow to fall across another player's line or across the cup.
• The grass on the green is more fragile than the rest of the course. Help out the greenskeeper by treating the green gently.
• Repair any ball mark you see on the green, not just your own.
• Don't bring your bag onto the green.
• Don't lean on your putter.
• Only wear soft spikes and pick up your feet to avoid leaving scuff marks.
• Mark your ball. Do this by placing a ball marker or a small coin immediately behind your ball. You can request another player to mark your ball if it will speed up play. If your marker is in another players line, she may ask you to move your marker one or more clubhead-lengths to one side. When that player has hit her putt, you must place the ball back at its original position.
• The player whose ball is closest to the pin should remove the pin and place it gently down on the green, well away from any player's putting line. The first person to hole out is responsible for replacing the pin when everyone is finished.
• When your group is done putting, carefully replace the flagstick without damaging the grass around the side of the cup.
• Help your fellow players keep track of their clubs. As you leave the green, take one last look to make sure that no one has left any dubs behind.
• Mark your scores on the next tee, not on the green. This will allow the group behind you to begin their shots to the green.

On the Fairway

• Be aware of the location of other players before you hit so that you can avoid hitting your ball near where someone is standing.
• Replace divots. Sometimes you'll remove some grass when you hit the ball. This chunk of turf is called a divot and can be a sign of a well-hit shot. If you take a divot, pick it up and place it back where it came from.
• If you've hit your ball onto a neighboring fairway, the players in that fairway have the right-of-way. Wait to hit until they've moved past your ball.
• The lips and rims of sand traps can be easily damaged, so enter and exit traps from the low sides.
• After hitting out of a sand trap, use the rake to remove any evidence that you were ever there.