If you are not careful, you can even get kicked out of a tournament for not keeping quiet. But does the dead silence that these athletes require absolutely necessary? or is it just an unspoken rule? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I did some research and found this… <\/p>\n\n\n
![\"angry](\"https:\/\/golfcartgo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/golf-golfer-figure-angry-503142-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nDo Golfers Need Absolute Silence?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I had to do quite a bit of information digging to make sure (not enough to dig a metaphorical sand-trap, mind you), but most answers I came across say that silence helps any golfer, pro or average, maintain their concentration<\/a> when playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, oddly enough, there are no rules mentioning one has to be quiet in the official United States Golf Association<\/a> guidelines. Nowadays, golf just expects us to be quiet on the course<\/a> as a general courtesy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what is even more funny is that elite athletes on other levels of the sports kingdom are required to perform under intense pressure and ear-piercing levels of sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of professional athletes like basketball players that have to shoot crucial free throws when 50,000 people are screaming in their ear. They are expected to do their jobs and ‘win the game’ regardless of the environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Or a field goal kicker that can have as many as 100,000 people screaming for them to miss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet pro golfers are the outliers. They will spaz out like children if someone snaps a photo in their backswing during a golf tournament. So where did this come from? <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s speculated that being quiet near the tee lies in old forms of elitism<\/a>, rules of common courtesy that old Scottish royalty may have imposed on their own class. It\u2019s not that hard to imagine either, as golf itself originated early 15th century<\/a> near the royal Scottish capital of Edinburgh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From there, golf was officially made a sport by King James IV of Scotland in 1502. Around 1744, the first \u201copen\u201d game of golf was played, and its official rules<\/a> laid down. Even though the list made clear that, \u201cHe whose Ball lyes farthest from the Hole is obliged to play first,\u201d there\u2019s still no official rule that dictates players or audience members have to be quiet during a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the origins of golf never had a rule stating silence was required, and modern day golfing associations don\u2019t have \u201cbe quiet\u201d as an official statement, then what gives? From what I found, the USGA does<\/em> mention that distractions for the players should be limited<\/a>, such as having audience members avoid \u201clistening to music or other audio\u201d while a player is concentrating. The USGA even encourages participants to avoid making \u201cany unnecessary noise<\/a>\u201d while golfers are lining up for a shot. Whereas not an official rule per say, it\u2019s still expected in both the professional league and among average players that you keep quiet, even to keep your cellphone on silent<\/a> during swings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In several of my sources, keeping quiet can be both interpreted as an official rule, and a common courtesy most golfers will encourage. From a professional<\/a> point of view, it\u2019s easy to see why most pro golfers prefer that their audiences be quiet when lining up for a shot that could make or break their game. Even though trained to deal with high amounts of pressure, I\u2019d definitely appreciate a few moments of silence if I were in their<\/em> golf shoes. Plus, being the only talkative one amongst a quiet golf audience will quickly identify that person as rude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, on the average Joe side of things, some folks see being quiet on the golf course as an snooty<\/a> attitude for a \u201cdying\u201d sport. Whereas I personally don\u2019t fully agree with those statements, despite the study done by the golf industry Pellucid Corp<\/a>, stating the reduction of regular golfers between 2002 and 2016, I also see why being quiet in any sport might seem a bit ridiculous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other sports venues such as hockey, basketball, and even baseball<\/a> are filled with hundreds to thousands of screaming and shouting fans. Professionals in those areas have to deal with loud crowds all the time, up to the point where it\u2019s just \u201cwhite noise<\/a>.\u201d Yet, despite opinion, it\u2019s still a good idea to hush up during a golf game. It’s only polite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from avoiding being rude on the course, silence during a golf game can also benefit both body and mind<\/a> in several ways. As science points out, silence is<\/em> good for concentration<\/a>, so people talking about having \u201cunnecessary\u201d rules in golf might need to keep a more open mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personally, I prefer a good golf game to relax and get away from the more stressful things in life. It\u2019s good to know that teeing up on a weekend morning does, in fact, come with health benefits. And silence, especially on the golf course<\/a>, is beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\nOrigins of Golf Etiquette<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Possible Golf Rules and the Moment of Silence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Silence is Preference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of Silence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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