Golf is a very genteel game. Far more so than any other game, in golf, your manners matter. This is in part due to the lack of any referee or judge and partly due to the slow pace of the game; in any event, you are expected to know not only the letter of the law (the rules) but the spirit as well.

Another reason manners are so critical in golf is because in golf so much is dependent upon the other players. Your pace of play and even your personal safety depend upon the actions of the other players. In this sense, the etiquette of the course is actually part of the game. In the manners you show on and off the course, you demonstrate your love for the game and your respect for its traditions.