When you arrive at the first tee, you should first introduce yourself to the starter, your fellow-competitors and/or your opponent; and for gentlemen it is customary to remove your cap when doing so.

Next, count your clubs to avoid the embarrassing situation of starting with too many and the associated penalty that goes with it! After that, make sure your golf ball has an identifying mark on it and show it to the players in your group so that you can claim it as yours on the course and avoid hitting a wrong ball. Some players will mark one ball in the sleeve differently in case they need to hit a provisional and distinguish between the two.

Then, put a couple of tees in your pocket and make sure you have a divot repair tool to fix your ball marks on the putting green. To complete your pocket accessories, you’ll need a coin or ball marker to mark the position of your ball on the putting green when it is lifted. Many players will use their “lucky coin” or try to find a coin that has the last two numbers of the year it was minted on it that corresponds with their target score for the day; 1966 coin to shoot “66”. And throw an extra coin in your other pocket in case someone else asked you to mark the position of their ball for them during the round.

Finally, don’t forget the sunscreen and drink lots of water out there to prevent cramping.

Now, you’re all set to enjoy your round!