Hallowed Ground

Putting greens are treated with great respect by experienced golfers, and beginners can find themselves befuddled by the many customs that take place on the green. If you're new to golf, here are a few tips that will make you more confortable on the putting green.

• If your golf shoes have spikes, lift your feet when you walk. Dragging them causes cuts and "spike marks" that damage the surface of the green.
• On your way to your ball, don't walk through the line of another golfer's putt. The "line of the putt" extends not only from their golf ball to the hole, but just past the hole as well
• The person furthest from the hole is the first to putt. The person closest to the hole is usually responsible for tending the flagstick or removing it. She should ask the other members of the group if they'd like it tended, or remove it and lay it down in a place where it won't interfere with play.