A work colleague and I recently took a Japanese business contact for a quiet game of golf at my colleagues home course. Our contact is a casual player, but had not played for quite some time. He was wearing a baseball cap, which he would turn back-to-front when putting (only while putting), and then return to normal position after putting. After holing out about half way round, we were leaving the green when a member rudely shouts from about 100 yards away for him to turn his cap around the right way. He then started spluttering about "bad etiquette". This was pretty embarrassing for all in my group! In order to avoid a scene, he stopped turning his cap while putting from then on, and we did not argue.Whilst I personally like to keep my hat facing the right way, do people really get wound up over these little things, and is a backwards cap really "bad etiquette"? The Japanese guy in question is in his 50's, and was otherwise well attired.

Every Golf Club will have guys who act this way.

My Club (Horsforth) has a Dress Code that states "Golf Caps (if worn on the course) must only be worn with the peak at the front", so I as a member know this. Our Rules also state the the USE of Mobiles is not permitted on the course or in the Main part of the Clubhouse.

We have had many a discussion at the Club about our Club Rules and as Horsforth is a Traditional Club we accept the Rules. 

A couple of guys have been told by the Committee not to shout across the course at offenders but to take them aside and quietly tell them.

People who have no power, exercise every single issue they feel that have the RIGHT to raise!

Whilst he was correct in one manner, i would kindly informed him of his bad etiquette and then whispered in his ear !where to go"!

IMO your contact did nothing wrong, but thats just my opinion. The other guy should be more concerned with his own game than balling out some one else!

Paul.

 I agree it gets to such a petty level and in the above case I think the bellowing buffoon was both ruder and looked more ridiculous than the Japanese jacker.

Would it not have been easier all round if he just took his cap off whilst putting?

I agree the chap who shouted out was very rude & if someone had of done that at my course I would have ignored them & spoke to them in the clubhouse later.

I would have ignored the fellow completely and carried on doing what I was doing. Unless it a Club Official what right does this person have to tell you what to do. Is that person even correct in what they are telling you.

Not being funny but I often get people trying to tell me about my dress code when on the course, however I'm never dressed in anything you don't see Pros wearing week in week out on the tour. Some of these antique dress code rules need to be updated and moved with the times.

I have a golf cap with the peak on the back and its actually made that way to be worn that way. I'd like to see someone tell me to turn it round the correct way and I'll kindly point out that the likes of Villegas, Moore, Poulter etc wouldn't do it.

Also on the Cap being turned round when putting front, note that the Worlds No.1 Tiger Woods does this (Only when raining admittedly) so again if this member wants to put the world to right tell him to start with the World's No.1 who will be copied and imitated by many. Thats of course if he can get past Steve Williams first without being knocked unconcious.

I can see nothing wrong with turning your cap around to putt.

This person who shouted at your group broke the rules of etiquette more than your playing partner.

Maybe you should have shouted back to hit to "Keep quiet on the course!"

Russ

Thanks everyone. I agree that if you look at what certain pro's wear, then a backwards cap is pretty tame!

It is irrelevant if it is tame or not.

Unless it is a specific rule at the club that caps must be worn with the peak at the front, he can put it on sideways.