Honours

Honours refers to the order in which players tee off at any given hole. When a player earns “honours” they earn the right to play their ball before the rest of the players in the group. Generally speaking, the person with the lowest score on the previous hole is the first to tee off at the next hole, followed by the player with the second best score, and so on.

Etiquette dictates that no other golfer in the group should step up to the tee box before the person who holds the honours has shot (or has indicated that another golfer can go before them). In the event of a tie at any given hole, golfers maintain their place in the rotation until someone wins the next hole.

The only exception to the honours rule is when the group has agreed to play “ready golf”, which means any player can “hit when ready”. This style of play is often chosen to speed up the pace of the round, and in itself is considered good golf etiquette when conditions are slow.