Is etiquette dead?

At times, it might seem that way. An increased number of ball marks, divots, cart traffic, unraked bunkers, and golfers behaving badly in the last four years have pushed superintendents—and, at times, their sanity—to the tipping point.

Poor etiquette on the golf course is nothing new. For as long as golf has existed, there have been people who don’t abide by the rules. The infractions are just more amplified now, as superintendents take to social media for the “airing of grievances.’

In this episode of Trailing Thoughts, I travel to Gettysburg National Military Park to hike through the Valley of Death, and to ponder the question: “Is etiquette truly dead?”

Following in the footsteps of the confederate army in 1863 through the Valley of Death, I argue that etiquette isn’t dead. What we really have is a communication problem with a new segment of golfers and the very unrealistic expectation that every golfer must abide by the rules, even those that are unwilling, unable, or haven’t properly been introduced to the game.