CONCLUSION It is impossible to say exactly why course care etiquette has declined, but this is not a new issue. It is unlikely that one solution will solve the problem, but education needs to be part of the process. Education can help golfers understand why they may be incon- venienced by cart restrictions or how replacing their divot can really help the golf course. Furthermore, education requires more than simply telling golfers to obey cart restrictions or repair a ball mark. Providing specific directions and the rationale behind them will clarify your expectations and their responsibilities. The reasons are common sense to those of us in the turf maintenance industry, but not to the average golfer. There will always be unraked bunkers, unrepaired ball marks and divots, and complaints about cart restrictions. This does not mean that we do not keep trying to make golfers more aware of their impacts on the golf course through education. We are in the information age, and we do not want to do some- thing because we are told. No, we want to know why we should do some- thing. The reasons are important to us. Educated with the right information, we are all more likely to do the right thing. Golfer etiquette is no different. The importance of caring for the golf course needs to be stressed to the average golfer. Don’t be confused: This is not a plea to help the mainte- nance staff or make the superinten- dent’s job easier. Their job is to prepare the golf course for daily play. It is the obligation of golfers to understand their responsibility to one another and to the golf course during a round of golf. That perfect lie that you had in the bunker? Make sure you recreate it for golfers playing behind you. Shouldn’t golfers that play behind you enjoy the same conditions as you? If everyone followed through with proper golfer etiquette, we’d all enjoy better golfing experiences. With that said, here’s to leaving the golf course in as good condition as you found it — or better! DARIN S. BEVARD is director of the USGA Green Section’s Mid-Atlantic Region. He works with golf facilities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Impacts of pull carts on turf quality are often ignored, but concentrated pull cart traffic can cause wear problems. Golfers should be aware of their responsibility for care of the course and keep pull carts off important playing areas such as tees. Green Section Record Vol. 52 (2) January 24, 2014 ©2014 by United States Golf Association. All rights reserved. Please see Policies for the Reuse of USGA Green Section Publications. Subscribe to the USGA Green Section Record. Page 4