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Playing golf in a fivesome is inherently wrong.
There is one exception ... if a furry friend is the fifth member of the foursome.
I thought I had experienced it all in golf until my buddy Ben asked if he could bring his new dog, Astrid, to my foursome's weekly twilight nine adventures. Having never played golf with a pooch, I was both excited and anxious about the novelty of it all.
I texted Ben that it might not be the best idea to bring an undisciplined, excitable young dog onto the course without any advanced training but added that we'd make it work. I'm glad we did. Bringing a dog along for a round invites a more casual vibe.
Whenever Ben needed to hit a shot, we took turns holding the leash. Astrid was great, despite the temptations of the deer, ground squirrels and rabbits that come out at dusk. She didn't bark much and was good enough that we let her off the leash a couple times for a healthy sprint or two. I highly recommend giving doggy golf a try, as long as your course is open to the idea. Make sure you check first.
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In honor of National Dog Day Saturday (Aug. 26), now's the perfect time to share five tips that could make bringing your dog to the course for the first time a success:
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Play with dogfriendly people
I think the most important rule of doggy golf is simply this: Don't let your pup distract other golfers, whether it's your playing partners or other players on the course. That same etiquette applies to pace of play, playing music, conversations, etc. - if you're considerate to those around you, everything will work out fine.
Ben took Astrid out a couple days later for another round. He happily texted he joined up with "a nice dog loving 2-some". Golfers are generally friendly people, so it makes perfect sense to integrate man's best friend into the game, too.
Have you ever taken a dog on the course or played with someone who has? Tell us about the experience in the comments below.
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Keep up with pace of play
Dog or no dog, this should be always be your no. 1 rule in golf - keep up with the pace of play. If bringing a dog doesn't slow up your round, then I say go for it. I don't want to turn your golf course into a defacto dog park, but walking in wonderful natural surroundings is certainly healthy for both humans and canines.
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Control your dog at all times
![Dogs on the golf course]()
Ben and Astrid enjoy a round of golf at Santa Teresa Golf Club. Courtesy photo The hardest part of the round was allowing Ben to focus on playing golf without too much interference from Astrid. Somebody always had to be nearby to hold the leash. I almost made a major blunder by attaching the leash to a ball washer as I went to putt, not realizing the post wasn't cemented into the ground. Luckily I caught it before Astrid tipped it over, which could have set her off.
When we did get a little too bold with Astrid off the leash, we did invite a little chaos. She pounced on a couple of putts, grabbing the ball in her mouth. Oh well. Lesson learned. Either Ben trains her not to attack golf balls or he keeps her on the leash at all times.
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No barking in the backswing
Astrid is proof that training isn't necessary to be a "golf dog". However, it would be wise to make sure your dog has the right temperament for the course - Do you have a barker, a puller or a dog that isn't good with strangers? Barkers are probably best left at home.
We noticed Astrid would flinch when too close to the loud strike of a good shot. Former GolfPass Managing Editor Brandon Tucker tells a funny story how his dog - leashed to a pushcart - took off scared after a loud noise, leaving a trail of scattered clubs.
Also be sure to bring enough water and treats to keep your pet happy, hydrated and not hangry.
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Play at an off-peak time
Our doggy round succeeded for two reasons: A, we played at an off-peak time when the course wasn't crowded and B, nobody in our foursome was worried about score or how many holes we played. To us, twilight rounds are just a way to decompress in the middle of the week for some fresh air, fellowship and fun, all glued together by a few swings. Adding a dog into the mix spiced things up nicely. I'm sure it will happen again.
Comments (10)
Yes. We're on our 3 dog that joins us on the course. Voice controlled. We go in the early evenings. Just make sure the course you're playing allows dogs.
Are you kidding me, not on the golf course. Take your dog to Frisbee golf
My only stipulation would be that the dog be able to locate my golf ball. That would speed up the game immensely.
https://twitter.com/samweinman/status/1507799952847736841?s=20
Great article! Our Assistant Pro Preston Shortell at Rye Golf Club , Rye NY and his girl Peyton are the greatest. Preston is a great instructor of the golf swing and a great dog trainer! Peyton is a 2 year old black lab that is so sweet and so well behaved. Preston & Peyton run our Junior program and the kids love having a happy dog around. Please follow up with Preston ! https://twitter.com/prestonshortell
Great article! Our Assistant Pro Preston Shortell at Rye Golf Club , Rye NY and his girl Peyton are the greatest. Preston is a great instructor of the golf swing and a great dog trainer! Peyton is a 2 year old black lab that is so sweet and so well behaved. Preston & Peyton run our Junior program and the kids love having a happy dog around. Please follow up with Preston ! https://twitter.com/prestonshortell
I like dogs but I don't think that they should be on the course I play 7 days a week and have enjoyed lots of people playing golf and some non players and even some dogs (course owners ) in or around the club house But I do not want to have dogs on the course ! (and I know that I will be chastised over this)
We need more dog- friendly courses in America. I was privileged to play the Old Course at St. Andrews last year, and I saw several golfers on the links with their dogs ( usually a golden retriever). The dogs were leashed loosely to their owner’s trolley ( pull cart) and just watched calmly as their owner swung away. If what is arguably the most famous golf course in the world allows dogs, why can’t courses in America do likewise?
It's awesome getting to play golf with my dog Delilah, she's not big - Shih Tzu but a great golf partner. We have literally played the world in the last 15 years. You will see more dogs on the courses in Europe, but I have never had any issues except with one private clue in the US. Of course, she was trained not to bark or dig, but she was great at chasing the geese and ducks off the T Boxes or in between when they got in the way. I literally now can take her off the cart, and the geese and ducks fly off on their own, they recognize her. She also learned how to help find your missing ball! Being from the west coast, you do have to watch for Coyotes on the courses but during the day they are few and far between. But playing with a dog absolutely makes the game so much better, trust me they show they "opinions" when you make a bad shot! And since she can't give me her comments on how I messed it up (like my regular people partners do) it works.....Best Golf Partner EVER!!
Golfing with dogs is as ancient and noble tradition as the sport itself. When the game was first introduced, gentlemen shot birds with their bird dogs in the winter and shot "birdies" in the summer with the same canine companions.
A 6th tip to add: No dogs on the greens or bunkers. Putting or teeing. The tees are very sensitive grasses and the greens keepers are not happy about dogs who might have a random tickle with dig it up with the claws. Same for messing up the bunkers.
The comprehensive source of info on dog golfing is www.doggolf.info.