Do You Curse on the Golf Course?

Is It Okay to Curse on the Golf Course? The Etiquetteist Has Choice Words

Jack from Santa Barbara writes: I have a friend who curses pretty regularly on the course; it helps him blow off steam. The other day, we were paired with someone who was clearly offended. Should my pal dial it back?

Whoever said profanity is a failure of the imagination clearly never shanked one into the trees. On the golf course — as in life — a well-timed curse can be oddly satisfying. Even The Etiquetteist admits to letting the “other f-word” slip now and then. When a putt lips out or a drive finds the water, a quick expletive can be a cathartic release.

So, yes — the urge to swear is understandable.

But is it acceptable? That depends on context and company. Golf’s unwritten rules mirror those of everyday life: keep it clean around kids, clients, or strangers, and save the spicy vocabulary for trusted friends who know you’re venting, not lashing out.

Self-directed swearing can even be funny — a golfer muttering, “Nice shot, you [bleeping] genius,” after chunking one into a bunker is really just laughing at themselves. But when the language turns outward — “Don’t talk to my f—ing ball!” — the tone changes. That’s not humor; that’s hostility.

Profanity, in moderation, can be a stress reliever. In excess, it’s just noise — and not the good kind. The Ryder Cup hecklers who think four-letter words are witty banter? Exhibit A of crossing the line.

Bottom line: there’s a difference between expressive and excessive, and most golfers can sense it. Read the room. If you wouldn’t say it at the dinner table, don’t shout it across the fairway.

And if you must unleash a full-throated meltdown? Save it for the car ride home.