Standing on the tee box with your friends, have you ever had that slight moment of confusion about who is supposed to hit first? That friendly back-and-forth is governed by one of golf’s oldest traditions: having the honors. Earning honors isn't just about etiquette, it’s a small reward for a job well done on the previous hole. This article will walk you through exactly what honors means, how it’s determined, and how you can use this simple rule to your strategic advantage.
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What Exactly Does "Having the Honors" Mean in Golf?
In the simplest terms, “having the honors” gives a player the right to play first from the teeing area of a hole. It’s part of the formal Rules of Golf, but it’s also a long-standing tradition of courtesy that helps establish the order of play as you move from one hole to the next. Think of it as a small badge of achievement - you played the last hole the best, so you get to lead the way on this one.
It’s important to understand that honors only applies to the first shot on a hole. Once everyone has hit their tee shot, a different rule dictates the playing order for the rest of the hole. From the second shot onward, the player whose ball is “away” - or farthest from the hole - plays next. This helps keep the game moving and ensures players closer to the target don't have to wait on those farther back.
So, to recap:
Honors = Who hits first from the tee box.
Away = Who hits first for every other shot on the hole.
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Knowing you get to hit first is one thing, but how is that decided? The process is different for the first tee compared to the rest of the round. It is a system built on both tradition and performance.
1. The First Tee: How to Decide Who Goes First
When you start your round, no one has a better score yet, so there’s no formal rule for determining honors. Your group can decide the order however you like. Over the years, golfers have come up with several fun and classic ways to do this:
Toss a Tee: This is the most common method. One player takes a tee and flips or spins it in the air, letting it fall to the ground. Whomever the pointed end of the tee is aimed at gets to tee off first. You can repeat this until the entire order is set.
Random Draw: This can be as simple as writing numbers 1 through 4 on slips of paper, drawing them from a hat, or someone hiding a colored tee in their hand and having others guess the color.
Ready, Set, Go: Often, in casual play, the order is decided by who is ready first. There are no formalities, just a friendly, "You ready? Go ahead."
Official Tee Sheet: In a tournament or formal competition, the order is already predetermined by the official draw or tee times. The committee hands you a scorecard with the playing order listed, and that’s the order to follow for the first hole.
2. On Every Other Hole: Earning the Honor
After the first hole, the process becomes much more structured. Honors is earned, not given. The player in the group with the lowest gross score (the actual number of strokes taken) on the previous hole earns the honor for the next tee box.
Let's look at a few examples to make it crystal clear:
Scenario 1: Clear Winner On the 4th hole, a par-4, you make a par (4 strokes), and your friend makes a bogey (5 strokes). You have the honor on the 5th tee. Simple as that.
Scenario 2: A Tie Score What happens if you and another player both make a par on the 4th hole? In this case, the order of play from the previous tee carries over. If you had the honors on the 4th tee and you tie the hole, you keep the honors on the 5th tee. The order doesn't change until someone posts a lower score than the person who currently holds the honor.
Scenario 3: Multi-Player Tie Imagine four players on the 6th hole. Player A originally had honors. The scores are: Player A: 5 Player B: 4 Player C: 4 Player D: 6 In this case, Players B and C have tied for the best score on the hole. Who gets honors on the 7th tee? You look at who teed off earlier on the previous hole (the 6th). If Player B teed off before Player C on the 6th, then Player B would get honors on the 7th. The original order of play is used as the tie-breaker.
The Rules vs. The Reality: Ready Golf
While having an established order of play is tradition, the modern game has placed an enormous emphasis on pace of play. This has led to the widespread adoption of “ready golf,” which often overrides the formal honors system in casual and even some competitive rounds.
The Formal Rule (Rule 6.4)
It's good to know the official rule. For match play (where you're competing hole-by-hole against an opponent), if you play out of order, your opponent has the right to cancel your shot and make you play again in the correct order. For stroke play (where your total score for the round is what matters), there is technically no penalty for playing out of turn. The rules encourage playing by the honors system, but don't punish breaches outside of match play because the main goal is to complete the round efficiently and fairly.
The Unofficial Rule: "Ready Golf"
Ready golf is a common-sense approach that says: if you are ready to hit and it's safe to do so, go ahead. It’s about minimizing wasted time and keeping the game moving. This is strongly encouraged in most everyday golf situations. Here are some times when "ready golf" is the better choice:
The person with honors is still searching for their tee, getting a drink, or taking a practice swing, and you're already standing on the tee box ready to go.
A short-hitter is ready to play while a long-hitter in the group waits for the green to clear.
The player with honors hit their previous tee shot into another fairway and is still walking back to the tee box.
The key to good ready golf is communication. A simple, "You mind if I go ahead?" is all it takes. In most cases, your playing partners will be happy to speed things up. It’s all about finding a balance between respecting tradition and being considerate of everyone's time on the course.
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As a coach, I'm often asked if having the honors provides a real advantage. The answer is yes, but it can also be a double-edged sword. How you use the situation matters more than the situation itself.
The Advantages of Hitting First
Applies Pressure: Especially in match play, a perfect drive striped down the middle of the fairway can put a serious amount of mental pressure on your opponent before they even tee their ball.
Seizing Momentum: Coming off a birdie to earn honors, you can ride that wave of confidence and set a positive tone for the next hole with another great shot.
The Advantages of Hitting Last
Gaining Information: This is a big one. By watching your partners hit, you get free, real-time data. You can see how the wind is affecting the ball, how firm the fairways are, and whether a certain line off the tee is truly safe. If your buddy hits driver into a headwind and it comes up short of the fairway bunker, that might tell you to take driver as well or consider a 3-wood for more control.
Adjusting Your Strategy: If your opponent hits a wild tee shot, the pressure is suddenly off you. You may no longer need to hit a risky driver. A safe iron or hybrid down the middle becomes a much smarter play. You can adapt your strategy based on what has already happened.
How to Use Honors No Matter Your Position
When you have the honors, you're the leader. Your job is to execute your game plan. Don’t step up to the ball until you’re committed to your club and target. You are setting the tone, so step up with confidence after a smooth pre-shot routine and make a committed swing. Your goal is to make the others react to you.
When you don't have the honors, you are the observer. Pay attention. Don't check your phone or retreat into your own world while others are hitting. Watch the ball flight, check the bounce, and listen for your partners’ reactions. This is valuable intel. Use it to confirm or adjust your own shot plan so that when it’s your turn, your decision is backed by the most current information available.
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The system of honors is a simple yet elegant part of golf's history that rewards good play and organizes the game. It dictates who tees off first, based on the previous hole’s score, but in modern, casual golf, the principle of "ready golf" often takes precedence to ensure a good pace of play for everyone.
Ultimately, knowing small rules like this is part of playing smarter, more confident golf. Playing with confidence often comes down to removing uncertainty, whether it's understanding on-course etiquette or knowing you have the right strategy for a tricky shot. That's why we built Caddie AI. If you're teeing off last and just saw your partners struggle with a crosswind, you can instantly get a recommendation on how to play the shot differently, taking the guesswork out of your decision and letting you focus on a confident swing.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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