Do You Know Country Club Etiquette?

You are not solely responsible for yourself; if you bring a guest, he or she also must also be appropriately attired. It reflects badly on you if you have not instructed your guest on the dress policies of the club.

Ever wondered what "casually elegant" means? It means dresses, slack suits or skirts with an appropriate blouse and shoes for women. And for men, it includes sports jackets, collared long-sleeve shirts, mock turtlenecks (not T-shirts), dress slacks and appropriate shoes.

Similar to elegant casual, but a small step down in the type of fabric and style. This is appropriate wear before changing into your golf or swimming attire.

Crowding someone at the tee is not in good taste. Nor is asking others where the tee should be placed. It's courteous to take as little time as possible once you're on the tee.

People want to be able to smell their food, and not smell you as you walk by. Perfume is for those who come close to speak or embrace to get a pleasant scent. Not be overpowered by your particular perfume.

Children need to be leak-proof. And quiet. No running and no screaming around the pool. They are expected to act like little adults.

You're not required to eat everything on your plate. But if it's a business meeting, no doggy bags allowed. From the continued smell of the food to people making accommodations for your leftovers to be stored in a refrigerator, you are imposing on others by requesting a doggy bag.

People always look for the salt and pepper together on the table, don't have pepper at one end the table and salt at the other, so pass them together. Also, keep the pepper on the left of the salt when passing and replacing on the table. And if you know what's good for you, don't offend your host by adding salt or pepper to the food before tasting it.

If you’re seated at a table with eight or fewer guests, wait until everyone is served and for the hostess to begin eating before you start to eat.

Now you're dressing like you own the place. Remember, no loud jewelry or obnoxious patterns and you'll be well respected.

Many country clubs have rangers who use a flag system. A green flag means the pace is good. A yellow flag means you should let others play through. However, if you get a red flag, you need to pick up your ball and follow the ranger.

All of these behaviors are disrespectful to other dinners who wish to have conversations and don't want to raise their voices over yours to be heard. Also staring is insulting.

Since black-soled shoes leave skid marks, and many clubs require you to wear actual tennis shoes, don't take along your cross trainers. Buy actual tennis shoes, and you'll be welcomed to the club.

One of the most frustrating things is to wait for a slow group to finish, hole after hole. If you're in the zone, you will probably lose it as you wait. To make all players happy be aware of your pace.

Fairways have neat grass and repaired divot holes so the balls can roll or have a normal bounce. You must replace the divot or fill it with sand.

If you’re with someone and your companion greets a person you don’t know, you should also greet them. It shows you are sociable and friendly.

Although you may be addicted to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, playing video games and checking messages, don’t put your phone on the restaurant table. By doing so, you show how unimportant the dinner conversation is to you.

You don't need the top hat and cane, but for a formal occasion, a tuxedo is the perfect fit. Add interesting cuff links to set off your dapper look. Plus they can be a good conversation starter.

Use your hand to shield your lemon as you squeeze it into your iced tea, so you don’t squirt your dining companion in the eye. Although it is more polite to spear it with a fork, it's more important to use the other hand to shield your companion.

The idea here is no unnecessary showing of skin. If you keep that rule of thumb in mind, you'll be dressed appropriately. For all shorts and skirts keep it mid-thigh or longer.

Attire rules are not relaxed even at the driving range. Keep it cool but keep it covered. Denim and athletic shorts are also looked down upon.

All of these are positions that tell the waiter information. Option A says your plate can be cleared, you are finished eating. Option B says you are still eating. Option C means you are expecting another course.

There are more attire rules wherever you go, the golf course, driving range, pool and tennis courts. Be sure you know what's what, before your start playing.

If someone offends you, you shouldn’t insult them back or raise your voice to the person who insulted you. Don’t sink to their level. Just leave the ill-mannered company. That says it all.

If you salt your food while your dining companion looks on, or others are waiting to pass it along to the person requesting salt, you will look greedy and rude. And you surely don't want that.

No male (or female) can play bare-chested. Most likely at your country club, clothing such as muscle shirts, running shorts, jean shorts or bathing suits are not permitted as well.

Golf has many different rules of etiquette and this is just for golf carts! There are rules about crossing in front of a shot and teeing off as well.

No reason to air dirty laundry in public. You should also never bring up politics or religion due to the controversial and heated nature of the topics.

Never pay a visit without calling first. Even if the person always tells you to come by anytime, you should still call first. It's called good manners.

These aren't the only unspoken rules when putting. Be sure you make a good impression by moving off the green and to the next hole quickly. Then you can write down the strokes for the previous hole.

Good conversation starters are the weather, interests or hobbies of the person you're talking to or hobbies of that person's family. Sports teams can be a topic of conversation but it's best to know the team loyalties of your dinner partners before conversing.

Bunkers, ponds, pond edges, sand traps and other areas designated by red stakes are hazards. The good news is that you may hit your ball from any of these areas – if you can find it and it’s hittable – without penalty.

Call first to ask if the course is okay with spiked shoes or is a spikeless golf course. Some clubs prefer to maintain a smoother green and require spikeless shoes. However, many players prefer spikes due to their traction ability.

Unless you want to offend people there is no reason to discuss age, medical problems, or love affairs in front of company.

Simply place your fingertips on the rim of the glass and say “Not today, thanks.” This implies no judgment of those who wish to imbibe.