First things first, golf is a religion. No one should forget that. A person would no more pick up an opponent’s ball on the course than curse in church.

Mild cursing on the golf course is OK, however, provided it’s whispered.

That’s one of the unspoken standards of golf etiquette. Golf is a game of rules, behind only baseball and jungle war strategy in their breadth and importance. Just ask the golf widows.

“Some people have equated it with taking the bar exam,” said local club pro Chris Haffly.

A novice golfer or an experienced golfer who has grown blasé can be unaware or chose to forget the basic rules of golf life. Here are three.

1. Don’t be a distraction on the course. Silence is golden. “People don’t know where to stand,” Haffly said. “If they stand directly behind, the person will be afraid of hitting them. They can’t stand in front of them and being in their peripheral vision is disturbing.” The solution? Stand to the side, just behind the person. On the green, any area between the ball and the cup suddenly becomes an environmentally protected area. Fellow golfers should avoid stepping in the path with spikes or at all, Haffly said. “That imaginary line is scared ground,” he said.
2. Replace divots — chunks of grass and clotted dirt — heaved out of the ground. If a ball later lands in the hole left behind, another player is required to play out of the tougher lie.
3. Play “ready golf.” Plan what to do while waiting for other players. “If you’re ready when it’s your turn you won’t be slow,” said Todd Hudanish operations manager and PGA pro at the Rolling Hills Golf Course. Then move off the green and tally scores at the next tee.

   No one will follow players around noting every infraction in an amateur game. Being too strict can take the enthusiasm out of a friendly game.

“We’re not trying to be regimented,” Hudanish said. “Golf is not cheap. People are spending dollars so it doesn’t do us any good to crack the whip.

“The beginning golfer has a lot to learn. We try and be understanding.”

Still, the seasoned golfer will not be amused when a person he doesn’t know tells him, “Rules are made to be broken.”

“Golf rage” isn’t a term that’s been invented — yet. Ignore etiquette standards at your peril.