Stupid Golf Question
What does honors mean in golf?
Everyone pauses at the next tee because one player has honors
Plain answer first
The plain answer
Honors means a player has the right to play first from the tee. In stroke play, safe and responsible ready golf is allowed and encouraged for pace, including in competitions when the event permits it. In match play, playing out of turn is different because your opponent may cancel the stroke and make you replay it.
The NPG answer
It is traditional tee order, with a match-play footnote worth knowing before you jump ahead.
When it matters
It matters when deciding who tees off first: stroke-play groups can use ready golf to keep moving, while match-play opponents should respect the order.
What to do next
Ask whether the group is using ready golf; if you are playing a match, wait for the player with honors unless your opponent agrees otherwise.
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