Noise

Another old gamesmanship favourite. Including –

• Coughing

• rattling money

• unzipping a bag

• dropping a club

• talking

• rustling sweet wrappers

• etc.

If you suspect underhanded tactics, ask politely for the offender to stop. If the distraction has occurred during your shot playing process, STOP. Regain your composure and start your pre-shot routine again – from the top. If the offender is persistent, he will soon get fed up having to wait while your routine is performed.

It can be a difficult problem to deal with if you find noise distracting. Put another way, you must learn to cope with noise. The fact you were affected suggests you were not entirely focussed. Some players would not be bothered if a brass band marched past, whereas others might be put off by the slightest thing.