Putting line rules/etiquette

[TourBound3617]

i was wondering if it is illegal for me to touch any part of the line of my putt, or if its illegal for me to touch any other thing (besides the hole) on the green. other green-touching rules could help too, i feel really restricted everytime im on because i feel like i will do something with ill-etiquette or rulings.

 

sorry if that was hard to read im really tired just got back from all day work.

[OpusX20]

[size="2"][i]Rule 16-1
[/i][/size][font="GillSans"][size="2"][left][i]a. Touching Line of Putt[/i][/left]
[/size][/font][left][size="2"][i]The [/i][/size][size="2"][i]line of putt [/i][/size][font="GillSans-Light"][size="2"][i]must not be touched except:[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i](i) the player may remove [/i][/size][/font][size="2"][i]loose impediments, [/i][/size][font="GillSans-Light"][size="2"][i]provided he does not press anything down;[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i](ii) the player may place the club in front of the ball when [/i][/size][/font][size="2"][i]addressing it, provided he does not press anything down;[font="GillSans"][/left]
[/font][/i][/size][font="GillSans-Light"][left][size="2"][i](iii) in measuring – Rule 18-6;[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i](iv) in lifting or replacing the ball – Rule 16-1b;[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i](v) in pressing down a ball-marker;[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i](vi) in repairing old [/i][/size][/font][size="2"][i]hole plugs or ball marks on the putting green [/i][/size][font="GillSans-Light"][size="2"][i]– Rule[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i]16-1c; and[/i][/size][/left]
[left][size="2"][i](vii) in removing movable [/i][/size][/font][size="2"][i]obstructions [/i][/size][size="1"][font="GillSans-Light"][size="1"][size="2"][i]– Rule 24-1.[/i][/size][/left]
[size="2"][i](Indicating line for putting on putting green – see Rule 8-2b)

[/i][/size][font="GillSans"][font="GillSans"]

[left][size="2"][i]b. Lifting and Cleaning Ball[/i][/size][/left]
[/font][left][size="2"][i]A ball on the [/i][/size][size="2"][i]putting green [size="1"][font="GillSans-Light"][size="1"][size="2"]may be lifted and, if desired, cleaned.The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted and the ball must be replaced (see Rule 20-1).[/size][/left]
[/size][/size][/font][/i][/size][/size][/font][/size][/font]

[Newby]

or if its illegal for me to touch any other thing (besides the hole) on the green.

 

16-1a/5 Touching Inside of Hole

 

Q. Prior to putting, a player touched the inside of the hole. Should he be considered to have touched his line of putt in breach of Rule 16-1a?

 

A. Yes, unless the hole was materially damaged and the player was entitled to repair it — see Decision 16-1a/6. The line of putt includes the hole except in the unusual case when a player makes a stroke from the putting green away from the hole.

 

 

[Sawgrass]

This "touching the inside of the hole" thing has taken me a bit by surprise. First, I can't imagine why someone would want to touch the inside of the hole, or what advantage they might get from doing so which would inspire the rule makers from prohibiting it.

Second, now that I'm questioning myself, I know there have been a few occasions where a friend of mine who was my opponent sunk a long putt and I, standing closer to the hole, fished it out for him and tossed it back to him in "celebration" of his achievement. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an occasion or two when I did this prior to putting out myself, and I surely made no attempt to avoid touching the inside of the hole as I pulled out his ball. I wonder if this innocent (to my thinking) practice of mine is a rules violation.

Beyond those musings, the O.P. may want to also consider a rule that I'm not sure is widely known. Part of it addresses where you stand when putting when playing with a partner:




[b]14-2. Assistance[/b]
In making a [url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#Stroke"][i]stroke,[/i][/url] a player must not:

[b]a.[/b] Accept physical assistance or protection from the elements; or
[b]b.[/b] Allow his [url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#Caddie"][i]caddie,[/i][/url] his [url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#Partner"][i]partner[/i][/url] or his [url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#Partner"][i]partner[/i][/url]'s[url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#Caddie"][i] caddie[/i][/url] to position himself on or close to an extension of the [url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#LineofPlay"][i]line of play[/i][/url] or the [url="http://www.usga.org/workarea/linkit.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=14253#LineofPutt"][i]line of putt[/i][/url] behind the ball.

Penalty for Breach of Rule 14-1 or 14-2:
[u]Match play[/u] - Loss of hole; [u]Stroke play[/u] - Two strokes.

[Sawgrass]

Apologies for posting on top of my last post, but the prospect described above of my having committed a rules violation by picking someone else's ball out of the hole troubled me enough that I chose to write to the USGA about it.

(I've written to them several times in my life, and it typically took weeks to get a response. But today I got a response in hours.)

The USGA informs me that after my partner or opponent holes out, his ball effectively becomes a movable obstruction, and when touching one's line while removing an obstruction there is no penalty. Simple, perfect!

[Newby]

Well done. I was going to post a message to that effect after I had left you to stew for a while

[Sawgrass]

Well, you can call everyone to the table, becaue the stew is done!

[KevCarter]

[quote name='Sawgrass' date='10 March 2010 - 02:27 PM' timestamp='1268252853' post='2307117']
Apologies for posting on top of my last post, but the prospect described above of my having committed a rules violation by picking someone else's ball out of the hole troubled me enough that I chose to write to the USGA about it.

(I've written to them several times in my life, and it typically took weeks to get a response. But today I got a response in hours.)

The USGA informs me that after my partner or opponent holes out, his ball effectively becomes a movable obstruction, and when touching one's line while removing an obstruction there is no penalty. Simple, perfect!
[/quote]

Common sense rules!

Good job Sawgrass, it's nice to see it in black and white along with the reasoning...

Kevin

[OneBowTie]

always enjoy reading these rules and etiquette posts...... I bet you there is hardly a golfer that hasnt reached down and tossed back a fellow competitors ball after they hole out, chip in, or do something miraculous.... or on the other hand, I have done it many times for somebody that has a hitch in their gittyup