Who putts first

[jimnycricket65]

I always offer to putt first if my ball (marker) and line is in the way of player's stance. Is this a rule or an etiquette?

I ask because I putted with the ball in front of my left toe and right foot way apart today.

 

[Damaikis]

For me it's always furthest away putts. If I'm in someone's line I move my marker.

 

[Oregon Jack]

the only time i putt first is if i have a for-sure one-putt and i know i can make it, but i only do that if my playing partner(s) are off not paying attention wasting time. other than that, i always wait for everyone further away from me to putt, and i only putt when i become the furthest away. if my ball is in the way, well, that's what you have ball-markers for. move it one (or two) putter-head's length away from their line, with their choice of direction, and as soon as they're done putting, i move my ball back.

 

[TheHeez]

I believe that in tournament play, as a rule, the person furthest away always plays, regardless if they are on the green or not. So someone 25 feet away but putting from the green plays before someone 20 feet away but chipping from the fringe.

I believe that if an "away" player's putting stance we're to put them on a slightly closer player's mark or line, the closer player can request to play out of order. This is how I was taught, hopefully it's correct!

 

[fastbasser]

I "believe" the ball further from the hole goes first even if they are off the green. (It does slow play down though) If I am away and putt, I have the right to finish the hole if I choose.

 

[Tadashi70]

In stroke play the furthest away putts. If they or you are on a line, mark off that line. In a team match the team with the furthest putt has honors. But they may have a closer putt and choose to take that first.

 

[emanthei]

]I believe that in tournament play, as a rule, the person furthest away always plays, regardless if they are on the green or not. So someone 25 feet away but putting from the green plays before someone 20 feet away but chipping from the fringe.[/B]

I believe that if an "away" player's putting stance we're to put them on a slightly closer player's mark or line, the closer player can request to play out of order. This is how I was taught, hopefully it's correct!

I caddied in a tourney this spring and the person I was caddying for was not the furthest out but was on the fringe. He was told that he had to hit first because he was the only one on that was not on the green. He then asked me to pull the pin for him, and one of the other caddies said that he would lose his honors if he was to pull the pin because it would indicate he was on the green...I thought this was crazy but rather than argue, we waited until the other player went and then pulled the pin and took the shot...my player was chipping as well. was not putting.

 

[darnall]

I caddied in a tourney this spring and the person I was caddying for was not the furthest out but was on the fringe. He was told that he had to hit first because he was the only one on that was not on the green. He then asked me to pull the pin for him, and one of the other caddies said that he would lose his honors if he was to pull the pin because it would indicate he was on the green...I thought this was crazy but rather than argue, we waited until the other player went and then pulled the pin and took the shot...my player was chipping as well. was not putting.

I have got paired with the same 2 man team in 2 of the scramble tourneys I have played, and those guys have been playing for 40-50 years. They are adamant that somebody whos ball is off the green is up next, regardless of actual distance....I was on the fringe 6 feet away from a tucked pin while they had a 60 foot putt from the other end and they were absolutely sure I was up next....

I have no problem with somebody who doesn't fully know the rules of golf. Hell I bet there isn't one person in the whole world that knows every rule in every situation without having to occasionally open the book... I am always coming across something in a round that I am not totally sure how to score. It happens to everybody....

But it drives me nuts when somebody acts like a complete "Rules Nazi" and they are trying to enforce the wrong rule or the wrong interpretation of a rule.... Like when you are adressing your tee shot and bump the ball off the tee without making a swing... 90% of golfers will say "ONE" as soon as that happens, but actually it didn't count as a stroke because you didn't attempt a swing.

 

[Hawk]

I play ready golf if it's appropriate. Otherwise, farthest out goes first. I don't really like putting from inside another person's ball though. I worry more about their line than I do the putt.

 

[hokiegolfer]

For the most part we always play ready golf, but once you get to the green it's generally furthest away putts first

 

[Nate]

Here's a question that goes along with the first one in a way - What if there is a person who is out but they see before they take their stance their foot (stance) will be right on top of the marker or path of the guy who's just inside your ball and isn't out. I know the rule is probably the same but if that happened to you and you were the one who was about to get a foot print on top of your marker, would you offer to go first or could you even do that in tournament play?

 

[dhjkelly]

Everyone is right that furthest away putts first but if you asked could you putt out of courtesy i'm sure no one is gonna complain. Technically you should ask does your partner want you to move your marker to the left or right of his/her line

 

[IceyShanks]

For me it's always furthest away putts. If I'm in someone's line I move my marker.

Same here, furthest out putts first and if there is a mark in the way you just ask which way they'd like you to move your marker.

 

[SharkHat]

Here's a question that goes along with the first one in a way - What if there is a person who is out but they see before they take their stance their foot (stance) will be right on top of the marker or path of the guy who's just inside your ball and isn't out. I know the rule is probably the same but if that happened to you and you were the one who was about to get a foot print on top of your marker, would you offer to go first or could you even do that in tournament play?

I just looked it up. It looks like in tournament play, as long as the decision to play out of order is not made to give one player an advantage, it's legal.

If someone was going to have to step on my marker for their putt, I would probably ask if they would let me move my marker. I don't get concerned about people stepping on my line, I figure the groups ahead already have anyway.

 

[Fourputt]

I always offer to putt first if my ball (marker) and line is in the way of player's stance. Is this a rule or an etiquette?

I ask because I putted with the ball in front of my left toe and right foot way apart today.

You have the option of playing first if you are requested to mark your ball. Once you have marked and lifted, the right to play first goes to the player who is farthest from the hole. He may require you to move your marker, or you may agree to let you putt first instead. As long as it isn't a general agreement to waive a rule, there is no penalty. However, the player whose turn it is to putt is not required to make an unusual stance if his companion chooses not to go ahead of him (he may not want to give you a peek at the break). If the player closer to the hole chooses to just move his marker, then he is essentially giving permission for you to stand on his line. Sometimes there is simply no choice. I'm certainly not going to take a weird stance just because he chooses to be a stickler about the order of play.

In stroke play, while it is a rule, there is no penalty for breaching the rule. In match play, if you play out of turn your opponent may have you recall your stroke and make you play in the proper order.

 

[Buckjob]

Farthest out has honors if you ask and they say go ahead then it's fine. I usually won't have a problem with it.

 

[mikedean441]

I play ready golf if it's appropriate. Otherwise, farthest out goes first. I don't really like putting from inside another person's ball though. I worry more about their line than I do the putt.

Im with this guy^^^^

 

[Bullfrog]

I play ready golf if it's appropriate. Otherwise, farthest out goes first. I don't really like putting from inside another person's ball though. I worry more about their line than I do the putt.

I agree with this. I get messed up when I putt out of turn. Bit if asked I will do it. It's only a game


Amphibians can tapatalk!

 

[Nate]

I just looked it up. It looks like in tournament play, as long as the decision to play out of order is not made to give one player an advantage, it's legal.

If someone was going to have to step on my marker for their putt, I would probably ask if they would let me move my marker. I don't get concerned about people stepping on my line, I figure the groups ahead already have anyway.

Ok, makes sense. But you know how the pros make a big deal of staying out of the line of the player that hasn't gone yet, I wonder what they would do in that situation on tour?

 

[wadesworld]

I believe that in tournament play, as a rule, the person furthest away always plays, regardless if they are on the green or not. So someone 25 feet away but putting from the green plays before someone 20 feet away but chipping from the fringe.

In stroke play, the player that is farthest away is supposed to go next, regardless of whether they're off the green, in a bunker, etc.

However, it is a matter of ettiquette, not a requirement, even in a tournament or even at the PGA tour level. In casual rounds, it's common to have everyone that's off the green go first regardless of distance so that you don't have to be constantly pulling and replacing the flag.

In match play singles, the person farthest away from the hole is required to go first, and if someone plays out of turn, their opponent can make them replay the shot. In match play four-ball, the side farthest away from the hole plays first, but that side may determine the order in which its side plays.

 

[Fourputt]

In stroke play, the player that is farthest away is supposed to go next, regardless of whether they're off the green, in a bunker, etc.

However, it is a matter of ettiquette, not a requirement, even in a tournament or even at the PGA tour level. In casual rounds, it's common to have everyone that's off the green go first regardless of distance so that you don't have to be constantly pulling and replacing the flag.

In match play singles, the person farthest away from the hole is required to go first, and if someone plays out of turn, their opponent can make them replay the shot. In match play four-ball, the side farthest away from the hole plays first, but that side may determine the order in which its side plays.

It is not a "matter of etiquette", it's a Rule of Golf. See Rule 10.

In match play (Rule 10-1) there is even a potential consequence attached to playing out of turn.

Rule 10-2 covers order of play in stroke play, although since there is no penalty in stroke play, it's a rather ineffectual rule.

 

[One-T]

For me it's always furthest away putts. If I'm in someone's line I move my marker.

same for me, but I also am a very lax golfer. I dont care who putts first.

 

[oiler3535]

With 2-3 caveats, I always play furthest from the hole goes next. 1-if somebody has a no-lining-up-needed tap in, 2-player away would have to step on another's line/marker, 3-person away is so slow you're ready to putt and they're not yet on the green. If competitive, I'll wait on #3 and not play out of turn, and likely #1 too.

 

[dhill]

same for me, but I also am a very lax golfer. I dont care who putts first.

I really don't care either
If its just a casual round, then whomever is ready can go.
There might be a guy who just hit out of a bunker and is still away but waiting on him to rake, read, etc, someone else can go ahead and putt giving a little more time.

 

[wadesworld]

It is not a "matter of etiquette", it's a Rule of Golf. See Rule 10.

In match play (Rule 10-1) there is even a potential consequence attached to playing out of turn.

Rule 10-2 covers order of play in stroke play, although since there is no penalty in stroke play, it's a rather ineffectual rule.

My apologies for the semantical slip. You are correct. In stroke play, it is a rule with no penalty.