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stepping on ones line

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rollin

"Just playin golf pally"
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Do you think this is really as big a deal as we make of it? Its not something I do unless by accident. Others have many times by accident done it to me and they usually apologize and I usually just say "ah don't even worry about it". I've also seen many who (believe it or not) don't even know about this.

It doesn't bother me much at all if done to me and truth is I just don't really care too much about it. I've never had a putt go bad due to someone stepping on my line prior to it. At least i don't think so. I've never seen any imprint left behind of any real significance that I can tell. There is usually more imperfections on greens that would easily imo minimize what walking on ones line might do. Divots for one is far worse imo.

Is it more of a luck thing and/or just proper etiquette? or will it really ruin a putt in your opinion? And is it any much different about the fact that an entire foursome may have just walked all over your line just a few minutes before your group came to the green anyway?

I just don't know if this is too over rated or what
 
I try to be conscious of other peoples' lines, but I don't usually care about my own. I figure someone probably just walked there 5 minutes ago anyway.
 
SharkHat said:
I try to be conscious of other peoples' lines, but I don't usually care about my own. I figure someone probably just walked there 5 minutes ago anyway.
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This is exactly how I feel about this. I am always mindful of others lines but I don't necessarily care about it.
 
I always try and stay off others line. When you think about the foursome in front of your group just walked all over the green just ten minutes before you got there it does seem silly.

I think it is more about proper etiquette. I always say it only matters when someones misses!
 
JD19 said:
I always try and stay off others line. When you think about the foursome in front of your group just walked all over the green just ten minutes before you got there it does seem silly.

I think it is more about proper etiquette. I always say it only matters when someones misses!
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I think some people may argue the point (and this remains to be seen here) that the ground and green surface will bounce back in those ten minutes vs just one or two minutes. Not sure but I've heard that one before. But it still doesn't bother me
 
It is proper etiquette to never walk on ones line or thru line for that matter. Does it happen sure. My wife is clueless when it comes to this simple thing, but I say nothing (25 years of marriage teaches one this). When it happens with one that should know better, I simply thank them for the footprint.......

Firm greens and spikeless shoes make it no big deal most of the time, but it is still proper to not do it.
 
It's all situational and its common courtesy not to walk on someone's line. If the green are soft then it does matter to me. If they are easy frayed and soft spike marks are being created, then yes it bothers me. But if the greens are hard and No marks can be seen, it wouldn't bother me if someone accidentally walk in my line.

but as I said early on, it's part of the game not walk on someone line through the hole.
 
It depends on the greens, honestly. The tendency around here is to over-water the greens at sunrise, then let them dry out over the course of the day. So in the first few holes, any weight put on the green leaves impact marks. But the turn they've dried out and I don't care. My putting's pretty bad, and I've had some good putts go off line from poorly tended pitch marks and spike marks. I need all the helps and as few of the hurts as I can get away with. So maybe someone casually strolling on the green I won't likely mind. But someone stooping to look at a putt or a break in the green on my line might make me a bit more upset.
 
I try not to let it happen from me, but it's not that big a deal if it happens TO me.

Unless someone is just oblivious to it and does it over and over and over.
 
No difference at all, in fact, if it did make a difference I'm pretty sure most of us could stand as much a chance of benefit from it. Still pisses me off to see it, haha
 
I like to walk from my ball to the hole, one foot over the other. Makes putting a lot easier. Just get it going and it stays inside the ridges.
 
I'm always mindful not to walk on anybody's line. But I could care less if somebody walks on mine. Can't say I've ever missed a putt due to somebody stepping on my line.
 
Smallville said:
I like to walk from my ball to the hole, one foot over the other. Makes putting a lot easier. Just get it going and it stays inside the ridges.
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That is genius hahaha. Love it.
 
It's a joke. Now pros are straddling 'through putts" and it drives me absolutely nuts!!!
 
shoot I step on my own line on lag putts. I stay off others line but if someone accidentally steps on my line I dont really care unless they drag their feet or do it out of frustration. Usually its one of my friends so a smarta$$ "thank you" usually gets an apology and quickly brings them back down to earth. Cant say I have ever missed a putt because someone stepped in my line tho. (but I dont get paid to play)
 
Wonder if most people putt worst later in the day after lots of traffic?
 
It depends on the shoes the guy is wearing and how hard the green is. Rock hard greens - whatever, walk where you want. Runners or spike less does not bother me at all either on hard or soft greens.

Shoes like my Adizero's on the other hand, you are going to hear from me. Almost all cleated shoes you will hear from me as a matter of fact. None that I have ever seen are nice to greens in any way. All the humps and lumps and bumps on the soles of these shoes add to the lumpy doughnut.

I'm gonna stop there with my shoe opinions or I am going to hijack the thread.
 
the worst part is when your the one pulling the pin and all four balls are in such a set up that you have to ridiculously walk as if barefoot through broken glass.
It can be tad tedious to simply pull the pin and downright acrobatic.
WHAT A JOB THIS CAN BE

While pulling the pin you -

-Try not to step on a line but in doing so you step on another persons line.

- Purposely hop over a line to a free spot but then realizing at that second the amount of break slope so you now actually did step on the line after all. Then you quickly hop again but where? Right onto someone else's line.

- as you get to the pin, you realize the fourth ball which went unnoticed through the whole acrobatic first scenario and almost step on his line as you reach for the pin but you catch it just in time and step across in a different direction doing a complete split but only to land on one of the other lines you tried to avoid in the first place.

- Now you got the pin in hand and have pulled a hammy and dropped your left testicle. You now have to navigate all over again through more scenarios but also in addition you have to figure where to lay the pin down. In doing so you hop, roll, skip, jump, and backflip your way onto three more lines and end with a swan dive into the greenside bunker.

- You finally lay the pin down, wipe the sweat from your brow, pick up your testicle, and limp on over to your ball with a pulled hammy and sand in your eyes and SOMEONE HAS THE FREAKING AUDASITY TO SAY TO YOU "can you not stand there?"
 
I try not to do it out of respect, but on our hard southern AZ greens you couldnt make a dent with a jackhammer!
 
Like most here, I try my best not to walk on someone else's line, but typically it doesn't bother me if someone steps in my line.

On Saturday, it was a bit different though. We were playing on some really soft greens and I really realized why some people fuss about it. You could literally see every spike mark on the green for a few minutes after someone stepped there. In between groups, they seemed to disappear mostly, but with the new shoes and new spikes I had on, I left distinct imprints wherever I walked and was very careful about stepping in someone's line and was even hesitant to walk up and take the flag out because of it.
 
I try not to but I see others do it all the time. If the greens are soft I can see the indent it bugs me.

People twisting on a planted foot drives me up a wall especially around the hole. I played a course after a high tournament and the greens were destroyed between in fixed pitch marks and thoughtless walking.
 
It's a politeness thing. Some people get all wound up, some don't care. Soft greens, or if they're spiking it up, then I'd rather people didn't walk in my line, but a quick footstep or two by accident or on the way to get the pin so I don't have to? No problem.
I judge by my tracks. If I'm not leaving a mark, I figure the other guys couldn't leave a mark with a sledge. If I see I am leaving prints, I pay more attention.
 
I usually don't even point it out to anyone unless I know they are new to the game and probably don't realize that is is bad etiquette. I try to always honor someone else's line but I know I have accidentally stepped on other's lines before, rarely does anyone mention it.
 
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