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stepping on ones line

rollin said:
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?"
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This is why we played Twister as kids, to prepare us for golf.
 
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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Feel the same way and lets be honest most of the greens I am playing on are not going to be affected that much. Plus how often do we hackers putt the ball exactly where we are aiming?
 
Lynchburg14 said:
Feel the same way and lets be honest most of the greens I am playing on are not going to be affected that much. Plus how often do we hackers putt the ball exactly where we are aiming?
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I always aim at the bottom of the cup, and I get there every time, just takes me a few tries.
 
I have a playing partner who will be have a 50 footer to shoot 175 and will have a fit if you walk in his line.......geez
 
Really just depends on the situation....If it's wet then it can certainly make a difference...There are some folks out there that can't pick up their feet and scrape the grass up or have a heavy foot and leave imprints which is unfortunate for all. I think it can get in someones head more than the actually effecting the putt itself. I don't really mind too much or make a big deal out of it, but it's always been an etiquette thing and understandable in my book.
 
I was taught as a kid when I was learning the game that it's basic etiquette not to walk on a person's line. Whether it makes a massive difference or no is irrelevant IMO. Etiquette, something a lot of players should really be better at.
 
SaffaClint said:
I was taught as a kid when I was learning the game that it's basic etiquette not to walk on a person's line. Whether it makes a massive difference or no is irrelevant IMO. Etiquette, something a lot of players should really be better at.
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quite honestly I do believe most all but very few people do make an effort to avoid ones line. And most of the few who don't just simply don't know better. Mostly those newer to the game. This has been my experience for the most part.

But I played on a course this summer where a horse got lose and there were the hoof prints, right on across the #15 green
 
Depends on the situation.

Ignorance is annoying, someone looking and accidentally doing it isn't.


TTing
 
Bullitt5339 said:
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.
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Whatever, I was two groups behind you and distinctly saw you twerking on my line. Jerk.
 
tgtt said:
It's a joke. Now pros are straddling 'through putts" and it drives me absolutely nuts!!!
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Some pros wear metal spikes, thus leaving marks on the green.
I personally avoid and am respectful to my group's lines. Don't mind it myself, just better not be dragging your feet.
 
I like to spin around in circles right around the hole to create a bowl for myself and fellow playing partners :D

Like everyone else, I try to mind everyone's lines and do my best not to step near them. I don't get worked up when others do it to me.
 
troyefl said:
Some pros wear metal spikes, thus leaving marks on the green.
I personally avoid and am respectful to my group's lines. Don't mind it myself, just better not be dragging your feet.
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Very few wear metal spikes and I'm not sure they're not less of an issue than soft spikes. Modern day myth.
 
I try not to do it but like the others said, unless it's really bad, it doesn't bother me really. I do make sure to remind my son (he's 13) about staying out of the lines when he get to the greens. He's still learning though, but I'll keep trying to teach him. I figure it's my job to teach him about the etiquette of golf... and life in general.
 
One of the things I like about golf is the etiquette of the game, and the respect golfers show to one another by adhering to some basic etiquette. I think it is sort of charming in this day of bad manners everywhere else. So I like the fact that people make an effort to avoid stepping on the line of a putt.

That being said, if someone steps in my line by accident, I don't get upset about it. I figure there are plenty of reasons I am likely to miss a putt other than someone stepping in my line.

Frankly, I'm more likely to miss a putt from someone making noise when I draw the putter back or moving in my field of vision while I'm in the process of putting. THAT I find annoying.
 
Doesn't bug me, I avoid it if I can, I tell people not to worry about stepping on my line. Its not like people go stomping through or anything like that.
 
Common theme in here, doesn't really matter to me but I don't walk in others lines just out of respect for the game.
 
WrecknBall said:
I try not to do it but like the others said, unless it's really bad, it doesn't bother me really. I do make sure to remind my son (he's 13) about staying out of the lines when he get to the greens. He's still learning though, but I'll keep trying to teach him. I figure it's my job to teach him about the etiquette of golf... and life in general.
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I don't sweat unless it makes a scrape, mark or bump. Congrats on teaching your son golf etiquette!!:act-up:
 
I believe the term, as an NCO in the Army, is "keep your head on a swivel." I've had guys stoop to evaluate putts in front of me, oblivious that their spikes are tearing up my line. I've said, "C'mon, dude, I'm away anyhow. You won't get a better look than my putt, assuming I don't end up in the hole your spikes made!"

But someone casually walking over a line, not a big deal. You never know, someone might be reading a whole other break than you. I've left a tap-in, holed my putt, then got bitched at as I pulled the flag, because the other guy in my group saw 2' of break that I simply didn't see. He was seeing a Happy Gilmore putt, and I saw just hit the ball at the hole.
 
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I had an old timer step on my line and my mark this past weekend. All I could do is laugh and focus on making the putt. Try to avoid it, tip toe around a green, all in the name of being fair and equitable. Anytime its ever happened to me its been a mistake, can't be pissed about a mistake.
 
I watch out to not step on other peoples lines, but I do take a big step over them instead of tracking back 30 feet to go around the guy who is looking down his line from the back edge of the green. I know it's polite not to cross between the hole and the player, but playing ready golf and keeping the pace needs to be considered.

If someone want's to tap in their lag putt, and they don't get a decent stance, I always say to them that they can step on my line, (extreme soft & wet greens might be a different thing), since I know someone has been dancing around the hole anyways just a few minutes ago.

What I do not get is that I was putting for eagle twice yesterday, and on both times these two older guys tried (not intentionally) mess up my chances. The one guys not only stepped, but walked on my line a couple of times, and the other dude were banging his clubs in his bag. I usually don't care, but they knew I was playing a record round, and putting for eagle, and they didn't have the decency to let me putt in peace. But...they had a bad day.
 
My feeling is this. Will stepping on a line have any bearing on if a putt goes in or not? Probably not, but I'd rather not take that chance.
 
Like almost everybody has said, I make sure I don't step on others' lines, but if someone steps on mine I don't really care. I will take large steps over like Castor mentioned.

The thing that drives me the most crazy is when someone stands in a spot that casts a shadow over my line or over the cup. I have to tell my brother to move because of it much too often.
 
Good topic, for me it "depends". The key is to try and be respectful of your playing partners lines, don't get so wrapped up in your own game that you fail to recognize your friends are focused as well. The depends part is the act of stepping in anothers line has varying degree's of impact based on the type of greens you are on. I play almost exclusively on bermuda and you could drive a truck over it and little impact will be made so what is a footprint going to do. Now I grew up on bent which tends to be spongy and a footprint makes an indentation and often leave a spike mark until it pops back up - walking in someone's line on bent will more than likely have an impact on the result of the putt (in the short term).

The other school of thought is that the line has been walked through countless times that day before you ever stepped foot on the green, thats a bit weak but true. The real issue is are your respectful of your playing partners, if so then take the time to focus on surroundings and quickly and sincerely apologize if you mistakenly walk in their line.
 
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