The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.
Every week, GOLF’s resident rules expert answers all of your most burning inquiries about the game. As anyone who plays knows, strange things can happen during rounds of golf. Sometimes, the appropriate course of action can befuddle even the most seasoned player.
But providing clarity for these confounding conundrums is where Rules Guy shines. This year, Rules Guy covered topics — submitted by golfers like you! — ranging from what to do when your ball hits a cart path and travels backward and the legality of marking your ball on the side to whether you can clean your ball after it rolls through ground under repair and whether or not you can replace your ball if it’s blown off the green by wind.
But there was one question this year that involved something a bit more mundane: Are you allowed to stand directly behind someone when he or she is putting?
Rules Guy published his answer in July, and it ended up being the year’s most-read column. Do you know the answer? You can read the question and Rules Guy’s reply below, or you can view the originally published column by clicking here.
The year’s most-read Rules Guy column: Is it legal for another player to stand directly behind me while I putt?
In an individual stroke-play competition, is a player allowed to stand directly behind me while I’m putting to help him figure out his line? Does the rule differ for best-ball competition? — Bokkie Gerber, via email
Yes — with caveats — and yes.
In individual stroke play, no Rule prohibits another player from standing on an extension of the line of play behind your ball for themselves. However, if the player is distracting you and you ask them to move, they should; while in this instance the Rules don’t prevent standing behind someone putting, it is certainly considered poor etiquette. (On the very off-chance that the other player was either giving advice or somehow helping you, then there might be a breach of Rules 10.2b(4) or 10.2a.)
In foursomes, however, Rules 22.6 and 23.8 prohibit your partner standing in that position to learn something for their own putt, lest they get the general penalty.
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Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.
