Breach of Rules/Etiquette??

[LAM]

Is it a breach of etiquette to place and align my golf ball, ready for putting, when it’s not my turn to play and while the player whose turn to play is still reading his line.

In addition, my ball is not in anyone’s line of play.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

In my opinion no - providing the ball you place is not in his line of vision.

 

[KenL]

Anything one player does that distracts or upsets another could be seen as poor etiquette.

How far from the hole was the ball?

 

[Smiffy]

In my opinion no - providing the ball you place is not in his line of vision.

Is the correct answer.
Have you ever followed a fourball where everybody waits for the other guy to putt before placing and aligning their own balls????
It's no fun.......

 

[rulefan]

It's called ready golf and should be encouraged providing there is no distraction.

 

[jusme]

I often clean and replace my ball immediately (ready to put when my turn). I will often ask if it's in the way if anywhere near another. Need to keep play moving. I'm a ready golf fan.

 

[guest100718]

I'd just wait, youre not really saving any time.

 

[bobmac]

I'd just wait, youre not really saving any time.

I agree, there's plenty of time to replace your ball after your PP has hit his putt

 

[ManinBlack]

I'd just wait, youre not really saving any time.

Of course you're saving time. I clean, replace & read the putt while someone else is doing the same. Hate it when people don't do this.

 

[bobmac]

Of course you're saving time. I clean, replace & read the putt while someone else is doing the same. Hate it when people don't do this.

That wasn't actually the question though

Is it a breach of etiquette to place and align my golf ball, ready for putting, when it’s not my turn to play

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

When I'm putting I'd rather that all other balls on the green had been marked and lifted. If they haven't been I'll only ask a ball to be marked and lifted if it is my vision field-of-view - and not just between myself and the hole.

But then again - I myself don't do any faffing about aligning my ball, marking and picking takes no time - and when it's my turn I just plonk it down - if I can do so without causing any distraction I will usually already have done a bit of working out my line whilst others putt.

 

[duncan mackie]

Etiquette is respecting others rights and expectations on the course.
Replacing and aligning your ball has two components that I can see in this context -
1. Replacing your ball is the same as not marking it in the first place. It's usually obvious if your ball could have any effect on the other player; different players have different tolerances in the same way as all humans have a different context of 'my space'. Be sensitive to this as you play so that you don't need to continually ask whether someone wants your ball marked, err on the side of marking rather than leaving and the game will flow to everybody's benefit.
2. Using the time someone else is using when aligning your ball makes a lot of sense in keeping the game flowing. Other players in your game who still have to putt will appreciate it when they don't have to wait the full 5 minutes (it can feel like it at times nowadays) to get to their turn to putt and it doesn't take too many 20 sec saves to give someone time to find their ball in the rough from the next tee without having the next group on the tee waiting...

Overall it falls into the same category as any activity when it's not your turn to play, but no other player is actually making their stroke - it's positively good for you to do it unless it's an issue for the player playing. Whether it should reasonably be an issue for them is of course another matter!

 

[ManinBlack]

That wasn't actually the question though

Of course it's not bad etiquette, it's an amateur comp or friendly game, not the European Tour!

 

[guest100718]

Of course it's not bad etiquette, it's an amateur comp or friendly game, not the European Tour!

If an FC wants to leave his ball then thats fine, but if I am about to play then stand still. I'm all for playing at a good pace, but this notion we need to squeeze every second becomes tiresome.

 

[ManinBlack]

When I'm putting I'd rather that all other balls on the green had been marked and lifted.

It's amazing how something that doesn't bother one person (e.g. me) at all is so important to someone else. I suppose that we're all different but it would only bother me if the ball was near my line & I could see it in my peripheral vision.

 

[bobmac]

Of course it's not bad etiquette, it's an amateur comp or friendly game, not the European Tour!

I was taught many years ago it was bad etiquette. When you are putting, there should be no other balls on the green.
Other etiquette/ rules I was taught were

The golfer whos ball is nearest the hole should tend/remove the flag for the first putt.
The person who had the first putt should then tend the flag for the second putt. (if required)
When the flag is lifted, it should be lowered to the ground/off the green and not just dropped
The first person to hole out should then retrieve the flag ready to replace it when everyone else has finished
Rarely do I see this happen

 

[ManinBlack]

I was taught many years ago it was bad etiquette. When you are putting, there should be no other balls on the green.
Other etiquette/ rules I was taught were

The golfer whos ball is nearest the hole should tend/remove the flag for the first putt.
The person who had the first putt should then tend the flag for the second putt. (if required)
When the flag is lifted, it should be lowered to the ground/off the green and not just dropped
The first person to hole out should then retrieve the flag ready to replace it when everyone else has finished
Rarely do I see this happen

Agree with all the rest, even perhaps the first in serious competitive play, but is it really important?

P. S. I'm an old fart & a stickler for etiquette, the behaviour I see from some of the younger players really gets on my moobs.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I just stick with good old common sense and being aware of your PPs

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm with MiB on this. We don't play on tour.

 

[Slab]

My take is stand clear, stand still and if you think your ball may distract someone then lift it (even if you think being distracted by a static golf ball nowhere near their line is the most ridiculous thing you've heard)