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If your out of the hole, why would you putt? Your only reason for putting (as stated in the OP) was help your partner ... hence you shouldn't be putting out as that would be a breach as stated by Duncan.
If your out of the hole, why would you putt? Your only reason for putting (as stated in the OP) was help your partner ... hence you shouldn't be putting out as that would be a breach as stated by Duncan.
I'm now a little confused. As they had not conceded my putt if I were to have played the shot would I have broken a rule?
No. Unless your opponents concede the stroke AND your putt would have been of assistance to your partner there is no penalty.
2-4/6 Putting Out After Concession of Stroke
Rule 2-4 does not cover the question of whether a player may putt out after his next stroke has been conceded. A player incurs no penalty for holing out in such circumstances. However, if the act would be of assistance to a partner in a four-ball or best-ball match, the partner is, in equity (Rule 1-4), disqualified for the hole.
Mmm.
We seem to have a disagrement here...
Ah! I see the subtlety of your response now! There's a hint of being 'punished' for knowing the Rule!
I'd like to see what ColinL and Rulefan say though. I don't believe that Decision is totally relevant.
No pressure then. :mmm:
It's not 'pressure' as such. Just my perception of a greater likelihood to have encountered the (what seems a common enough/likely) situation in 'real' (official) environment with other experts to refer to.
The fact that there hasn't been a Decision published about indicates, to me, that the Rules cover it sufficiently and the onus is on the opponents to prevent any assistance by conceding the putt. The Decision about putting away from the hole is actually about that stroke not the subsequent putt as assistance to partner - which also disqualifies the Partner if it happens. Decision 2-4/6 would surely have covered the 'out of hole' situation too.
To me, the need for a concession, to prevent possible assistance of a Partner's stroke in such a situation, is 'part of the game'.
Feel this one won't be decided until someone has requested a ruling from the R&A.
The above was my initial thought. Though having re-read 30-3f/6, where it is clear that there is no penalty until the put that assists the partner has been taken, I am now not so sure.
What is interesting is that the opponent could have conceded the putt, but he didn't.
A concession would have made the whole thing moot (or moo as Joey from Friends would say)
I think it's just down to lack of rules knowledge, in my case which was identical to SILH, our opponents only argued the he couldn't putt out and when I pointed out afterwards that they could have prevented any problem by conceding his putt they seemed unaware that he couldn't refuse the concession.