Playing partner removes debris from my line of putt?

[Mr Fastidious]

In my doubles match at the weekend player A removed dirt from players B line of putt, I didnt think he was allowed to touch his line of putt?

Checking rules and can't find an answer?

 

[duncan mackie]

The answer liesnin the first exception to the rule you are referencing

Touching Line of Putt

The*line of putt*must not be touched except:

(i) the player may remove*loose impediments, provided he does not press anything down;*

Second factor is that the definition of lose impediment tells you that on the putting green lose soil is a LI.

As to who is entitled to move it, and when, that will depend on the relationship between A and B

 

[User101]

You can remove loose impediments. Things such as sand, soil, stones, twigs, insects etc.

 

[Mr Fastidious]

So I know a 'Player' can remove loose impediments, but can his partner?

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

So I know a 'Player' can remove loose impediments, but can his partner?

Happy to be shot down here but I thought a playing partner (ie doubles partner) could remove loose impediments on his partners line.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Happy to be shot down here but I thought a playing partner (ie doubles partner) could remove loose impediments on his partners line.

I had the same conversation with a rules official at a Pro Am about what can be done and he was in the same belief - you can remove LI and also repair pitch marks on the green etc on your line or anyone’s line provided the green was tested. I had been told that it wasn’t allowed but we couldn’t find a rule that suggested it wasn’t allowed.

 

[Mr Fastidious]

The rule states the Player can remove LI, there isnt a definition on 'Player' so I don't believe the partner is allowed?

 

[cliveb]

The rule states the Player can remove LI, there isnt a definition on 'Player' so I don't believe the partner is allowed?

There isn't a definition of "player", but there is a definition of "partner", and it explicitly states that where a rule refers to a player, it includes the partner. So the partner certainly can move a LI.

 

[Mr Fastidious]

There isn't a definition of "player", but there is a definition of "partner", and it explicitly states that where a rule refers to a player, it includes the partner. So the partner certainly can move a LI.

Correct!!! many thanks, i have been looking for hours to find the answer, cheers.

 

[duncan mackie]

Correct!!! many thanks, i have been looking for hours to find the answer, cheers.

You could also have looked at it another way....

Rule 23 covers loose impediments and states that with the exception of ball and LI in hazard - any loose impediment may be removed without penalty. So anyone could remove it (and there are no restrictions on how they move it/them).

On the putting green, as quoted earlier, there is a restriction on touching the line of putt - which is why there is an exception (to bring rules 23 and 16 I to line in this regard). The reference to 'the player' in the exception is because the line of putt will be specific to a player and has no relevance to whether another player can remove the impediment.

 

[atticusfinch]

we couldn’t find a rule that suggested it wasn’t allowed.

What the rules do not prohibit they allow.

A good way to think of golf is hit it in the hole anyway that suits your fancy...except... The 34 rules are the "except."

(My rule of thumb will not withstand every case, but it is generally true.

 

[atticusfinch]

May I humbly suggest you drop "playing partner" from your vocabulary? The rules do not recognize such a creature.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

May I humbly suggest you drop "playing partner" from your vocabulary? The rules do not recognize such a creature.

If one is being politically correct what is the creature to be called ?

 

[Colin L]

Fellow competitor....... until 1 January 2019.

From then, he will be called "another player" but I expect all the commentators and most of the golfing world will continue, wrongly, to call him a "playing partner."

 

[rosecott]

Surely the OP was talking about a partner in matchplay

 

[Colin L]

Surely the OP was talking about a partner in matchplay

So he was. Too long ago for my memory.

@ArnoldArmChewer

Matchplay:
The other player on your side = partner
The player(s) you are up against = opponent(s)

Strokeplay
The other player on your side = partner
Aother player in your group - fellow competitor
A player in the competition not in your group = competitor

 

[atticusfinch]

Surely the OP was talking about a partner in matchplay

The only way to be sure is to use the terms in the rules.