Standing Behind A Putt

[Region3]

I've found 14-2 which says that you can't have your partner stand behind you as you putt, but it mentions nothing about standing on the line on the other side of the hole. Is that allowed?

Also, it says nothing about fellow competitors doing the same thing other than you should ask them to move out of courtesy if they're distracting you.
Any rule on that (either side of the hole)? Can you force them to move if they say it isn't against the rules?

Thanks

 

[Colin L]

Provided your partner is not standing on the other side of the hole with the intention of indicating your line of play (which would be a breach of Rule 8-2b), he may do so - and might frequently do so when attending the flagstick. 14-2b is specifically about standing behind the ball.

A fellow competitor when asked to move out of your line of vision should do so as a matter of etiquette but there is not a rule to require him to do so. A persistent breach of etiquette could, however, be dealt with by DQ under Rule 33-7

 

[Region3]

Thanks Colin.

 

[Region3]

Another thought has occurred to me regarding the penalty for breach of rule 14/2.

In matchplay, is it the side that incurs loss of hole or just one of the players out of the hole?
In strokeplay, who gets the penalty?

 

[virtuocity]

Huh, didn't know you couldn't stand behind someone on the green. You live and learn.

 

[Colin L]

It is worth mentioning that the partner or caddie standing behind the player only creates breach of 14-2b if it is a deliberate matter of his being "positioned" there as opposed to inadvertently just being there.

14-2b prohibits the player from making a stroke if his partner or caddie is positioned behind him so it is he who breaks the rule by putting and who is penalised.

@virtuocity It is only your partner or your caddie who cannot be positioned behind you in terms of Rule 14-2b. A fellow competitor or opponent can stand there but shouldn't do so. It is a breach of etiquette.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I had this discussion with one of our handicap secretaries last year in a bounce game. He was putting, my marker was inside his about half way to the hole and 6-8" to the right. Without noticing, and not even watching his putt as I was watching someone else tee off on the previous hole, I was actually standing behind him. He didn't say anything at the time but once the hole was complete he told me that I was breaking a rule and in a comp I would get penalised. I tried to tell him that it was a matter of etiquette and not a rule and that the only possible way I could get penalised was for a persistent breach of etiquette. He wouldn't have it and bet me a pint that he was right.

I have assumed that since he never asked me for the pint that he either forgot and still believes it to be a rule or looked it up and found out he was wrong