Walking on Line of Putt Match play 4 Ball Rules question

[3offTheTee]

Bit of an incident at our Club recently when a guy walked on his opponents line of putt. He told him and then he did it again by mistake.

The opponent told him that he would claim the hole if it happened again .

Is this correct?

 

[rosecott]

Nothing in the rules to allow claiming of hole - if damage caused to line of putt, player entitled to have it repaired.

 

[Matty]

Walking on the line of a putt - or rather avoiding doing so is part of the etiquette of the game.

By walking on the line you aren't breaking any rules so no advantages or penalty could be claimed other than to repair any damage.

Anyone who persistently did that would not play a round with me twice!

 

[3offTheTee]

OK Hear what you both say.

However one of the guys is a Match Referee and it is unlikely he is wrong. Accept the etiquette issue but is it antwhere in The Rules. Where is Fylde white or birdieman when you need them?

 

[Doc]

Nothing in the rules to allow claiming of hole - if damage caused to line of putt, player entitled to have it repaired.

Unless the damage is spike marks...

Pure bad etiquette.

 

[Imurg]

Here you go............

An opponent or a fellow-competitor purposely steps on the player's line of putt with the intention either of improving the line (e.g. by pressing down a raised tuft of grass) or of damaging it (e.g. by making spike marks). What is the ruling?

In either case, the opponent or the fellow-competitor was in breach of Rule 1-2. The penalty is loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play, unless the Committee decides to impose a penalty of disqualification -- see the penalty statement of Rule 1-2.
In stroke play if the line of putt has been damaged, the player, in equity (Rule 1-4), may restore the line of putt to its previous condition. A player is entitled to the lie and line of putt he had when his ball came to rest. The line of putt may be restored by anyone.

 

[3offTheTee]

Cheers Imurg but it was unintentional

AND

is his partner penalised through loss of hole?

 

[Doc]

Good find in decisions,

What proof would be required that the spike marks were caused by the offender?

What a horrible situation.

 

[rosecott]

Here you go............

An opponent or a fellow-competitor purposely steps on the player's line of putt with the intention either of improving the line (e.g. by pressing down a raised tuft of grass) or of damaging it (e.g. by making spike marks). What is the ruling?

In either case, the opponent or the fellow-competitor was in breach of Rule 1-2. The penalty is loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play, unless the Committee decides to impose a penalty of disqualification -- see the penalty statement of Rule 1-2.
In stroke play if the line of putt has been damaged, the player, in equity (Rule 1-4), may restore the line of putt to its previous condition. A player is entitled to the lie and line of putt he had when his ball came to rest. The line of putt may be restored by anyone.

My reading of the original post was that the intrusions on the line were accidental, in which case D1-2/1 would not apply. I would, however, be highly suspicious if it happened a third time. That said, a fair number of our older members seem oblivious to most things like that - no excuses for that though

 

[Paul_Stewart]

I like one of the other decisions on that situation.

"In such an event, the player whose putt has been affected may take one of his clubs and ram it up the opponent's arse until he cries."

 

[Fyldewhite]

Q

OK Hear what you both say.

However one of the guys is a Match Referee and it is unlikely he is wrong. Accept the etiquette issue but is it antwhere in The Rules. Where is Fylde white or birdieman when you need them?

Well actiually I'm in Portugal and extremely p'd off as my back went around 20 mins before teeing off at Quinta Do Lago South yesterday - putting my shoes on would you believe!!! I couldn't get a refund and against medical advice (my playing partners) proceeded to score 21 points. A result but there again I'm now completely screwed for tomorrow. But another week to go after resting the back in ther sun (hopefully )

However, back to the point in question.... A player can only be disqualified by the committee for a serious breach of etiquette. It's always difficult in situations like this to prove what actually happened as no doubt both sides have an entirely different version of the truth. Imurg's post above covers intentional breaking of rules but unintentional is difficult. As already suggested, once can be accidental, twice is careless but three times (IMHO) is just plain "at it" and I'm sure most committees would agree if the facts were reported.

 

[chrisd]

Re: Q

My view is that, if the decision is taken to the committee, and the player agrees that he stepped on the line (even 3 times) but says that it was accidental, there are very few committees with the balls to make a decision on the matter. Add to that the lack of proof of intent- you have no chance, so the "pitching wedge up the ar*e rule" mentioned earlier is the way forward!


Chris