Who putts first ?

[Jaco]

Who, traditionally, putts first?
I told a playing partner that the player off the green goes first, even if his opponent on the dance floor is more distant from the pin.
I watched some vloggers on YouTube today, and their actions made me think I was probably wrong on this.
I realise that ready golf has made this rather a moot point, and that’s a good thing, but I‘m interested in knowing the traditional etiquette.
With this in mind, I today ordered a small golf rules book to keep in my bag.
Thanks in advance.

 

[IanMcC]

Match Play:

• After Both Players Start a Hole. » The ball that is farther from the hole is to be played first. » If the balls are the same distance from the hole or their relative distances are not known, the ball to be played first is decided by agreement or by using a random method.

Stroke Play:
• After All Players Have Started a Hole. » The ball that is farthest from the hole should be played first. » If two or more balls are the same distance from the hole or their relative distances are not known, the ball to be played first should be decided by agreement or by using a random method. There is no penalty if a player plays out of turn, except that if two or more players agree to play out of turn to give one of them an advantage and one of them then plays out of turn, each player who made the agreement gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes)

Rule 6.4 a & b
In effect, if its not match play, go in any order. If Match Play furthest away goes first, or the opponent can make you replay the stroke.

 

[Jason.H]

I’ve noticed some players dither on the greens and say you go if your ready when its their turn. They then gain an advantage of seeing the pace and break of others putts .

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’ve noticed some players dither on the greens and say you go if your ready when its their turn. They then gain an advantage of seeing the pace and break of others putts .

If I thought a player was delaying deliberately for this reason I’d decline any offer to putt first.

Not dissimilar thing happened today to me…player putted from distance and went about 20” past. He then proceeded to walk very slowly towards his ball. I mentioned out loud to the other two in our group that he was walking this slow in the hope that we’d get fed up waiting for him and just give him the putt and knock it away. I didn’t concede him the putt

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Ready golf has made this largely irrelevant hasn't it? If you are ready, putt. Simple.

Old school, I was told those off the green go first, then it's furthest away next. As I never play matchplay, none of this is relevant any more to me. Just get on with it.

As to gauging the pace of the green, how does anyone else know how hard someone else has hit it? If me, I could have hit it too hard, too softly . Play your own game, don't over think what anyone else is doing.

 

[rulefan]

Strokeplay. If you are ready first play it first.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Ready golf has made this largely irrelevant hasn't it? If you are ready, putt. Simple.

Old school, I was told those off the green go first, then it's furthest away next. As I never play matchplay, none of this is relevant any more to me. Just get on with it.

As to gauging the pace of the green, how does anyone else know how hard someone else has hit it? If me, I could have hit it too hard, too softly . Play your own game, don't over think what anyone else is doing.

Tbh for longer putts I often manage to read a lot about the pace from another players putt, especially beneficial to me if it’s a long putt with similar slope. I watch the putt and if it’s good I keep the pace of the putt in my minds eye when prepping for my own.

 

[sunshine]

As to gauging the pace of the green, how does anyone else know how hard someone else has hit it?

By using my eyes to watch the speed of the ball

I don’t need to be inside your head

 

[doublebogey7]

Match Play:

• After Both Players Start a Hole. » The ball that is farther from the hole is to be played first. » If the balls are the same distance from the hole or their relative distances are not known, the ball to be played first is decided by agreement or by using a random method.

Stroke Play:
• After All Players Have Started a Hole. » The ball that is farthest from the hole should be played first. » If two or more balls are the same distance from the hole or their relative distances are not known, the ball to be played first should be decided by agreement or by using a random method. There is no penalty if a player plays out of turn, except that if two or more players agree to play out of turn to give one of them an advantage and one of them then plays out of turn, each player who made the agreement gets the general penalty (two penalty strokes)

Rule 6.4 a & b
In effect, if its not match play, go in any order. If Match Play furthest away goes first, or the opponent can make you replay the stroke.

You mean "stroke"

Just to add to this, if players play out of turn in Match Play, there is no penalty but the opponent may ask you to replay the shot.

 

[Jigger]

Ready golf aside, we would traditionally default any dispute to furthest away but generally better etiquette would be to allow anyone off the green to go first as that would give them time to change to a putter after their shot.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

By using my eyes to watch the speed of the ball

I don’t need to be inside your head

I've seen so many golfers go second and over or under hit based on the 1st putt that a partner has taken. It's part of the equation, granted, but still to be taken lightly.

 

[Jason.H]

We tend to play ready golf. I’ve noticed this highlights the slow players even more and gives them no incentive whatsoever to keep up. I generally tee off 1st as the others seem to be writing scores ect instead of teeing up, hitting and then go to the scorecard. In comps i,m prompting others to putt as it’s clearly on them. Sometimes gets frustrating when a couple of holes are clear in front.

 

[jim8flog]

With this in mind, I today ordered a small golf rules book to keep in my bag.
Thanks in advance.

Interesting that. Have you ordered a 2023 rules book?

 

[HampshireHog]

Unless the closer ball is in a bunker, or the person furthest away is unable to play their shot in a timely manner I can’t see why you wouldn’t honour distance. One person in our group is a master of the “go if you are ready”, when he is lining his putt up.

If I’m through the green with 20ft to the pin and someone has a 40ft putt I am not coming on if they are in position to play, and I’ve taken my putter with me.

 

[Imurg]

And just to clarify that if someone using Ready Golf is treading all over my line they'll feel the full force of my Superstroke grip.....if you catch my drift..

 

[sunshine]

Interesting that. Have you ordered a 2023 rules book?

I have the R&A app on my phone, no need to worry about rules changes

 

[Jigger]

Ready golf has made this largely irrelevant hasn't it? If you are ready, putt. Simple.

Old school, I was told those off the green go first, then it's furthest away next. As I never play matchplay, none of this is relevant any more to me. Just get on with it.

As to gauging the pace of the green, how does anyone else know how hard someone else has hit it? If me, I could have hit it too hard, too softly . Play your own game, don't over think what anyone else is doing.

this is why in Texas scrambles I like to go early. It’s impossible to accurately judge pace from somebody else’s put.

 

[NearHull]

I’ll watch pp putts and note the speed of the ball, after it is truly rolling end over end, but most importantly I’ll watch the rate of deceleration. I take no notice of the actual stroke of the putter.

 

[garyinderry]

Faxon gave rory a tip to watch his PP putt and try to guess early on if the putt is going to be short, good or long.

It's to try and see if your brain is in-tune with the green speeds.

I think it's a good tip tbf.

 

[Neilds]

And just to clarify that if someone using Ready Golf is treading all over my line they'll feel the full force of my Superstroke grip.....if you catch my drift..

That will be the same line that numerous other players have trampled on before you got to the green?