Interpretation of Rule 14-2

[cougar978]

I have to admit I was ignorant of 14-2 until I played with a guy who plays at Christopher Newport University and let me know that standing behind a player's line while they were putting was illegal. I (and many others) had done it in high school and two years of club-level play in college without having penalties assessed against anyone.

Now that I know it is illegal, I obviously will not line up directly behind anyone in a competition to get a better read, but my big quesiton is, if you're standing off the line of the player's putt when he makes the stroke (say, directly behind him, and not the line), are you still allowed to come up behind the line of play after the ball is in motion, or are you better off staying where you are and observing his putt (and more importantly the break point) from your current position?

[Bo the Golfer]

I believe there is no problem with getting behind the putting line to see the break once the stroke has been made and the ball is in motion. See that happening in tournaments all the time.

[iacas]

Now that I know it is illegal, I obviously will not line up directly behind anyone in a competition to get a better read, but my big quesiton is, if you're standing off the line of the player's putt when he makes the stroke (say, directly behind him, and not the line), are you still allowed to come up behind the line of play after the ball is in motion, or are you better off staying where you are and observing his putt (and more importantly the break point) from your current position?

Several points to make:

a) Moving in to view the line after the player makes the stroke is fine. b) Technically, you can stand on the line of anyone so long as they're not your partner (or, if you're caddying, if they're your player or his partner). c) Despite b, it's a breach of etiquette, but how close you are changes the severity of the breach.

[MrKadash]

Can't add anything that hasn't been covered above. However, if you were smart, you would walk behind the line as soon as the ball of your competitor was struck to get the break.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I always knew this was a rule, but ive never had much use for reading other players lines on the putting green. You dont know how solidly they struck the ball, or if the speed was correct. The only thing im really interested in most of the time is what the ball does 12 inches around the hole, and you could read that from anywhere.

Though i will admit, i will sort of stand behind better players on approach shots to see where they start the ball. But im not invasive with it or anything.

[iacas]

I always knew this was a rule, but ive never had much use for reading other players lines on the putting green. You dont know how solidly they struck the ball, or if the speed was correct. The only thing im really interested in most of the time is what the ball does 12 inches around the hole, and you could read that from anywhere.

Ditto. I don't much care either. I can mark spots on the green as the ball rolls over them if I really want to see where someone hit a putt anyway - but I rarely do. If I'm off to the side a little and want to pay attention, again, that five or ten feet I might step sideways doesn't gain me any additional usable information. Might even be worse for me since I'm moving... better to just stand still, to the side, and observe.

[msd3075]

Ditto. I don't much care either. I can mark spots on the green as the ball rolls over them if I really want to see where someone hit a putt anyway - but I rarely do. If I'm off to the side a little and want to pay attention, again, that five or ten feet I might step sideways doesn't gain me any additional usable information. Might even be worse for me since I'm moving... better to just stand still, to the side, and observe.

The one exception I can think of where it might be advantageous to see another player's line is when you aren't sure which way the ball is going to move. If my mind is telling me it's straight but my gut is telling me it's moving quite a bit to the right, it most definitely helps to watch someone else's ball.

[Fourputt]

Like others have said, there are times when I really want to see the last few feet, and for that it's not that hard to step up near the line after the ball is struck. But mostly I'm better off just reading the putt for myself. My inner calculator seems to do a better job of matching the speed and the break if I just do it myself.

[billm408]

The only thing im really interested in most of the time is what the ball does 12 inches around the hole, and you could read that from anywhere.

This.

Although if you're that interested, you can stand on the line on the opposite side of the hole. Personally, I've never found it to be much help.

[DavidFehertysBike]

This.

Its useful to me. Those 12 inches determine how the ball falls into the cup.

[Ignorant]

This.

This is equally a breach of etiquette, so one should not do that.

From the RoG, section Etiquette: 'Consideration for Other Players No Disturbance or Distraction ... Players should not stand close to or directly behind the ball, or directly behind the hole, when a player is about to play.' Although, the term 'breach of etiquette' is somewhat disputable as etiquette does not require a player to do or not to do anything but merely suggests ('should'). In any case, a decent golfer rigorously obeys etiquette so standing behind the hole is not to be advised.

[FHopper]

Think Pool, stand in a player's line of vision while he is shooting and you might end up in the parking lot.

[Nyper]

I think this has already been cleared up... but for what it's worth, here is Rule 14-2.

14-2. Assistance
In making a stroke, a player must not:

a. Accept physical assistance or protection from the elements; or
b. Allow his caddie, his partner or his partner's caddie to position himself on or close to an extension of the line of play or the line of putt behind the ball .

"Partner" isn't the same as someone you're playing against . In a normal stroke play singles tournament, there is no penalty for standing down the line of a competitor's put and watching - it's just rude. :)

[plugged]

OK, I understand the rule, but I don't understand the purpose for the rule. What can a player gain by having his playing partner simply standing behind him?

[Phil McGleno]

Already been discussed. Easier to not only see the line the ball starts on but also easier to line your partner up and so on.

Maybe you think they're small advantages, but they're advantages.

[plugged]

Easier to not only see the line the ball starts on but also easier to line your partner up and so on.

How is this an advantage unless you're playing a scramble?

Plus, how do you line your partner up just by standing behind him? Wouldn't you have to give him some cues, like "hey, dummy, where the **** are you aiming"?

[Ignorant]

How is this an advantage unless you're playing a scramble?

I sometimes (well, quite often...) wonder the purpose behind a Rule and I honestly want to understand those in order to understand the game itself better. However silly a Rule may seem there is a lot of thinking, knowledge and purpose behind them.

Yet, it is clear that the Rules will develop further. Latest Book of Decisions contains 30 new and 49 revised Decisions and only single one withdrawn. So the Lords do take critisism seriously. As far as 14-2 is concerned, one might want to think also about the next putt, not only the one at hand. If a caddie or any other person could position behind the ball during player's putt he might give info about the putt performed thus giving advantage to the player next time. Also it would be possible for that person to interrupt the stroke if he would see an incorrect backswing, alignment or similar. Advantages all the same.