Help on Marking vs Finishing

[iammpspeer]

What is the etiquette on this? When I'm watching the pro's I see some great putts get within 2 feet or so. It seems somewhat inconsistent as to whether they will mark their ball and wait, or if they finish their putt.

Is their a certain rule or courtesy on when to putt out and when to mark and wait? Or is it completely up to the golfer?

[SQ Bimmer]

Unless the putt is close enough to where you're going to walk up and tap it in quickly, you should mark it and let the person farthest out take their turn. If you are going to spend any time lining up, practice swings, etc, you should mark.

[Shindig]

I used to have a bad habit of "finishing" everything inside of 5 feet. Not only did it take longer, but I risked stepping on people's lines. Then I felt rushed or would set up poorly for such a putt.

Unless it's literally a tap-in, mark and wait. You'll save time and strokes. Try to read it while others putt.

[Dub]

Unless the putt is close enough to where you're going to walk up and tap it in quickly, you should mark it and let the person farthest out take their turn. If you are going to spend any time lining up, practice swings, etc, you should mark.

That sounds like solid advice!

[DBeane]

It is up to the player whether or not to finish out. You mentioned 2 feet, on tour a 2 footer can be worth 100K or so, so its understandable that they may want to take a 2nd look at it if they are not sure.

However, in normal day to day play, putt it out. I am not one of those guys that perpetually gripes about slow play, but there is nothing more annoying that watching someone mark a 2 foot putt for double.

-Beane

[sacm3bill]

However, in normal day to day play, putt it out. I am not one of those guys that perpetually gripes about slow play, but there is nothing more annoying that watching someone mark a 2 foot putt for double.

Respectfully, I think you should try not to be annoyed in that situation: Saving double on a hole might mean the difference between breaking 90 or not, which is a big deal to a 17 'capper like me.

Now if it's marking a putt, of any distance, for a *10* say... then I agree with you. (I.e., I take your point, just think you used a bad example.)

[leezer99]

It's players like the ones above that cause five hour rounds. Finish out and get to the next tee box so that the next group can hit up sooner. It drives me INSANE when a 15+ handicaper marks a two foot putt instead of just finishing up. You're much more likely to be a 15+ handicaper because of your iron play than your putting.

[zeg]

It's players like the ones above that cause five hour rounds. Finish out and get to the next tee box so that the next group can hit up sooner. It drives me INSANE when a 15+ handicaper marks a two foot putt instead of just finishing up. You're much more likely to be a 15+ handicaper because of your iron play than your putting.

I dunno, for me rushing to finish a short putt that I'm not sure about ends up taking more time than marking would since I'd be more likely to make the putt. Not every two foot putt is a gimme, especially when you feel like you have to hurry and be nonchalant at the same time.

I find it amusing that everything that bothers someone is the reason for "five hour rounds." Marking a putt doesn't take that long. Marking, then taking a long time to replace and line up might, but that's different. Once you've marked you can be doing all the work you need to do while the others are putting. Then when you're up again, you just replace and putt. I'm pretty sure that the extra 30 seconds per hole doesn't add up to an hour per round.... So I say if you're confident that you can just tap in the putt, do it. If you need to line it up, mark and let someone else be putting while you're reading the line. That will save more time than hurriedly missing a couple borderline "gimme" putts.

[sacm3bill]

It's players like the ones above that cause five hour rounds...

Zeg responded to that idiotic statement much more diplomatically than I possibly could, so I'll leave it at that.