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Is it bad etiquette to replace your ball on the green while someone else is lining up their putt?


boil3rmak3r
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Originally Posted by boil3rmak3r

I'm with you on that!

Maybe we can email a suggestion to the "While we're young" campaign folks and suggest the do a commercial featuring this kind of stuff.

Scenario - first guy takes 45 seconds to read his putt and make a stroke. Only after he walks up and taps in his gimme does the second guy replace his ball and start his own 1 minute long green reading and putt prep routine...

They kind of have one on the golf channel: http://www.golfchannel.com/media/pace-of-play-tip-mr-ball-marker-060113/

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Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

They kind of have one on the golf channel: http://www.golfchannel.com/media/pace-of-play-tip-mr-ball-marker-060113/

Not exactly the same thing... marking a tap in is pretty obviously silly -- unless you're Tiger Woods and you don't want the gallery moving to the next tee before others have a chance to putt. :)

Starting an entire green reading routine only when it is your turn to putt is not the same as waiting to place your ball on the green while others are putting. I simply do not buy the argument that keeping my ball out of someone's sight is slowing play.

The fastest play on the greens is for everyone to putt less. As my old and wise buddy said yesterday after, on one green, everyone lagged their 15-40 first putts to within one foot, "That's the way to play fast on the greens -- tap-in two putts."

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I've only been playing a little over a year, no lessons other than from a friend, almost breaking 100.. most of the people I end up playing with are equal or worse at a crowded public course

question:

4 of us on green between 10-20 feet. guy away putts, gets within 3 feet.. he can elect to finish, right?  otherwise he's gonna be marking, someone else probably gonna end up within 3-4 feet, you end up with 4 guys within 3 feet :)

or do you only get to "finish" if it's within tap in range, or do you need permission from the guy away?

the way we seem to always do it, is if you get up there close enough and aren't gonna be standing on someone's line, you finish then go grab the flag and wait while everyone else 3 putts :)

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The type of round being played is probably an important distinction here... If it's the club championship, I won't replace my ball until it's my turn. If it's our Sat/Sun morning choose up, I do this. As for "only saving 30 seconds, that adds up. If three people saved 30 seconds on every green, that would shorten the round by almost 1/2 hour...

[quote name="iacas" url="/t/68302/is-it-bad-etiquette-to-replace-your-ball-on-the-green-while-someone-else-is-lining-up-their-putt#post_865408"]If you're out of sight and remain quiet, go for it. Otherwise, wait. [/quote] I second both of these even if it might be slightly contradicting.

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I've only been playing a little over a year, no lessons other than from a friend, almost breaking 100.. most of the people I end up playing with are equal or worse at a crowded public course question: 4 of us on green between 10-20 feet. guy away putts, gets within 3 feet.. he can elect to finish, right?  otherwise he's gonna be marking, someone else probably gonna end up within 3-4 feet, you end up with 4 guys within 3 feet :) or do you only get to "finish" if it's within tap in range, or do you need permission from the guy away? the way we seem to always do it, is if you get up there close enough and aren't gonna be standing on someone's line, you finish then go grab the flag and wait while everyone else 3 putts :)

Kudos for you guys for doing it the right way. Guys in my group will usually ask, "Do you mind if I finish," as we walk up to our 3' footer. Of course, we never mind it if they can avoid tramping on our line...

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Quote:

question:

4 of us on green between 10-20 feet. guy away putts, gets within 3 feet.. he can elect to finish, right?  otherwise he's gonna be marking, someone else probably gonna end up within 3-4 feet, you end up with 4 guys within 3 feet :)

or do you only get to "finish" if it's within tap in range, or do you need permission from the guy away?

Once you are putting it is your option to finish putting.  Usually it is just how comfortable you are with the putt you left or if you will be standing in someones line.  Another thing to help speed play is to announce while walking up to the putt you just missed if you are resting or marking or finishing

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Originally Posted by Alfa 115

Once you are putting it is your option to finish putting.

Unless it's a match play situation.

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Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I always mark, clean, and re-spot my ball. 'When' I re-spot is directly correlated with the distance to the cup.  I may immediately re-spot the ball as I wait for my turn, and I may mark and wait.  It just depends on how far away I am from the cup...

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Note: This thread is 3913 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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