Practice Putting

[gripmyshaft]

Theres a rule thats got me totally confused, wondered if anyone can put light on it.

"In strokeplay, a player is not permitted to practice on the competition course before the competition or test the surface of any putting green unless permitted to do so by the committee in the conditions of competition." - ok fine, self explanatory

"During the round, a player is not permitted to play a practice stroke either during the play of a hole or between play of two holes, except that, between the play of two holes, the player may practice putting or chipping on or near:

the putting green of the last hole played,
any practice putting green, or,
the tee of the next hole to be played"

Now forgive me if i'm wrong but that to me says, during stroke play after I have holed out on, say, hole 12, I can drop a ball on the 12th green and hit a few putts, pick up my ball, go to the 13th, tee it up and not be penalised for practicing on the course?

This one has got me in trouble years ago - I had read this rule as above, hit a few putts mid round, moved on and been challenged by playing partners for mid round practice. I swore blind you were able, if there were no conditions of competition or the conditions of competition contained no exceptions to this rule, to do this without penalty. I got DQ'd for it after a committee decision and never looked into it further, I assumed I'd made a silly mistake, learned from it and never did it again.

According to this rule I was perfectly entitled to do so??

Any thoughts?

[BigJim]

I'm pretty certain that you're allowed to practise on a green after everybody has holed out.....

[Vince Baby]

I'm pretty certain that you're allowed to practise on a green after everybody has holed out.....

No. 

You can in matchplay, not in strokeplay. (As far as I understand it)

[gripmyshaft]

No.  

You can in matchplay, not in strokeplay. (As far as I understand it)

Rule above states you can though?

See here for reference...

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules%20and%20Amateur%20Status/Rules%20of%20Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=7&subRuleNum=2

[liyxapt]

The rules state that you can practice putt in strokeplay after people have holed out. The rule that you can't is a tour rule and not a rule of the game.

[Vince Baby]

The rules state that you can practice putt in strokeplay after people have holed out. The rule that you can't is a tour rule and not a rule of the game.

That would make sense, rather like the rules on one type of ball rule the pros have to play by.

I sit corrected. 

[CapnAhab]

The rules state that you can practice putt in strokeplay after people have holed out. The rule that you can't is a tour rule and not a rule of the game.

+1

That is my understanding too.  You can practice putt on the green last played provided it does not unduly delay play - whether it be match play or stroke play.

HOWEVER, under Rule 33-1 The Committee may make it a condition of the competition that you cannot do this - breach of this rule is then loss of hole in match play and 2-stroke penalty in stroke play.  In stroke play, if you breach this rule but don't put down the 2-shot penalty (on the next hole to the one played / practised on) and sign your card (which is then incorrect) a DQ would follow.

Interestingly, Rule 7-2 would appear to allow me (as I walk from our 9th green to 10th tee) to drop a ball on our practice putting green and hit a few putts!  Like to see my opponents face - could be a good matchplay tactic, hehe.

[Dick in Shorts]

I think most players would NOT practice putts in strokeplay - as they are very likely to fall foul of the rule about unduly delaying play - either holding up the group behind - or delaying the teeing off at the next hole

[gripmyshaft]

I'm going to do it all the time, like I used to. It's very easy not to hold up play and re hit a putt, just need to be swift about it.

Must check the conditions of competition first though!

[Vince Baby]

I'm going to do it all the time, like I used to. It's very easy not to hold up play and re hit a putt, just need to be swift about it.

Must check the conditions of competition first though!

Must admit I wouldn't feel comfortable about it.... 

Too close to a mulligan... 

[Dick in Shorts]

Anyway - it's almost a waste of time - having hit your first putt on either the wrong line or at the wrong pace - or both - it's always going to be much easier to play the putt again.
Can't really see what benefit there is to paracticing putting on a completed hole

[gripmyshaft]

Anyway - it's almost a waste of time - having hit your first putt on either the wrong line or at the wrong pace - or both - it's always going to be much easier to play the putt again.
Can't really see what benefit there is to paracticing putting on a completed hole

There is huge value to being able to hit a few putts....

- more chance to find some feel in your stroke
- better idea of why you missed your putt (misread or bad stroke)
- closure over a bad putt
- positive reinforcement that you're stroke is good
- better feel for the greens (providing they are all similar in pace)
- relaxes you for your next putt

I can think of many more reasons, but I'll not bore you

[ask3l]

There is huge value to being able to hit a few putts....

- more chance to find some feel in your stroke
- better idea of why you missed your putt (misread or bad stroke)
- closure over a bad putt
- positive reinforcement that you're stroke is good
- better feel for the greens (providing they are all similar in pace)
- relaxes you for your next putt

I can think of many more reasons, but I'll not bore you

In all fairness to Dick, in the spirit of many posts here he said it in a vague, positive, non commital way. "Anyway - it's almost a waste of time" 

[gripmyshaft]

Yeh these things are always personal too, works for me, might be a waste of time for others!

But then again, I'm an exceptional putter and I need to be, because I can be exceptionally wide off the tee! 

[Dick in Shorts]

Yeh these things are always personal too, works for me, might be a waste of time for others!

But then again, I'm an exceptional putter and I need to be, because I can be exceptionally wide off the tee! 

perhaps you need a different shaft in your driver