Putting Etiquette

[cometgolfer]

Does anyone know what the accepted practice is for standing on the "thru-line" of another players putt? Not that this has much bearing for casual weekend play but I'd like to understand how it would be applied to tournament play.

Is it merely ensuring that you don't stand on or near an opponents "comeback putt line" should he run the first putt 2 or 3 feet past the hole?

CG

[Matt]

Two things: It's generally accepted that you shouldn't be standing in sight of the player putting. Stand either behind them or in front of them, not on the line of the putt. Second, you don't want to be standing on the line past the hole where the player may be putting a come-back putt.

[cometgolfer]

Matt,

Thanks.... any idea if there's a rule of thumb as to how far past the hole you worry about the comeback line (i.e. do you extend a 3 or 4 foot length on the "imaginary thru-line")?

CG

[Matt]

I wouldn't stand anywhere on the through-line (behind the hole). Just stand behind or front of the player.

[Yoda]

I wouldn't stand anywhere on the through-line (behind the hole). Just stand behind or front of the player.

Matt Sluzinski won our inaugural 2004 Homer Kelley Award and was recognized as an outstanding junior golfer utilizing Mr. Kelley's concepts to build his game. He received his award in April of that year at our Secrets of The Golfing Machine Workshop conducted at the PGA TOUR Academy in St. Augustine, Florida.

At the time, Matt was a high school senior on his way to the University of Minnesota. A true student of TGM, he later wrote PGA TOUR player Grant Waite (also a student of TGM) asking for a caddy gig when the TOUR came to his home town of Milwaukee. He got the job!

Matt knows his TGM. He also knows the unwritten 'rules of the game' on the professional tours. And 'initiative' is his middle name. So, when he writes....

Listen!



P.S. Still got that U of M coffee mug, Matt. Here's to you!

[Matt]

Thanks Lynn. I haven't been full-bore into golf lately but will try to get back into the swing of things as the season gets going.

2004 was certainly a fun year!