Hi Linda,
My partner and I were both on the green. He was looking at a
birdie putt, and I was looking at a par putt, but I was much closer to the hole
than my partner. May I putt first (i.e., out of turn) to ensure a par for us,
so that he could then attack the hole for a birdie?
Many thanks,
Lou from Munich, Germany
Dear Lou,
You most certainly may putt first. When it is your partner’s
turn to putt, the two of you have the option to decide which of you will putt
first. This Rule applies both to match play [Rule 30-3b] and stroke play [Rule
31-4]. After you putt, it will be your partner’s turn to putt, since his ball
is still the furthest from the hole.
This is good strategy, and everyone should take advantage of
this option in partner competitions. In addition to allowing your partner to
putt aggressively for a birdie, it may also assist him in reading the green.
Linda
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