Hughie Thomas emailed me to ask: “Is it illegal for an opponent to stand behind a player while they are putting in order to see the break of the putt?”
He adds: “My question was triggered by one of my opponents in our group standing behind me to try and get the line on my putt. I stood up straight and motioned him away from behind me and I even commented to him, ‘Not only is it illegal, but it is rude.’ He responded with ‘It is not illegal, I checked.’
Rules of Golf explained: Our expert says…
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Hughie but, though it might feel wrong, there is nothing in the Rules to stop a fellow competitor, or opponent, standing wherever they like – even if that means they’re behind you tracking the exact line of your putt.
Rule 10.2b (4), which covers the restrictions on a caddie standing behind a player, only extends to partners, team players and their bag carriers under Rules 22, 23 and 24.
Rule 1.2a, which looks at standards of player conduct, expects all players to “play in the spirit of the game” and one of the examples given is not distracting the play of another player.
Even then there is no penalty under the Rules for failing to act in this way.
A referee friend of mine suggests an avenue would be to use a Code of Conduct. It could legislate for “being disrespectful of other players” but only insofar as penalising a distracting player for refusing to move when asked. But there’s nothing that actually stops them standing there in the first place.
— Read on www.nationalclubgolfer.com/news/rules-of-golf-explained-stand-behind-opponent-putt/
I recommend you to read this great article ☝🏻
Shop online
Discover more of Golf here
BE FIRST BE INTELLIGENT – Follow the latest news
We inform you about Health | Fashion | Travel | Golf | International Business
Kind regards
Eco. Lassi Pensikkala
Founder of Amer Experience
AmerExperience.com | Created at The Pacific Coast of Americas
Studied Economy, Psychology and Sociology at the University of Hamburg Germany. I speak English, German, Spanish, Swedish and Finnish
[ Microblogs – Short but powerful ]
AmerExperience.com/Golf
About the author
Lassi Pensikkala — With three decades in the travel industry, Lassi has worked as a professional travel guide, destination management entrepreneur, and international travel consultant, serving 700+ B2B clients from 55 countries. His experience spans global mega-events (Formula 1, football world championships, international trade fairs, and congresses) as well as incentives, themed group tours, and tailor-made cultural journeys. This expertise was built over 20+ years as the founder and operator of a destination management company in Germany. He is the author of 37 Europe travel guides, 60 USA destination guides, and a growing collection of world guides on AmerExperience.com.
Learn more Be kind share this post with:
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
By Economist Lassi Pensikkala | International Business Developer | Multilingual communicator | Connecting ideas, people & opportunities across borders | Founder of AmerExperience & Seguros Amer® |
Lassi Pensikkala is the creator of AmerExperience.com, founder of SegurosAmer.com, and an international business developer with over four decades of global experience. Hailing from Finland, Lassi has lived and worked across Europe and Latin America, driven by a deep curiosity for cultures, languages, and meaningful human connection.
He writes regularly, offering thought leadership on topics such as travel, golf, and international cross-cultural business. You can follow his work on Telegram, connect with him on LinkedIn, or read his articles and updates via Google News, Flipboard, and other social media platforms.
⸻
Expertise
• International Business Development
• Creator of AmerExperience.com and SegurosAmer.com
• Strategic consulting for cross-border ventures
• Avid golfer and advocate for golf psychology
⸻
Education
Lassi studied Foreign Trade at the Business College of Turku, Finland, and later graduated as economist MSc (Econ) from the University of Hamburg, Germany, where he also pursued studies in Psychology and Sociology.
⸻
Language skills
Multilingual in English, German, Spanish, Swedish, and Finnish
⸻
Life philosophy
“Live freely, seek knowledge, and be open to the richness of life’s experiences.”
Lassi’s passion for exploration started early. Growing up during the golden era of Rock’n Roll, student movements, and the first moon landing, he experienced the unique Nordic freedom of crossing borders without passports — a freedom that still inspires his global lifestyle today.
For him, true freedom means exploring new lands, embracing diverse cultures, and forming real connections with people around the world.
View all of Economist Lassi Pensikkala | International Business Developer | Multilingual communicator | Connecting ideas, people & opportunities across borders | Founder of AmerExperience & Seguros Amer® |'s posts.
