What is putting in golf? Rules and common mistakes
What is a putt in golf?
A putt is any stroke made from the putting green with the intention of rolling the ball toward the hole. It differs from other strokes in that it uses the putter — the no-loft club designed to roll the ball along the surface — and is played from within the bounds of the green.
Distance doesn't matter: if you play the stroke from the green with a putter, it counts as a putt. If you play toward the hole from off the green (a chip and run, for example), it is not a putt even if the ball rolls. This matters in stableford scoring and stats, where putts are counted separately.
The most important rule when putting: the flagstick
Since the 2019 rule revision, you can leave the flagstick in while putting without penalty even if the ball strikes it.
Before 2019 it was the opposite: hitting the flagstick from the green carried a 2-stroke penalty in stroke play. It was the rule that generated the most arguments and was most frequently misapplied on courses.
Your options when putting:
- Leave the flagstick in and putt
- Ask someone to attend the flagstick and remove it as the ball rolls toward the hole
- Remove the flagstick from the hole before playing
What you cannot do: ask for the flagstick to stay in and then change your mind once the ball is rolling.
Order of play on the green
The player farthest from the hole putts first. This is the standard in stroke play and stableford.
In stroke play, you can use Ready Golf: putt as soon as you are ready even if it is not strictly your turn, provided everyone in the group agrees. It keeps pace of play moving without any rules consequences.
In match play the order carries more weight. If you putt out of turn and your opponent requires it, you may have to replay the stroke — no penalty stroke, but you lose the information of having seen how the ball rolled on that line.
Marking your ball: always before lifting it
Whenever you lift your ball from the green, you must mark it first. The marker (a coin or ball marker) is placed directly behind the ball, never to the side or in front. Lifting without marking = 1 stroke penalty.
Exception: if your ball interferes with another player's stroke or line of putt, that player may ask you to mark it. You are required to do so.
Once marked and lifted, you may only clean the ball — not substitute it — and must replace it in exactly the same spot.
The line of putt: what you cannot touch
The line of putt is the imaginary path between your ball and the hole, plus a reasonable area beyond the hole. Specific restrictions apply to it:
You cannot:
- Touch it with your club before putting to indicate direction or feel the lie
- Intentionally step on it to flatten the grass
- Use your club, feet, or any object to improve its surface
You can:
- Repair any damage on the line caused by a hand or a club (ball marks, spike marks, accidental damage) — since 2019 this includes any damage from human causes
- Point along the line with your club in the air without touching the ground
- Remove loose impediments (leaves, twigs, insects) on the line
Gimmies: only in match play
Gimmies — the concession of a putt without the player having to play it — only exist in match play. In stroke play and stableford there are no gimmies: every stroke must be played and counted.
In match play, your opponent can concede the putt at any point before you play the stroke. Once conceded, it cannot be withdrawn. You are not obligated to accept it: if your opponent concedes but you choose to putt anyway, that stroke does not count on the scorecard.
Penalties when putting
| Situation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Lifting the ball from the green without marking it first | 1 stroke |
| Replacing the ball in the wrong spot | 2 strokes |
| Putting from the wrong green | 2 strokes + replay from the correct green |
| Marking the ball incorrectly (to the side instead of behind) | 1 stroke |
| Intentionally touching the line of putt with the club | 2 strokes |
| Putting out of turn in match play (if opponent requires replay) | Replay the stroke (no penalty stroke) |