Can a blind golfer get advice from both an aide and a caddie?

Yes, a blind golfer can ask for and get advice from both an aide and a caddie at the same time (Rule 25.2a). The aide helps with stance and aiming too, while the caddie handles clubs. They're treated the same under the rules, with a few key exceptions.

How the aide and caddie work together

A blind player can have one aide and one caddie at the same time. The aide's job is to help you take your stance, line up your shot, and give you advice — things like club selection, reading the green, or confirming yardage. The caddie does the usual caddie things: carries clubs, rakes bunkers, tends the flag. For advice purposes, you can talk to both of them freely. Rule 10.2a normally limits you to one advice-giver, but Rule 25.2a carves out an exception so you can listen to both. For the general rule on when giving advice to another player is prohibited, see What happens if I give advice to another player during a round?.

What the aide can and can't do

The aide can set an object down — like a club on the ground — to show you where to aim or where to put your feet. That's normally a penalty under Rule 10.2b(3), but Rule 25.2c says it's fine for blind players as long as the object is removed before you swing. Leave it there and you get the general penalty. For the full details on this aiming-aid allowance, see Can a blind golfer set down a club to help aim?.

How this differs from the line-of-play exception

Rule 25.2a (advice from both) and Rule 25.2d (aide or caddie on the line of play) are separate modifications. The advice exception lets you consult both people freely. The line-of-play exception lets either one stand behind the ball during the stroke for alignment. They often overlap in practice — your aide might give you a club suggestion, then step onto the line of play to confirm your aim — but they're distinct permissions with different conditions. For the line-of-play rule specifically, see Can a blind golfer's aide stand on the line of play?.

Penalties to watch for

Only one aide at a time. If you have more than one, it's the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play) for each hole where the breach happened — same as having too many caddies under Rule 10.3a(1). For the full details on the one-aide limit and how it interacts with having a caddie, see What happens if a blind player has more than one aide?.

Exceptions that change the answer

• Aide carries or handles clubs beyond guiding, stance, aiming, or courtesy → Player has two caddies and gets the general penalty for each hole where the breach happened (Rule 25.2e, Rule 10.3a(1))
• Player has more than one aide at a time → General penalty for each hole where the breach happened (Rule 25.2b)
• Object set down for aiming or stance is not removed before the stroke → General penalty under Rule 10.2b(3) as modified by Rule 25.2c

Frequently asked questions

Can my aide tell me which club to hit while my caddie reads the green?

Yes. Rule 25.2a explicitly allows you to ask for and get advice from both your aide and your caddie at the same time. That's the whole point of the modification to Rule 10.2a.

Does my aide count as a caddie for other rules?

An aide has the same status as a caddie under Rule 10.3, with the exceptions in Rule 25.2e. So things like standing behind you, marking your ball, or attending the flag are treated the same — but they can't carry clubs like a caddie unless they're also your caddie.

Can my aide put a club on the ground to show me where to aim?

Yes, Rule 25.2c allows the aide (or caddie) to set an object down to help with aiming or stance. But it must be removed before you make the stroke, or you get the general penalty.

What happens if my aide carries my bag for a few holes?

If you have a separate caddie and the aide carries or handles clubs outside the allowed exceptions (guiding, stance, aiming, courtesy), you're treated as having two caddies. That's the general penalty for each hole where it happens.

Can I have two aides if one just watches?

No. Rule 25.2b says you may have only one aide at a time. More than one means the general penalty for each hole where the breach occurred, just like having too many caddies.