[Mark Manuel]

I have been stewing on this one for a few weeks.  Standing on the 18th tee at Tobacco Road and waiting for the 16th green to clear my group watched four players putt out.  The pin was back and one gentleman who I don't think could have broken 110 four or five putted the hole.  As he was done he took his putter, it looked like an old Ping Anser, and swirled it in the cup to get the ball and avoid bending over. 

Fully admit that I said "Oh no" loud enough for the four of them to look up at us as we waited.  They seemed a little bit put out by this comment.

My question to the group, is it appropriate to say something to someone in that setting?  At a home club I can see reporting it to the Pro, but what to you do at a public course like Tobacco Road?  I probably did not handle it appropriately, but felt the need to say something as we were the first group out for the day and can only imagine the multiple groups coming through and wondering what happened to the cups.  Do Superintendents care about this?

Look forward to everyone's thoughts.

[Greg Chambers]

Of course you should say something.  It's not only extremely lazy, but it's also destructive.  People need to be told when they're acting like idiots.

It takes time and effort to set up the course every day.  The least a golfer can do is take the time and effort to remove his ball from the cup with his hand and not his putter.  Unless, of course, they're playing behind Sergio Garcia

And yes, I am a superintendent.

[Adam Clayman]

The average golfer (U.S.) is clueless to this exact etiquette and is unaware that damage could occur. Let alone care.

[Richard Hetzel]

I told a guy in our small group to stop doing this while in Myrtle Beach a few weeks ago. His reply, after looking at me like I was crazy, was that it was too tough physically (he is 39 btw) to bend over to retrieve his ball. I told him to purchase one of those silly looking rubber suction thingys for the end of his putter to get the ball out. He banged up the side of the cup each and every time. Aside from damaging the hole itself, I couldn't fathom using one of my custom Byrons, C&L or even my lowly Scotty Cameron in this manner!

[Greg Chambers]

So it's too difficult to bend over to pick your ball out, then it should also be too difficult to stick a peg in the ground.  It's just laziness, pure and simple.

[Richard Hetzel]

So it's too difficult to bend over to pick your ball out, then it should also be too difficult to stick a peg in the ground.  It's just laziness, pure and simple.

BTW, we place this individual on golf time out for extended periods (last one was 2years) in between golf rounds!

[Brian Noser]

I use the little suction cup on the end of my putter to avoid that type of harrasment on the course.....  

But really,  could you tell there was damage to the hole? I have seen it done with no damage to the cup. Is it Lazy yes, poor etiquette, but those are your average golfers for you,  probally riding in a cart as well... I would not have said anything unless it was my home course.

[Chuck Brown]

I've seen tour pros do this, with some frequency, always on putting greens, and never on a tournament course.

Here's the thing; if you know how to do it, it is not too hard to avoid any damage to the surrounding hole.  And those guys know how to do it.  An Anser-type putter, and partucularly one with a plumber's neck, helps.  In fact, until Karsten Solheim cam out with the Anser, I hardly ever remember anyone doing it.

Query; if you're not already expert at it, how do you get to be an expert?  How many cups to you get to mess up, learning how to do it?  I have no good answer to that.  So in the end; yeah, I'd lilke to see no one doing this.  But personally, I'd yell at somebody only for damage done to a hole; not for the act itself.

[Richard Hetzel]

I use the little suction cup on the end of my putter to avoid that type of harrasment on the course.....  

But really,  could you tell there was damage to the hole? I have seen it done with no damage to the cup. Is it Lazy yes, poor etiquette, but those are your average golfers for you,  probally riding in a cart as well... I would not have said anything unless it was my home course.

Brian, Absolutely, in fact I repaired it each and every time! He did not even take care while doing it, he just slammed it in and got his ball out. I bet he didn't even notice it. I hate playing golf with the guy due to his inability to respect the game in all areas.

[Brian Noser]

I use the little suction cup on the end of my putter to avoid that type of harrasment on the course.....  

But really,  could you tell there was damage to the hole? I have seen it done with no damage to the cup. Is it Lazy yes, poor etiquette, but those are your average golfers for you,  probally riding in a cart as well... I would not have said anything unless it was my home course.

Brian, Absolutely, in fact I repaired it each and every time! He did not even take care while doing it, he just slammed it in and got his ball out. I bet he didn't even notice it. I hate playing golf with the guy due to his inability to respect the game in all areas.

Well then that is Different, if you see the damage then Yes you say something. However Mark made no mention of the damage. He was not in his group, Guy could have been a Tour Pro at the swirly....

[RSLivingston_III]

It is unfortunate that society has changed so much that you can no longer make any suggestions to people about correcting etiquette or habits distructive to our playing fields.

[Thomas McQuillan]

I have found particular sucess doing this with my zing putter, although my personal favourite is to whip the flag out of the hole, taking the ball with it after holing out from off the green.

[Ronald Montesano]

Thomas,

I'll go you one better...I rip the entire sleeve out of the hole with my putter or with the flag...now that's fun!!!

I agree that if damage is being done, it's ok to tell the d-b that he is damaging the course...however,

I like to pull the ball out like that and take extra care to avoid damaging the hole...I don't do it all the time, but sometimes ....


I live on the edge (like using four periods in an ellipsis...)

[Robert Emmons]

We had a past green chairman who always did it...made me want to scream.....RHE

[Andy Troeger]

When I was coaching high school golf, an elderly gentleman came over to me on the practice green to inform me that one of my players had used her putter to remove the ball from the hole. Keep in mind that these were shallow cups on the practice green, so the likelihood of damage was pretty small. That said, it was not a habit that I wanted to see continue or spread to other players so I thanked the man for his comment and made note to inform the entire team that this was not acceptable moving forward.

However...for whatever reason the guy just couldn't leave the thing alone and started to lecture me about the damage that could be done--which I already understood/agreed with. I have to assume he didn't believe I planned to address the issue, but by the time he repeated himself for the fourth time it became insulting to the girls (who could hear the exchange) and to me and I finally let him have it  

The girls played their best match of the year, and I never had to address this particular issue again :-)

So I do think its reasonable to say something once, either to the person themselves or to the pro. But be reasonable about it...

[Steve Lang]

 


Q.
Dear Mr. Golf Etiquette,
Is it a breach of etiquette to remove your ball from the hole with your putter?
Dave


A.
Dear Dave,
Yes it is definitely a breach of etiquette to pull the ball from the hole using the head of your putter. There is a high likelihood that you will damage the hole and make it more difficult for those behind you to putt. That is one of those practices that looks cool when it is being done, but it is very bad form.

The only exception to the rule is if you are over 90 years old and you have one of those suction things on the end of your grip to take the ball out because you cannot bend over and pick it up - and everyone in your group is older than you so they can't get it for you.

where is it in the rules of golf, or formally written down this etiquette stuff?

I'm bad.. seems I have done it all my golfing life, 49 years.. as it helps reduce the doughnut effect and footprints around the hole, which i think is a greater evil on the greens, however the golden rule is if it doesn't come out easily on first try, grab it by hand ..

[Mike Hogan]

We were once the first group off on True Blue in Myrtle Beach and on the first hole one the guys in our group uses his putter and digs into the cup to get his ball out. As he does this he detroys the edge of the cup and removes half of the paint on the inside of the hole. I mentioned something to him (I think I asked him if he needed a suctiion cup for his putter) and gave him a hard time for being lazy. He flips it around and says that he does it all the time and that the edges of the cup were to soft. Needless to say the cup was ruined for the rest of the day for all other groups that followed. Is there any correaltion between people who throw clubs and people who use putter to retieve balls. 

[John Moore II]

I've done this before, back when I didn't know that it could cause damage to the cup. I was told, politely, by a member of my group who worked for the green staff at the particular course that is could cause significant damage to the hole. So I don't do it anymore. And I would tell someone else the same thing.

[Carl Rogers]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

[John Moore II]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

That, I don't agree with. Some people are simply unaware of how to properly act on the course. They are not trying to be destructive, they simply don't know that its destructive. People need to be taught how to act properly, not thrown off the course.

[Sam Morrow]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

That, I don't agree with. Some people are simply unaware of how to properly act on the course. They are not trying to be destructive, they simply don't know that its destructive. People need to be taught how to act properly, not thrown off the course.

If they don't know something as simple as not pulling the ball out of the hole with your putter then they are not yet ready to be on the course.

[John Moore II]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

That, I don't agree with. Some people are simply unaware of how to properly act on the course. They are not trying to be destructive, they simply don't know that its destructive. People need to be taught how to act properly, not thrown off the course.

If they don't know something as simple as not pulling the ball out of the hole with your putter then they are not yet ready to be on the course.

I'd been playing golf for 4 years when someone told me about it, though I didn't do it all that often. Does that mean that after 4 years and being able to shoot under par fairly regularly that I wasn't ready to be on the course? I think not. Sometimes you just don't know. It seemed like a good idea to me.

[Sam Morrow]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

That, I don't agree with. Some people are simply unaware of how to properly act on the course. They are not trying to be destructive, they simply don't know that its destructive. People need to be taught how to act properly, not thrown off the course.

If they don't know something as simple as not pulling the ball out of the hole with your putter then they are not yet ready to be on the course.

I'd been playing golf for 4 years when someone told me about it, though I didn't do it all that often. Does that mean that after 4 years and being able to shoot under par fairly regularly that I wasn't ready to be on the course? I think not. Sometimes you just don't know. It seemed like a good idea to me.

What you shoot doesn't matter, if you don't know how to conduct yourself on the course then you shouldn't be out there.

[John Moore II]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

That, I don't agree with. Some people are simply unaware of how to properly act on the course. They are not trying to be destructive, they simply don't know that its destructive. People need to be taught how to act properly, not thrown off the course.

If they don't know something as simple as not pulling the ball out of the hole with your putter then they are not yet ready to be on the course.

I'd been playing golf for 4 years when someone told me about it, though I didn't do it all that often. Does that mean that after 4 years and being able to shoot under par fairly regularly that I wasn't ready to be on the course? I think not. Sometimes you just don't know. It seemed like a good idea to me.

What you shoot doesn't matter, if you don't know how to conduct yourself on the course then you shouldn't be out there.

Thanks for telling me that. I'll take your opinion to heart 

[Sam Morrow]

The move is ULTRA BUSH LEAGUE, and the individual should be removed from the course immediately!!  Golf is a priviledge.

That, I don't agree with. Some people are simply unaware of how to properly act on the course. They are not trying to be destructive, they simply don't know that its destructive. People need to be taught how to act properly, not thrown off the course.

If they don't know something as simple as not pulling the ball out of the hole with your putter then they are not yet ready to be on the course.

I'd been playing golf for 4 years when someone told me about it, though I didn't do it all that often. Does that mean that after 4 years and being able to shoot under par fairly regularly that I wasn't ready to be on the course? I think not. Sometimes you just don't know. It seemed like a good idea to me.

What you shoot doesn't matter, if you don't know how to conduct yourself on the course then you shouldn't be out there.

Thanks for telling me that. I'll take your opinion to heart 

You've talked about being a teacher, don't you take the time to teach your new students basic things like that?

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