Rule 13: The Putting Green: Your Ball and What You're Allowed to Do
What this is about
The putting green is where you play the ball into the hole. You're allowed to do more there than elsewhere on the course.
What you need to do
- Mark your ball, lift it, and clean it. Then place it back exactly on the same spot.
- Repair damage such as pitch marks (dents from a landing ball) and shoe marks, using your hand, foot, or a pitchfork.
- You may brush sand and loose soil off the green.
- Does your ball or marker move by accident on the green? No penalty, you replace it.
- Is your ball on a wrong green, or does it interfere with your stance or swing? Then you must take relief: drop, without penalty, within one club-length of the nearest point with no interference (Rule 13.1f).
- Improve the green in any other way and it costs two penalty strokes.
Common mistake
Thinking you can remove anything on the green. Pulling out weeds isn't allowed: that's improving your line of play.
Example
Your ball lies on the green with a splash of mud on it. Mark, lift, clean, replace. You may also repair an old pitch mark right next to it.
Practise this rule with real exam questions in the free app.
13.1 Actions allowed or required on putting greens
13.1a When the ball is on the putting green
Your ball is on the putting green as soon as any part of it touches the green. This also applies if it lies on or in something within the edge of the green, for example on a leaf or an obstruction.
13.1b Marking, lifting and cleaning
On the putting green, you may mark, lift, and clean your ball. Then replace it on exactly the same spot.
13.1c Improvements on the putting green
On the putting green, you may:
- Repair damage (pitch marks, shoe damage, tool marks)
- Remove sand and loose soil
- Remove loose impediments
You may not test the surface of the putting green, for example by rolling a ball across it or rubbing your hand over it.
13.1d When the ball or ball-marker moves on the putting green
If you, your caddie, or another player accidentally moves your ball or ball-marker on the putting green, there's no penalty. You replace the ball or marker on its original spot.
If your ball moves due to natural forces such as wind or water, it depends on whether you'd already lifted and replaced it. If you had, replace it on the old spot. If not, you play it from its new spot.
13.1e Deliberately not holing putts
A player must not deliberately agree not to hole a putt. In match play, players may concede a putt or hole to each other. In stroke play, the ball must always be holed out.
13.1f Wrong green
If your ball lies on a green other than the one for the hole you're playing, you may not play it from there. There's also interference if that green is in the way of your stance or swing. You must take free relief: find the nearest point of complete relief in the same area of the course and drop within one club-length of it, not nearer the hole. If you play from the wrong green anyway, you get the general penalty.
13.2 The flagstick
13.2a Leaving the flagstick in the hole
You may leave the flagstick in the hole while you play. If your ball hits the flagstick and then falls into the hole, it's holed. If it stays outside the hole, you play it as it lies. Hitting the flagstick never costs a penalty, whether it's in the hole or not.
13.2b Removing the flagstick from the hole
You may also have the flagstick removed from the hole before your stroke. Or you can ask someone to attend the flagstick: they hold it and remove it once you've played.
13.2c Ball resting against the flagstick
If your ball rests against the flagstick in the hole, it's holed as soon as any part of the ball is below the surface of the green in the hole. If no part is below the surface, it's not holed. If you then remove the flagstick and the ball moves, there's no penalty and you place the ball on the edge of the hole, even if it then falls in.
13.3 Ball overhanging the hole
If your ball is overhanging the edge of the hole, you may wait a moment. You get a reasonable time to reach the hole, plus another ten seconds. If the ball falls into the hole within that time, it's holed with your previous stroke. If it falls in after that, it's still holed with that stroke, but you get one penalty stroke added.
Practice questions about Rule 13
Your ball lands on the wrong putting green (the green of another hole). What must you do?
Answer: Take free relief: find the nearest point of complete relief off the putting green and drop within 1 club-length
You may not play from a wrong green (Rule 13.1f), otherwise the general penalty applies. Determine the nearest point of complete relief off that green (not nearer the hole) and drop within one club-length, in the same area of the course.
What do you do if you accidentally move your ball-marker on the putting green?
Answer: Replace it on the estimated original spot, no penalty
If you accidentally move your ball-marker, you replace it on the estimated original spot with no penalty.
You're on the green and your putt hits the flagstick standing in the hole. What happens?
Answer: No penalty
Since 2019, there's no penalty if your ball hits the flagstick standing in the hole when played from the green (Rule 13.2a(2)). The stroke simply counts. You decide yourself whether to leave the flagstick in or have it removed.
Your ball lies just next to a wrong green, but you have to stand on it to make your stroke. Do you have to take relief?
Answer: Yes, even if the wrong green interferes with your stance or swing
Yes. You must also take relief if the wrong green interferes with your stance or swing, not just when your ball lies on it (Rule 13.1f). Make sure the green, your stance, and your swing are all clear.
Are you allowed to clean your golf ball on the putting green?
Answer: Yes, always once the ball has been lifted on the putting green
If your ball is on the putting green and you lift it (after marking it), you're always allowed to clean it.