Can I hold a golf umbrella while putting?
Getting soaked on the greens? Our Rules of Golf expert outlines what you can and can’t do with a brolly
Ah, the good old British weather. One minute it’s scorching, the next it’s absolutely tipping down. And getting caught in a downpour on the course led Dave McGinlay to email me the following question about the humble golf umbrella…
“Playing a casual round the other day, it started raining as we were walking to the green. One of our players had hit his approach shot to about six inches.
“He walked up to his ball with his umbrella in one hand and his putter in the other and proceeded to putt one-handed while holding the brolly aloft to keep himself dry. This led to long discussion. Would this be allowed in a competition?”
Can you wield your golf umbrella in this way, or are you going to come a cropper? Let’s reveal all…
Golf umbrella rules: Can you hold an umbrella and putt?
Yes, it’s fine. Rule 10.2b (5) allows a player to hold an umbrella over their head while making a stroke.
Where it becomes a problem is if someone else is holding the brolly.
If a caddie, or any other person, was to hold the umbrella over the player’s head while they putted – or deliberately position it in any other way to give protection – it’s an action that’s going to come with the general penalty attached.
That’s two strokes, or loss of hole in match play – quite a sanction to keep a few rain drops off for a couple of seconds.
If you read this rule, it goes a bit wider than just a small shower. It covers sun, wind, or any other element and any object or person that could give protection. So while you can shield yourself against the vagaries of Mother Nature, don’t let anyone else get involved when you’re making a stroke.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
