Can my caddie place and line up my ball on the green?
There is not much a caddie doesn’t help their player with – but what about when it comes to the green? Our Rules of Golf expert dives in
Is there anything a player won’t get their caddie to do?
That sentiment might just behind this email from Roy Barnes, who asks: “Are caddies allowed to place and line up the ball for the player – some balls have a line marked on them – before the player takes their putt?”
What’s the score then when it comes to what a looper can do with a player’s ball? Let’s delve into the Rule Book once again…
Caddie golf rule: What can your looper do on the green?
Rule 14.1b says a player’s ball may be lifted under the Rules only by the player or “anyone the player authorises” – with the caveat that this is given each time before the ball is lifted.
There is an exception to that, though, which states, that a caddie doesn’t need permission when their player’s ball is on the green, or “it is reasonable to conclude (such as from an action or statement) that the player will take relief under a Rule”.
This was first introduced during the 2019 rule changes, when the USGA said of the alteration: “In many places, it was (and is) common practice for caddies to mark, lift, clean and replace the player’s ball when it first came to rest on the putting green without authorisation from the player, even though this was not permitted under the previous rules.
“Giving the caddie this authority is consistent with the limited role of a caddie.”
Back to Roy’s question, though, you still need to be careful.
Rule 14.2b says the ball must be replaced only by the player, or “any person who lifted the ball or who caused it to move”.
If the player plays a ball that was replaced by someone who wasn’t allowed to do so, they get a penalty stroke. So the player can’t lift the ball, chuck it to their caddie for cleaning, and then let them replace it.
The caddie can replace the ball only if they were the one who lifted or moved it.
When it comes to aligning, the rules are only concerned about location when replacing a lifted ball on a spot.
There’s a clarification to Rule 14.2c that says: “The ball may be aligned in any way when being replaced (such as by lining up a trademark) so long as the ball’s vertical distance to the ground remains the same”.
Got a question for our expert?
Despite the changes to the Rules of Golf in 2019 and 2023, there are still some that leave us scratching our heads. I’ll try to help by featuring the best of your queries in this column.
What do you think about this caddie golf rule? Let me know by leaving a comment on X.
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; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
