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Can you putt with the ball between your legs?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 07, 2026

The USGA had banned croquet-style putting “between the legs” and also standing on extension of Line of the putt. But if you stand next to the line of your putt it's 100% legal that way. The face on putting style that you see with the GP putter is again 100% legal for any golf tournament in the world.

Are you allowed to hit a golf ball between your legs?

In 1968, it was deemed illegal to putt between your legs. Golfer Tim Clark (in blue) uses an anchored putter during U.S. Open practice on Wednesday. The technique is to be banned starting 2016.

Where should my ball be when putting?

Your ball should be positioned just forward of the middle of your stance. Determining how close the ball should be to your body is a bit more complicated. It is generally agreed that you should set your putting posture so that your eyes are positioned directly above or just slightly inside of the ball.

Is there an illegal putting stance?

The USGA and the R&A took notice and, effective January 1, 1968, introduced Rule 35-1L (now Rule16-1e) that stated “The player shall not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching, the line of the putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.”

Is putt croquet style allowed?

Putting croquet style is illegal UNLESS you're off the putting surface. From the fringe, you are allowed to straddle the ball and put croquet style, like ol' Sam Snead did briefly before it was banned and trust me, croquet-style putting is scary-easy.

41 related questions found

Can you putt sideways?

If you've never tried it, perhaps it will unlock a whole new way to make more putts. (Yes, side-saddle putting is legal and within the Rules of Golf.)

Is it legal to putt with a pool cue?

The Pool Cue is Banned

There were still some nuances of the new game the Americans were not totally sure about but the USGA knew kneeling down and using a billiard cue to putt was dirty pool – the cue was quickly scratched from the list of acceptable golfing equipment.

Can you putt 1 handed?

I putt nicely 1 handed in practice. Sometimes it works. Poulter told a UK site in 2014 that putting only with his right hand is one of his favorite exercises. “You'll see me on the course with a yardage book in my left hand, feeling the pace of the putt with the right.” Poulter said.

Can you stand behind the ball to putt?

It's important to note that the line doesn't extend beyond the hole, so a partner may stand on the opposite side of the cup while the stroke is being made. You're allowed to stand on an extension of the line of putt after the stroke, so it's permissible to walk in behind a ball after it has started rolling.

Can you putt with the toe of the putter?

If you find your ball up against the fringe or even rough, using the toe-putt technique (it's perfectly legal, by the way) can help you pass the putter through the thicker grass and make better contact with the ball.

Should hands be in front of ball when putting?

It is a good idea to set your hands in front of the ball because such a position will usually lead to a clean roll. If your hands are farther back, you can actually hit a mini-chip shot which bounces along the green before it starts to roll.

How close should you stand to the ball when putting?

MEASURE YOUR DISTANCE

Too far away, and the stroke path will be in to out. Most tour pros stand 2¼ to 2¾ putterheads from the inside edge of the ball to the toe line (left). Putterheads range from 4¼ to 4½ inches long.

Should I forward press when putting?

Dave Stockton (and many other teachers) advocate the use of a forward press because it delofts the putter. There is a theory out there that since most putters actually have 3-4 degrees of loft, you have to counteract that with leaning your hands forward a little bit.

Can you touch the green with your hand?

There is no longer a penalty for merely touching the line of play on the putting green (the term “line of play” applies everywhere on the course including the putting green, and the term “line of putt” is no longer used).

Is there an illegal golf swing?

14-1. Players must strike at the ball with the clubhead rather than pushing it, scraping it or moving it with other non-striking actions. If the player's downswing is stopped or altered by an outside agency (e.g., a tree branch), the swing counts as a stroke.

What is AimPoint in golf?

AimPoint is an express method of reading the break on a putt as you play, using a three-step system designed to help you read every putt accurately and consistently. More than 200 tour pros have used it, and AimPoint users have amassed more than 65 professional wins between them.

Should your elbows touch your body when putting?

Interlace your fingers, clasping your hands in front of you. Then, get into your putting posture, and place your hands over your belly button, your elbows bent outward at 45 degrees. Keeping your lower body quiet, engage your core muscles and use them to rock your arms and shoulders back and forth.

What is the penalty for giving advice in golf?

There is no penalty when an authorized party gives advice, but "the player should take action to stop this irregular procedure." He would incur a two-stroke penalty in stroke play if he allowed such advice to be given again.

Is it legal to use a level in golf?

The LEVELHEAD Golf Ball Marker by Iron-Lad is a green training tool to help golfers improve the way they read greens. Set the ball marker on the green and the level will tell you the way the green is sloped. While the LEVELHEAD ins't legal when it comes to official scoring, it is meant to be a training aid.

Which hand dominates in putting?

If you putt right-handed, your right hand will be more dominant. It will also be the one that can cause you the most problems in your stroke. Problems arise when you start to use it to guide or power your putting stroke. It should help and support your left – it should never control it.

Why do I putt better with one hand?

By holding the putter just in your right hand, you're helping get your feel back. You're also giving yourself a much better chance of putting with smooth stroke that stays on the line instead of a forced, jabbing stroke that isn't going to produce good putts. For more instruction, watch Golf Digest Videos.

Can you putt with a driver?

Under the Rules of Golf, a player can use any club on any shot from any position on the golf course. You can tee off with a putter. You can chip with a driver. You can putt with a wedge.

Are you allowed to putt like a pool shot?

WATCH THE BILLIARDS PUTTING TECHNIQUE BELOW:

Answer: Three strokes in stroke play; loss of hole in match play. Making a billiards-type stroke is not a permissible action. Rule 10.1a.

Can you step behind your golf ball?

Also, you cannot step behind your ball to improve your lie, except on the teeing ground. On the putting green, you are not permitted to repair everything on the line between your ball and the hole. You may repair ball marks and move loose impediments, but you cannot repair spike marks.

Can you putt with a ball in the hole?

A golfer shouldn't pluck their ball out of the hole until the ball has come to a rest or is certain not to bounce out, otherwise that would be a one-stroke penalty. The player then has to replace the ball on the lip of the hole or against the flagstick and then putt the ball in the hole.