Important Rules Reminder: Proper Strokes on the Putting Green

A friendly reminder: Some players have been observed "raking" or dragging very short putts into the hole rather than striking the ball properly. While this may seem harmless on tap-ins, it is not permitted under the official Rules of Golf.

According to **Rule 10.1a** (Fairly Striking the Ball), a stroke must be made by **fairly striking** at the ball with the head of the club, allowing only **momentary contact** between the club and the ball. The player **must not push, scrape, scoop, or rake** the ball.

The USGA/R&A Clarification to Rule 10.1a explicitly prohibits actions such as pushing or scraping a short putt into the hole (e.g., dragging the ball along the green like a billiards or shuffleboard shot).

If a player makes a stroke this way:

- It is **not a legal stroke**.

- The player incurs the **general penalty**: **two strokes in stroke play** or **loss of hole in match play**.

A proper stroke—with a swinging motion that fairly strikes the ball—is required on all putts, no matter how short, including those that might be conceded in match play.

Please follow this rule in all our events to avoid penalties and to uphold good etiquette and the spirit of the game.

Questions? Feel free to reach out or check the official USGA Rules of Golf resources.