Starting to putt before other players bodily arrive on green.

[Adjustor]

• Is it a rules violation or just a breech of etiquette for a golfer to start putting and even hole out before fellow players bodily arrive on the green. A considerably better golfer in our group of double digit handicappers often is on the green in regulation, well before the rest of the group. He often immediately goes to his ball and proceeds to putt before the rest of us have even hit on the green. It is not uncommonly for some of us in the group to not see him finish the hole. He claims to be playing "ready" golf, but this seems to be a stretch of that concept.

[FrogginBullfish]

Is it in casual play or competitive play?

It is a bit of a stretch on ready golf but if it's a casual game, I don't personally have an issue with it.

Could be both a rules violation and a breach of etiquette in a competitive setting.

[DStar]

I'd find it really off-putting if one player was on the green and I was trying to play onto it.

Yes, go and have a look at your putt but wait until the whole group are on before you play. 

[Headhammer]

I do this all the time when playing with my wife and mother. I'm usually there in 2 or 3, it's usually 4-5 for them, so I will putt close and mark or finish out and then tend the flag for them. Have never done it with a group of friends or people I've been teamed up with. 

[Adjustor]

Our group of usually 3 foursomes pays quarters for skins and low gross. The golfer finishing out typically collects most skins, yet many of us often don't see his ball fall in the hole.

[cnosil]

5 hours ago, Adjustor said:

• Is it a rules violation or just a breech of etiquette for a golfer to start putting and even hole out before fellow players bodily arrive on the green. A considerably better golfer in our group of double digit handicappers often is on the green in regulation, well before the rest of the group. He often immediately goes to his ball and proceeds to putt before the rest of us have even hit on the green. It is not uncommonly for some of us in the group to not see him finish the hole. He claims to be playing "ready" golf, but this seems to be a stretch of that concept.

The answer to your questions is it depends.   
you ask about the rules of golf.  In stroke play there are no rules that specify order of play.  General etiquette is that the farthest from the hole plays first.     In match play the order of play is dictated and farthest from the hole plays first and if played out if order the opponent can have the player replay the shot.  
 

waiting for the farthest player back to hit is also partially for safety as players that are way in front can be distracting and stand a chance of being hit by a ball.

[Ohms]

I think it's bad form- ready golf really implies that you don't worry about who's farthest from the hole for approach shot or who has honors on the tee, but it never involves being in someone else's line of play. The green is in everyone's line of play, so to putt before anyone else is on is a bit rude and certainly dangerous.

As for the skins- hopefully you're playing net. If not, insist on it.

[Ohms]

42 minutes ago, Headhammer said:

I do this all the time when playing with my wife and mother. I'm usually there in 2 or 3, it's usually 4-5 for them, so I will putt close and mark or finish out and then tend the flag for them. Have never done it with a group of friends or people I've been teamed up with. 

I'm always forced to enjoying "caddying" for my wife when we play, so I'm never at the green before she's on 

[Colin L]

On 6/23/2022 at 12:45 PM, FrogginBullfish said:

Is it in casual play or competitive play?

It is a bit of a stretch on ready golf but if it's a casual game, I don't personally have an issue with it.

Could be both a rules violation and a breach of etiquette in a competitive setting.

In stroke play,  what rule do you have in mind that could be breached?  There's not one in my copy.

In match play, he would of course be playing out of turn and his stroke could be recalled by his opponent as already mentioned.

Edited June 27, 2022 by Colin L

[RickyBobby_PR]

In casual play I do it and have no issues if others do it. It helps pace of play.

If someone I was playing with asked me not to do it I would hold off on doing it the rest of the round. 

[GaDawg]

On 6/23/2022 at 8:19 AM, Adjustor said:

Our group of usually 3 foursomes pays quarters for skins and low gross. The golfer finishing out typically collects most skins, yet many of us often don't see his ball fall in the hole.

Sounds like the other 11 golfers need to inform him that his scores must be confirmed by someone in his group in order to be paid for skins.

[TheCanadianBogeyman]

I think it depends on how much ahead he is finishing.  For example, if I have a partner who is just off the green, and is walking back to the cart to grab his putter, or if he isn't ready to take his shot, I will happily putt to keep pace of play moving.  But I'm not walking up to the green when I have playing partners still hitting their approach shots.  Or if they are chipping and ready to go in a reasonable amount of time, I'm not trying to hit before them just to finish up the hole first.