Putting lines

On the green there are many things to think about. One of them is your putting line, and the putting lines of others. Every ball is connected to the cup by an imaginary line, the path the ball will (hopefully) travel into the cup. Walking, standing, or stepping on these lines creates footprints that can deflect the ball off its path toward the cup. As you are walking up to the green, note where your and other's putting lines are, and avoid stepping on them as you work the green. Walk around the line or step over it.

A second but related concern relates to the hole itself. You should avoid stepping within at least a one-foot radius of the hole. David Pelz has described a "doughnut effect" around the cup caused by players' footsteps pressing down the ground around the cup, especially when a player goes to retrieve a ball. While subtle, these footsteps interfere with the path of the ball and can cause missed putts.