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Making a stroke on the putting green - Restriction on caddie standing behind player
When you begin taking a stance for the stroke and until the stroke is made, there are limitations relating to when and why your caddie may deliberately stand on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball (that is, the “restricted area”):
- Aiming. Your caddie must not stand in the restricted area to help you with aiming. This help includes when your caddie moves away without saying anything but, by doing so, is giving a signal to you that you are correctly aimed at the intended target. But there is no penalty if you back away before making the stroke and your caddie moves away from the restricted area before you again begin to take a stance for the stroke.
- Help Other Than Aiming. If your caddie is helping you with something specific other than aiming (such as checking to see if your club will hit a nearby tree during the backswing), your caddie may stand in the restricted area but only if your caddie moves away before the stroke is made and provided this positioning is not part of a regular routine.