Dear Larry,
Probably not, to a traditionalist or to a modernist.
The Rules of Golf do not define a "putt." The
Definitions section defines "putting green" and "stroke."
Putting Green
The “putting green’’ is all ground of the hole being played that is specially prepared for putting or otherwise defined as such by the Committee. A ball is on the putting green when any part of it touches the putting green.
Stroke
A “stroke’’ is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.
Obviously, a "putt" on the green does not have to be played with a "putter." The Rules do define "line of putt":
Line of Putt
The “line of putt’’ is the line that the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke on the putting green. Except with respect to Rule 16-1e, the line of putt includes a reasonable distance on either side of the intended line. The line of putt does not extend beyond the hole.
So, the implication is that a "putt" is a stroke played (with any club) on the green. The problem is that this leaves open the issue of strokes played off the green, with the intention of holing the ball, with or without a "putter."
Appendix II in the Rules for The Design of Clubs defines a "putter" in terms of shape and intended use:
A club is an implement designed to be used for striking the ball and generally comes in three forms: woods, irons and putters distinguished by shape and intended use. A putter is a club with a loft not exceeding ten degrees designed primarily for use on the putting green.
The key words are "intended" and "primarily." My interpretation of "intention" is that the intention refers to whether the club is a "putter" or not, and the intention is not really relevant to whether the "club" is used for a "putt." My interpretation of "primarily" is that recognition that a "putter" may be used off the green occasionally, but this does not mean the "club" thereby is exempt from the special rules applicable to the design of putters.
The easier question is whether a "stroke" played with a "club" other than a "putter" from off the "green" should be considered a "putt." There is no "line of putt" unless the ball is played on the "green". So, even if the player has the "intention" of holing the "stroke" from off the "green," this would not make the "stroke" a "putt". In other words, the Rules don't define a "putt," but if the Rules DID define a "putt" and wanted to do so consistently with the letter and spirit of the existing Rules, then a stroke from off the green with a club other than a putter would not be a "putt."
The hardrer question is whether a "stroke" made off the "green" with a "putter" ought to be defined as a "putt" (if the Rules wanted to define "putt"). Probably not. The reason is that (
historically) the Rules have only defined "putting green" formally since 1952. Before then, the "putting green" was defined as a part of the course within 20 yards of the hole; the "hole" was simply in the course, and the definition of "through the green" did not exclude a special area called the "putting green." So, a stroke made with a putter, in earlier days, was clearly a "putt" in common parlance, at least when the golfer had some legitimate hope of holing the ball with the "putt." This "hope" was typically taken to be legitimate only within 20 yards. Moreover, a stroke played within 20 yards of the hole but not with a putter was not considered a stroke played "on the green.":
In 1842 the R&A decided that a ball to be played with a heavy or click-iron from a broken or uneven surface was not regarded as being on the putting green even if within 20 yards of the hole.
This all indicates that a stroke played with a putter within 20 yards of the hole, prior to 1952, would normally be termed a "putt," even if the stroke was not on what today is considered the "green." And a stroke played with a putter outside of 20 yards would not be a "putt". And a stroke played within or without 20 yards by any club other than a putter would not be a "putt." In effect, whatever was within 20 yards of the hole was considered informally to be the "green" even if not explicitly defined as such, and no stroke beyond this range (or off the green, so defined) would be considered a "putt." Fairly clear, even if not explicitly in the Rules. So, traditionally, the "stroke" from the tee box 125 yards away would not be a "putt" even under the old Rules.
When the definition of "putting green" was
altered in 1952, there were certain Rules applicable only to play "on the green" (Rule 16). The "line of putt" rule came in 1968 (banning Sam Snead's "croquet style" and forcing him to "sidesaddle style"). The "line of putt" definition bears significance for three reasons: not touching it, not standing astride it when making a stroke, and not having someone indicate the line while making the stoke. But taken togeher with the history of the "green" as within 20 yards of the hole, the added clarity to "green" in 1952 and 1968 only strengthens the interpretation of what should be considered a "putt". Now, if the stroke is not played on the green, it is not a "putt," regardless of which "club" is used. Therefore, any stroke played off the green is not a "putt," even if made with a "putter."
The
PGA Tour uses this understanding when defining a "putt" for statistical purposes of keeping records on different "strokes."
Putting Leaders measures putting performance on those holes where the green is hit in regulation (GIR). For these holes, the total putts are divided by the total holes played. By using greens hit in regulation we are able to eliminate the effects of chipping close and one putting in the computation.
So, the answer is "no" under the Rules, formally or informally.
Cheers!
Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor
Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone
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