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I played in a tournament where a competitor moved his mark from behind his ball to about two inches to the side of the ball before he putted. Only after the battle did he pick up his marker. Is that legal? Does it matter if he uses it as some kind of guide or is just lazy? – Jerry Cunningham, via email
Honk your damn horn, it matters!
By removing the marker, the player does what Rule 14.1 tells him to do and ensures that the stroke is not made while the ball marker is still in place.
But then why put it aside in a consistent way? If he uses it as some kind of swing aid that has nothing to do with alignment, that would be a problem under Rule 4.3; the first time he struck in that manner would be the general penalty, and the second time disqualification.
If he places the marker there to assist in alignment, aiming or taking his stance, he violates Rule 10.2b(3) and incurs the general penalty each time. If he’s just lazy, then he’s just lazy.
For more marking guidelines from our guru, read on…
I ended up about five feet short of the green on my approach shot, and the grass was so short that I decided to putt. The problem: my buddy had also come up short, a meter in front of my ball, directly in my putting line. I asked him to mark his ball. He refused and said you can’t mark your ball anywhere other than the green. I asked him to play first. He refused again, claiming that the rules dictated how further the ball should be played first, while also admitting that he didn’t want to read to me. I ended up chipping over his ball. But was he right about the marking? – Name hidden, via email
Let me introduce you and your rather uncharitable friend (lawyer perhaps?) to Rule 15.3b, which states that if a ball interferes with someone’s play, you have the right to have the ball lifted anywhere on the course.
After you make this request, the other player is obliged to lift the ball; in stroke play he or she has the choice to play first instead of lifting. However, he or she may not rely on the fifth.
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