The rules of golf are difficult! Fortunately we have the guru. Our guy rules know the book from the front to the back. Do you have a question? He has all the answers.
My brother and I both missed a green, on the same line, leaving treacherous downhill chips behind. He was gone and I said I would mark my ball, even though it was not on the well surface, because it might help him. Before I could, he walked down … and crispy my ball over the other side of the green while he dripped near the hole. I replaced my ball in its original place and told him to play his shot again, as I wanted to mark. “Too bad,” was his answer. Punishment? Can’t you mark every time that you think your opponent can get an unfair benefit? —Peter Starshak, via e -Mail
The relevant term, “helping ball”, only applies to a ball on the Green well. Ergo, because your ball was not on the green, if you were not just marking your ball because you thought it could help – your brother was still allowed to make the stroke with it.
If your ball had been on the well green, the script of the rules would be reversed; Rule 15.3a would punish your brother the general punishment of the loss of gap in match game or two strokes in a stroke game to make the blow without waiting for your ball to be marked.
Read on for more guidelines for the ball marking of our guru …
My colleague -competitor marked his ball and picked him up. He then replaced his ball and did without picking up his marker. I told him that his ball was not in the game because he had left his marker in place and therefore had to replace a wrong ball, he had to replace his ball by a two-stroke penalty. He said I was full of nonsense. Is the ball in the game if you don’t pick up your marker? -Robert Tarbox, via e -Mail
Really, Robert, Guy rules cannot be incorrect, and unfortunately you are both full of it.
Placing or removing the ball marking has nothing to do with whether the ball is in or out of the game. Bupkis.
In fact, it is the action of lifting or replacing the ball that would change its status. That said, rule 14.1 prohibits playing a ball without first removing the ball marking, an infringement for which your colleague -competitor earned one penalty battle (not two), although it was not a wrong ball.
He has to change his ways and you have to eat a little crow.
Do you want to find the right gear for your bag in 2025? Find a club—passing location in your area at True Spec Golf.
Do you have a question about the rules? Ask the man’s rules! Send your questions, confusion and comments to regulesguy@golf.com. We promise he will not throw the book at you.
#Rules #Guy #ball #play #partner #bumped #mark