My opponent putts with his mark to the side of his ball. Is that legal?

The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.

I was playing in a tournament where a competitor would move his mark from behind his ball to about two inches to the side of the ball before putting. Only after the stroke would he pick up his marker. Is that legal? Does it matter if he’s using it as some kind guide versus just being lazy? – Jerry Cunningham, via email

Your darn tootin’, it matters!

By removing the marker, the player is doing what Rule 14.1 tells him and making sure the stroke isn’t made with the ball marker still in place.

But then, why place it to the side in a consistent manner? If he’s using it as some sort of swing aide unrelated to alignment, that would be a problem under Rule 4.3; the first time he made a stroke that way would be the general penalty and the second time, disqualification.

If he’s placing the marker there to help with alignment, aiming or in taking his stance, he would be in breach of Rule 10.2b(3) and get the general penalty each time. If he’s just being lazy, well, then he’s just being lazy.

For more marking guidance from our guru, read on …

Rules Guy: My playing partner’s ball collided with mine before I could mark. Now what?

By:

Rules Guy

I came up about five feet short of the green on my approach shot, and the grass was short enough that I decided to putt. The problem: My buddy had also come up short, three feet ahead of my ball, directly in my putting line. I asked him to mark his ball. He refused, saying that you aren’t allowed to mark your ball anywhere but on the green. I asked him to play first. He refused again, claiming the rules dictated the farther ball be played first, while also admitting that he didn’t want to give me a read. I ended up chipping over his ball. But was he correct about the marking? – Name withheld, via e-mail

Please let me introduce you and your rather uncharitable buddy (lawyer, perchance?) to Rule 15.3b, which states that if a ball is interfering with one’s play, you have the right to have it lifted anywhere on the course.

Once you have made this request, the other player is obligated to lift the ball; in stroke play, he or she has the choice to play first rather than lift. He or she may not, however, plead the fifth.

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Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.

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