Let's start with a simple rules query...

I thought I'd kick our participation off here with a simple rules query.

Someone asked me this last night and I thought I knew the answer but couldn't be sure

The question was "can someone mark a ball on the green in front of the ball"

Now why anyone would WANT to do this, I don't know, but the person who asked me said one of his regular playing partners does it all the time. I would think it introduced the slight risk of creating some sort of small spike mark directly in front of the ball. Or would it constitute touching your line of putt?

The only reason I could think of that someone might want to do this is if he feared accusations of replacing his ball closer to the hole; by marking in front of the ball, this would seem to remove this possibility but I still think it would be unwise. However, apart from the possibility it might break of rule of touching the line of putt, I can't see anything specific in the rules to forbid it.

Opinions? Anyone know for sure?

Hi Davie,

Really good question, one to which I'm intrigued to know the answer to?!?

Seems like a practise that will only raise questions and problems with affecting the line of the putt or something along those lines...

It does not matter where you mark the ball as long as you play from the correct place.

see rule 20-1 to 20-7

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=20&subRuleNum=1

What about what you use to mark the ball? As long as you put the ball back in the same place are there any restrictions on what you use?

Davie I've seen it a couple of times. The first was when the guy due to put first wanted the marker moved and a quick way was to replace the ball and mark the front as it wasn't on the putters line to the hole. The 2nd time was a senior who had always marked it this way as he said it was the fairest way??? he was a cantancouras old git so wasn't worth the argument, but he used a coin however and not a marker so no spike

This site needs a spell checker 8)

The problem is not how you mark your ball, but that you replace it, back on the original spot.

You will not get penalised for marking your ball, but you will if its not replaced correctly

surely it just makes it easier to accidentally touch the ball when retrieving the marker

ask Elliott - and just do the opposite of what he says !!

Yes you can providing the ball is replaced to the same mark but as you say not to sure why you would want to though?

Note: The position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball-marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball.

From the R&A website. Not in front but behind.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=20&subRuleNum=1


So you are all penalised at least one stroke........

It says that you SHOULD mark behind the ball. There's no penalty for not doing so, but you might get a few comments...

The whole point in marking behind the ball, is that it gives you 2 points of reference (the marker & the hole). When replacing the ball, you will be able to check you have replaced it EXACTLY where you lifted it from, as it will go on the straight line from the marker to the hole.
If you mark the ball in front or to the side you don't have the 2nd reference point, so you can't replace the ball EXACTLY from where it was lifted from.

Similarly when asked to move your marker, as its interfering with the line of your partner or opponent, you move it left or right & take a reference point of a nearby tree or near landmark, so that you can replace the marker exactly from where you lifted it from.

1...........................................................................o

Simples...