5/27/2024 - Admiral Baker North

A player in the group chipped up onto the green today, and his ball came to rest in the line of another player.  My ball was in a similar position, and I had already marked it.  So I wanted to mark his ball so that the other player could putt while the first player retrieved his putter.

First, you need another player's permission to mark their ball (unless you're their caddie).  And you can't just declare that it's always okay.  You have to give permission each time.  This was a casual round with players that I often play with, so in the spirit of the game, and for pace of play, I was going to mark his ball, but I didn't have a second ball-marker.

I marked it with a leaf, which I was pretty sure you're not allowed to do.  The definition of a ball-marker indicates that it is an artificial object.

Why?  Because a leaf may blow away?  Some random artificial object could blow away as well.  Because there could be confusion over which leaf was marking the ball?  Maybe....

This is all covered by Rule #14.  It's a one-stroke penalty.

So who gets the penalty here?  I guess I do, for marking his ball without explicit permission, and for using an illegal natural ball-marker.

I found it interesting that the rule explicitly indicates that it's okay to mark your ball with a club right next to the ball.  I'm pretty sure that's a recent addition.

5/2/2024 - Admiral Baker North

No one wants to play on punched greens, but what do you do when the greens are punched, and your ball won't come to rest where you marked it?

Rule #14.2e covers exactly this scenario.  If it won't stay on the spot where it was marked you have to try to place it again.  If it still won't stay in place, you have to keep trying to find the closest spot where the ball will stay at rest.  You can't place it closer than the original spot.

This same rule applies in the general area, and also in a penalty area or bunker.  In a penalty area or bunker, you the new spot must be in the penalty area or bunker.

Why are you lifting your ball in a penalty area or bunker?  Possibly to identify it (this is one of the scenarios when you can pick up your ball, but you can't clean it).  Another scenario is if the ball were to come to rest against a rake in a bunker.