Is This Legal - Marking Ball with Toe of Putter?

[Rulesman]

50 minutes ago, Fines said:

"I have also used little stones, ............."

 

As long as you're following the rules and keeping the game fair, a bit of creativity can make the game more enjoyable.

But remember that 'little stones' don't qualify.

Ball-Marker

An artificial object when used to mark the spot of a ball to be lifted, such as a tee, a coin, an object made to be a ball-marker or another small piece of equipment.

Edited January 2, 2025 by Rulesman

[SG11118]

Not trying to be difficult, but did the USGA/R&A provide a rationale in 2016 for why the object needs to be artificial?  I would assume it is to make sure your mark is absolutely identifiable to you so you re-mark your ball in the correct location, and not accidently in a location where a similar natural object is sitting?  If that is the case, I would think that taking a natural object and humanly modifying it (drawing on it with marker, ripping it in half, etc) would be enough to make the object identifiable and turn the natural object into an artificial one. 

 

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, SG11118 said:

Not trying to be difficult, but did the USGA/R&A provide a rationale in 2016 for why the object needs to be artificial?  I would assume it is to make sure your mark is absolutely identifiable to you so you re-mark your ball in the correct location, and not accidently in a location where a similar natural object is sitting?  If that is the case, I would think that taking a natural object and humanly modifying it (drawing on it with marker, ripping it in half, etc) would be enough to make the object identifiable and turn the natural object into an artificial one. 

 

I really think it's just to keep people from doing silly stuff like saying "Oh, yeah, that spike mark will be my ball marker." or "That slightly greener blade of grass." Then when they go to replace their ball they have literally no idea which spike mark or blade of grass. 

[iacas]

7 hours ago, SG11118 said:

Not trying to be difficult, but did the USGA/R&A provide a rationale in 2016 for why the object needs to be artificial?  I would assume it is to make sure your mark is absolutely identifiable to you so you re-mark your ball in the correct location, and not accidently in a location where a similar natural object is sitting?  If that is the case, I would think that taking a natural object and humanly modifying it (drawing on it with marker, ripping it in half, etc) would be enough to make the object identifiable and turn the natural object into an artificial one.

I think it's just to provide clarity.

If you marked your ball with a pebble or a small twig, that's a loose impediment, and someone else could move it. An "obstruction" or a man-made thing, or an artificial thing, isn't a loose impediment.

[DaveP043]

41 minutes ago, iacas said:

I think it's just to provide clarity.

If you marked your ball with a pebble or a small twig, that's a loose impediment, and someone else could move it. An "obstruction" or a man-made thing, or an artificial thing, isn't a loose impediment.

I agree.  I once played an inter club match, before the change,  and one of our opponents used a small flat seashell for a marker.  At some point, my partner picks up that shell, thinking it was just a small piece of debris.  An argument ensued, and to be honest I don't remember the result.  But requiring an artificial marker eliminates that kind of misunderstanding.