Should Lines On Ball Be Illegal?

[Bonvivant]

**If this is in the wrong spot, please move it (to rules or equipment maybe).

Found an interesting write up giving some pretty strong and good reasons why extended lines on the golf ball (used for putting) is not in the spirit of the rules, although nothing is mentioned directly against it. Read the article and post your thoughts on the topic, and answer the poll as well.

Why marking your golf ball with an alignment line should be prohibited

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The act of applying a line to your ball with the intent to help with alignment isn’t specifically addressed in the rules. But it feels unfair.

 

[iacas]

There’s no such thing as “the spirit of the rules.”

I don’t really care about this topic. I’d vote to disallow it simply to help speed up play and because it doesn’t really help people often anyway.

[bkuehn1952]

The manufacturers already print an alignment aid.

[colin007]

Yes, but for a different reason - people lining up their ball with a line slow up play. 

[iacas]

Just now, bkuehn1952 said:

The manufacturers already print an alignment aid.

Did you read the article?

[colin007]

Edit - what Erik said

[ChetlovesMer]

Hey Buddy Christ,

This feels like a stretch to me. Just because this person "feels" like it should be illegal doesn't make it illegal. And I don't buy the "spirit of the rules" argument either. The spirit of the rules is to avoid any unfair advantages. Everyone can draw what ever they want on the ball. No unfair advantage. Similarly, the author says there's no problem lining up the logo, but there is a problem with the line on the ball????

If the argument was pace of play, I think there might be something to it. But I'm pretty sure statistics show there's no unfair advantage gained with a line on the ball.

[bkuehn1952]

Just now, iacas said:

Did you read the article?

No.  Presumably the "Rule" would make that against the Rules, too.

[Bonvivant]

I knew this would get some attention but I didn't know it would be this fast. I personally don't like it when people line up like this because it takes so long

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

and because it doesn’t really help people often anyway.

Speed, read, and bead still all need to be blended perfectly to hole a putt and often at least one of these will be wrong, even with the "alignment aid". Heck, I don't even mark my ball unless it is in the way (or near in the way) or there is visible dirt on the ball that I want to clean off.

I voted yes because I do consider it an alignment aid and those are against the rules. The manufacturer's logo is part of the ball and as long as the ball is conforming, I don't have that much of a problem with it. The "Triple Track" balls/putters are over-stepping in my opinion though and a rule should be made to address them IMO

[iacas]

7 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

No.  Presumably the "Rule" would make that against the Rules, too.

Right.

BTW before line drawing became a thing I just pointed “Titleist” at the hole.

[klineka]

23 minutes ago, Bonvivant said:

The manufacturer's logo is part of the ball and as long as the ball is conforming, I don't have that much of a problem with it. The "Triple Track" balls/putters are over-stepping in my opinion though and a rule should be made to address them IMO

That doesn't make sense. You're saying that a single alignment line by a manufacturer is fine but 3 is over-stepping? On Taylormade's pix balls, the shapes are aligned in a way that creates a line/channel for you to aim your ball with if you want. Is that overstepping too? I surely don't think so.

Also in regards to the triple track on the putter, how is that any different than dots, line(s), colors, etc on putters now? I know Taylormade claims that on their spider x range of putters the contrasting color with the thick center white strip is supposed to help with alignment, should a rule be made to address that too?

[TourSpoon]

I don't care what is on your ball as long as you don't remark it three times on your one foot putt.  They make medication for that. 

[Bonvivant]

1 minute ago, klineka said:

That doesn't make sense. You're saying that a single alignment line by a manufacturer is fine but 3 is over-stepping? On Taylormade's pix balls, the shapes are aligned in a way that creates a line/channel for you to aim your ball with if you want. Is that overstepping too? I surely don't think so.

Also in regards to the triple track on the putter, how is that any different than dots, line(s), colors, etc on putters now? I know Taylormade claims that on their spider x range of putters the contrasting color with the thick center white strip is supposed to help with alignment, should a rule be made to address that too?

All completely fair and valid points.

My biggest problem with TT is that the ball and the putter are identical and have more than one line. Sure a line on putter/line on ball is similar, but 3 is ridiculous. I don't mind pix, soccer balls, any of that stuff, nor do I mind lines on putters. My putter has 3 lines, and I don't know if they help me or not but I don't go out of my way to line up my ball and I don't think they make a ball for the putter I have, lol

I honestly wouldn't mind if no linear markings were allowed on balls including manufacturer printed stuff. I think it's silly to have an alignment aid on anything other than the club. We aren't allowed to bring our alignment sticks out on the course to play a round, so why should we get that advantage from a ball? I understand that the ball is only 3/4" or so of a line, but it is still something and I don't particularly care for it. I'm sure I am in the minority, and that is one of the reasons I posted it, to hear others' opinions/thoughts

[bkuehn1952]

39 minutes ago, iacas said:

Right.

BTW before line drawing became a thing I just pointed “Titleist” at the hole.

Yes, same here.  I have always felt that the manufacturer is better at printing something straight than my effort at drawing a line.

[mcanadiens]

Golf needs more rules like I need another triple bogey. 

Draw a smiley face on your ball for all I care.

[TourSpoon]

9 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

Golf needs more rules like I need another triple bogey. 

Draw a smiley face on your ball for all I care.

I could see someone lining up the smile line to correspond to the break. 🙂🙃😐😕😵

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

There’s no such thing as “the spirit of the rules.”

I don’t really care about this topic. I’d vote to disallow it simply to help speed up play and because it doesn’t really help people often anyway.

This is how I feel about it. I use to do it, then I found it took me so long to get it lined up correctly that I decided it was too much of a pain. I honestly didn't see any benefit from it. 

[darthweasel]

40 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

This is how I feel about it. I use to do it, then I found it took me so long to get it lined up correctly that I decided it was too much of a pain. I honestly didn't see any benefit from it. 

been a while since I have seen it but at one point there was a study shown that showed it actually HURT. People who did the line missed more putts. e the line of people "well it helps me", good for you, overall the stats, at least in that study, said for most golfers it doesn't, and yes I am sure you are the outlier.

 

To the point it doesn't help...I have twice recently been paired with a guy who very carefully lines up the line, looks from above hole, looks from below the hole, looks from both sides, very carefully aligns it again...and leaves it 6' Does the process again, ships it 4' past the hole and misses by a foot on the low side. That dude can line it up as long and careful as he wants, but until he figures out pace and how to actually read a green, it is pretty worthless.