marking ball off green?

[mirv]

my dad and i came into a situation today where neither of us were sure of the proper rule. i had played an approach to the green, and my ball stopped approximately 3 feet off the left edge of the green. when my father played his approach, his ball stopped about 1 foot off the left edge of the green directly in front of mine. i had planned to just putt my ball from the fringe, but i was stymied by his ball. i said i was going to assume his ball was a movable obstruction, and that he should just go ahead and mark it and move it out of the way then replace it after i had played. i seem to have misplaced my rulebook, and a quick yahoo search didn't yield anything particularly useful. anyone know?

[iacas]

my dad and i came into a situation today where neither of us were sure of the proper rule. i had played an approach to the green, and my ball stopped approximately 3 feet off the left edge of the green. when my father played his approach, his ball stopped about 1 foot off the left edge of the green directly in front of mine. i had planned to just putt my ball from the fringe, but i was stymied by his ball. i said i was going to assume his ball was a movable obstruction, and that he should just go ahead and mark it and move it out of the way then replace it after i had played. i seem to have misplaced my rulebook, and a quick yahoo search didn't yield anything particularly useful. anyone know?

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Rule-22/ Bookmark: http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules...and-Decisions/

[mirv]

awesome. thanks.

[HoosierGolfer]

It seems in this case it would be just as easy as anything to let him play first?

[Fourputt]

It seems in this case it would be just as easy as anything to let him play first?

That's always an option in stroke play. Rule 22-2 even says that in stroke play the player may opt to play rather than lift his ball. Order of play is more critical in match play as a player who plays out fo turn can be required to cancel and replay the stroke. In that case I would always mark and lift my ball rather than risk having a good shot recalled.

[EightBlue]

now here is the bonus question...

what if there is a ball obstructing yours, which does not belong to anyone in your foursome. (e.g. a lost ball from another group or a ball in play for another hole).

can you just treat it as a loose impediment? Rule 22 or its decisions don't cover this if the ball doesn't have an owner?

[Fourputt]

now here is the bonus question...

The definition of

obstruction and Rule 24-1 cover that. A stray ball is not a loose impediment.

[mirv]

It seems in this case it would be just as easy as anything to let him play first?

well, the way the balls were lying, if he played first, there was a chance he might bump my ball on his backstroke. or even if he didn't actually hit it, i'm sure it would've been distracting for him during his stroke knowing that he Might hit my ball.