Did I break a rule?

[quantus]

not what he descrribed...or so i suppose.

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeyvee

Ok. This COULD be pretty easy. Im not sure though. I went to fix a ball mark on the green with a tee the other day and after pushing it up some I used the back of MY HAND to tamp it back down. I think it is a violation. Doesnt matter in the game I was in but I want to be clear anyway.. I should have used the bottom of my putter or bottom of my shoe no?

If you did anything to test the putting surface, then you were in breach of Rule 16-1d. It doesn't sound like you did, but I wouldn't make a habit of doing it that way.  It's best to tamp the repaired area down with the sole of your putter.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Ignorant

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

If I'm the on course rules official and I see a player rubbing the surface of the putting green I'm going to assume that he is testing the surface unless there is conclusive evidence that he isn't.  And I'm not just going to take his word for it.  Decision 16-1d/6 is a case where the player does not benefit from the action of his caddie, but he still incurs the penalty for testing the surface.  It's a different case, but it still leans me in the same direction.  The player had better have an iron clad reason unrelated to testing for rubbing the surface or I'm going to call him on it.

I can understand your point but as one of those Decisions points out that even rubbing a ball against the green for the purpose of cleaning it is not a breach of R16 even though the player very well may get some information of the surface by that act. Now, would you penalize a player doing that and not having conclusive evidence that he was not testing the surface?

Maybe I am a bit naive but I do respect the player's integrity and would not be the first one to doubt his words, unless there is evidence to the contrary. After all, if one is cheating it will slap one's own face sooner or later regardless of the ruling one gets on the course.

That same decision also cautions against rubbing the ball on the green because it could result in a penalty if it was done in the wrong way.  At best it puts the rules official in the position of having to make a judgment call, and I don't want my tournament to be riding on that.

What it comes down to is, why take any action which could be misinterpreted when there are better ways of doing the same thing?  It takes no more effort to either tamp the repaired pitch mark with your foot or with your putter, and you won't be risking a penalty by doing so.