Alignment Question

[Ken1222]

Hello all - USGA rule 8-2a grants a player permission to place a mark or aid to indicate the line of play (e.g., placing clubs on the ground to align yourself for the shot) prior to playing the stroke. However, the item(s) being used to indicate the line of play must be removed before the stroke is actually played.

Basically, a player may place (other than on the green) golf clubs at his feet to align his s tance for the str oke , so long as he removes those clubs before actually hitting the ball.

My questions are:

1.  May I make a footprint on the fairway or tee box in front of my ball (2 ft or so) to help me align my shot towards the green?

2.  May I drop a leaf or grass stems on the fairway or tee box in front of my ball (2 ft or so) to help me align my shot towards the green?

If you answer, could you please refer me to a rule or prior precedent.  My golf buddies and I had a spirited conversation about this subject today.

Thanks!

[luu5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken1222

My questions are:

1.  May I make a footprint on the fairway or tee box in front of my ball (2 ft or so) to help me align my shot towards the green?

2.  May I drop a leaf or grass stems on the fairway or tee box in front of my ball (2 ft or so) to help me align my shot towards the green?

If you answer, could you please refer me to a rule or prior precedent.  My golf buddies and I had a spirited conversation about this subject today.

Thanks!

You can but as you said they have to be removed before hitting the ball. The same rule you already mentioned, 8-2a.

Quote:

Any mark placed by the player or with his knowledge to indicate the line must be removed before the stroke is made.

To be honest, I do not understand what the question actually is about, as you answered this by yourself.

[mdl]

Regardless of the ruling, I would kill anyone I was playing with where for their pre-shot routine they squatted down behind the ball, lined up a club or alignment stick, went and made heavy foot prints, put the club/stick away, then chose a club, then went back and carefully stomped back in the foot prints, then presumably stepped back, took 2-3 practice swings, then stepped back into the foot prints and finally hit.

Just use an alignment stick at the range.  I like to use two actually, one pretty near the ball and one parallel out closer to where my feet are so it's much easier to tell how your feet are lined up.  Do this over many range sessions and it becomes pretty easy to know at least whether you're lined up well off target or not.

[iacas]

No.

No.

You cannot make a mark or do anything that aligns you if that alignment aid is still present when you make your stroke.

[Missouri Swede]

But you are allowed to tee your ball at a spot within the teeing ground that aligns with a divot, leaf, footprint, sprinkler head, etc. that is already there.