rules on marking

[golf55]

After you mark the ball on the putting green. The guy puts his ball like 6-7inches closer to the hole. What is the exact rule on this? I know it has to be exact spot as when you mark it but I know some people can be a inch off.

[Fireblade]

In replacing his ball on the putting green in a position other than where he was marked he is deemed to "have played from the wrong place" the score counts and the player incurs a penalty of two strokes (Rule 16-1b or 20-3a and 20-7c) My recommendation to all players is to visit The USGA Publication Store at www.usga.org/PublicationsStore and purchase 'Decisions on the rules of golf 2012-2013. They also have an invaluable book Golf Rules Illustrated 2012-2015 which is a fantastic aid to any rules question. Hope this helps.

[Rick Martin]

I've played with one or two cheaters that did this. Despicable, isn't it?

[Fireblade]

Some people have a strange take on what is appropriate. They run the range of playing from the wrong place, lifting and cleaning balls in first cut and replacing on a nice plush spot in the fairway, to breakfast balls on the 1st & 10th holes and a mulligan on each nine. Many of them then have the nerve to record these rounds on GHIN. I feel sorry for their wives ;)

[dave s]

A guy on our league places his mark AHEAD of the ball.  The first time I saw him do I absolutely knew he'd put his ball in FRONT of the mark.  He didn't.  He put the ball right behind his quarter, lifted the mark and made the putt.

Strangely enough, we played cards one night after golf.  He holds his cards upside down!

Some folks just see things differently than most.  But placing your ball 6-8" ahead of your mark is a blatant attempt to gain an unfair advantage.

dave

[Dave2512]

Sounds strange. Can't think of many instances where 6" would make a difference for me. The putts I miss are rarely just 6" short. It's a miss to either side or much shorter or longer than that. Being a half foot closer likely wouldn't have any affect on my judgment of speed. Could just as easily move it 3' closer and still misjudge it and leave it short. If anything the shorter the putt the more likely I won't hit it hard enough.

But it doesn't surprise me. I see people cheat all the time. I don't get it. As hard as golf is and as much work as it takes just to be mediocre you'd think people would want to know what their flaws are so they can attempt to correct it.

[ditchparrot19]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Sounds strange. Can't think of many instances where 6" would make a difference for me.

Huh. I can only think of about a million instances in which starting a putt 6 inches closer to the hole would've resulted in the ball being in the jar instead of requiring another stroke.

You never have putts break away from the hole over the final half a foot and miss by an inch or less? If not, you've got uncanny green-reading abilities.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by ditchparrot19

Huh. I can only think of about a million instances in which starting a putt 6 inches closer to the hole would've resulted in the ball being in the jar instead of requiring another stroke.

You never have putts break away from the hole over the final half a foot and miss by an inch or less? If not, you've got uncanny green-reading abilities.

I know a guy that moves the ball a few inches forward with his foot while other people are putting and he thinks nobody is watching. I've never seen him move it further from the hole though. Ha ha!

The same guy always tees his ball up about a foot in front of the tee markers... I can't see where he thinks he is getting an advantage so I don't have a clue why he does it. I've also never seen him lose a ball. If he hits the ball into the thickest brush around you can bet he'll find the ball, and somehow it's always in a little clear spot so he has a shot.

Worst of all is that he's the best player in the little daily money game he plays in and he doesn't need an advantage to beat those guys. I guess he just does it for insurance.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by ditchparrot19

Huh. I can only think of about a million instances in which starting a putt 6 inches closer to the hole would've resulted in the ball being in the jar instead of requiring another stroke.

You never have putts break away from the hole over the final half a foot and miss by an inch or less? If not, you've got uncanny green-reading abilities.

No I'm not a good putter and being just 6" closer likely wouldn't have an affect on how I read it. Problem being it's not likely I can repeat the exact stroke, striking the ball in the same spot and rolling the ball on the exact line at the same speed.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by golf55

After you mark the ball on the putting green. The guy puts his ball like 6-7inches closer to the hole. What is the exact rule on this? I know it has to be exact spot as when you mark it but I know some people can be a inch off.

Maybe we could get Elliot Saltman to comment on this!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jan/18/elliot-saltman-three-month-golf-ban

[Rick Martin]

I occasionally get paired with a guy that moves his ball around - never a bad lie, ball moves from thick greenside rough to the fringe.  He's coy about it.  I don't play him for money now that I've witnessed it.  Kind of frustrating at the end of the round when we are all comparing our scores and you know his requires an asterisk.

[tomvk77]

I see this happen all the time, specially in competition play.

Only no one has the guts to say something about it.

I saw this happen with my opponent last week, i just asked him to replace the ball on the same spot as he

marked it. didn't happen again for the whole round he was looking at me every time he putt his ball back.

he didn't hole much. hehe

I'm not the man to let him putt and than claim the hole.  also in situation where was asked to remove the marker, when not

replaced to original spot i just ask to put it back. i just want a fair game and if i win it must be because i was playing better golf, not because

off rulings.

it's different when things happen as grounding in water hazards or bunkers.

[RayG]

Maybe we could get Elliot Saltman to comment on this! [URL=http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jan/18/elliot-saltman-three-month-golf-ban]http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jan/18/elliot-saltman-three-month-golf-ban[/URL]

Unfortunately, that article doesn't say exactly what he was doing. Mark in front of ball, then ball in front of mark, etc... There are several ways to "not replace ball correctly". He could have been picking up his ball, then marking where it was. Then picking up the marker and placing the ball on the spot. No advantage, but it is incorrectly marking or replacing the ball.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by RayG

Unfortunately, that article doesn't say exactly what he was doing. Mark in front of ball, then ball in front of mark, etc... There are several ways to "not replace ball correctly". He could have been picking up his ball, then marking where it was. Then picking up the marker and placing the ball on the spot. No advantage, but it is incorrectly marking or replacing the ball.

From memory he was marking it significantly closer to the hole - a couple of inches and on several occasions.

[Rick Martin]

Originally Posted by RayG

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wansteadimp

Maybe we could get Elliot Saltman to comment on this!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jan/18/elliot-saltman-three-month-golf-ban

Unfortunately, that article doesn't say exactly what he was doing. Mark in front of ball, then ball in front of mark, etc... There are several ways to "not replace ball correctly". He could have been picking up his ball, then marking where it was. Then picking up the marker and placing the ball on the spot. No advantage, but it is incorrectly marking or replacing the ball.

a pro that gets caught cheating is like a scarlet letter - he'll never, ever live it down

[jamo]

a pro that gets caught cheating is like a scarlet letter - he'll never, ever live it down

Wasn't the point of "The Scarlet Letter" that, in her own way, she did live it down?

[gwlee7]

Originally Posted by jamo

Wasn't the point of "The Scarlet Letter" that, in her own way, she did live it down?

You mean you've actually read it? WTF are we supposed to do about that?

[Paradox]

the devil is in the details..he said "a scarlet letter instead of "THE scarlet letter" :D