rules on marking

[jamo]

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

To be fair, I was in high school much more recently than some of you old guys. :-P

[David in FL]

To be fair, I was in high school much more recently than some of you old guys. :-P

Now that was completely uncalled for! :-)

[MS256]

Originally Posted by jamo

To be fair, I was in high school much more recently than some of you old guys.

1972 wasn't that long ago was it? Yeah I guess so. Ha ha!

I didn't read it back then either. The only thing I remember reading in high school was my football playbook.

[gwlee7]

Now that was completely uncalled for! :-)

Don't worry Dave. Ask him who owed the old guy money after the first time we played golf together.

[David in FL]

Don't worry Dave. Ask him who owed the old guy money after the first time we played golf together.

Age and treachery beats youth and exuberance every time! ;-)

[Golfingdad]

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.

But all of those will be offset by the ones you are making now thanks to that break at the end ... those are now all going to miss.  Besides, its not like you would read the putt from the mark 6" back and hit it like it was still there even though it was 6" closer.  His point still stands ... you aren't gaining hardly any advantage by moving it 6" so not only is it blatant, pathetic, cheating ... it's not even helpful cheating.  It's just stupid.

Of course, when I say "you" I mean that generally ... I'm not accusing you of being the cheater mentioned in the OP.  Just to clarify. ;)

[rstyle]

Always thought, that although a little bit more difficult or uncomfortable for the player, marking in front of the ball

would prevent people from doing this. In addition, if the ball moves when you pick up the mark (not good),. it would move farther away from the

hole.

Some rules do not make sense to me. Like having to play from a huge divot made by someone playing his first rounds of golf

[Fireblade]

The rules can sometimes seem strangely in favour of better players. Like you said having to play from another players divot on a fairway when you are new to golf, for example. When I attended the NCGA on-course rules program I was somewhat amused by Ryan Gregg the Director of Education when in answer to another attendees  question about "what should I do when the rules seem unfair...?" he replied 'PLAY HARDER!

It is interesting how many people complain about other players for how they behave on course, course supers for the way the course is maintained (or not) or just complain in general, yet they fail to realise that they too can very easily become a part of the problem. Failing to repair pitch marks, divots on tee boxes fairways and aprons of greens, littering - yes leaving broken tees on the tee is littering, and any other seemingly minor infraction all count toward another player possibly having to navigate the rules, because of YOU. That is the royal you btw...

There are campaigns for play it forward and lots of other cute little ideas, but I would like to see more players 'protecting the field' by ensuring that their group acknolwedge honour, cares for the course and makes a real contribution toward the round your partners are playing.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by ditchparrot19

Quote:

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.

This is only true within significant limitations.  6" closer on a 30 foot putt is meaningless.  6" closer on a 2 foot putt is significant.

Starting the ball 6" closer won't change a thing about that dying break across the front of the hole.  That's primarily a speed issue, not a read issue.  It would be just as easy to start the ball 6" closer and then hit it too hard and have it miss by an inch on the high side.  Or take that added 6" of pace off your stroke and still watch it cross short of the hole.   Your contention is mostly just hot air.

[Fireblade]

It is interesting to read the posts to this thread and how it has wandered off topic - a little like some of my putts :)

The OP asked a question about the ruling for placing a ball forward of the original marked position. It is my opinion that whilst you all make good points about "what if the 6" ..." and how the ball may or may not sink, what is most important here is to remember that golf is an honour game, and we each of us promise to adhere to the rules. So it is a mute point as to what happens once the ball is in motion, what is important is that it is was replaced in the wrong location and should incur a two shot penalty for playing from the wrong place.

What happens once the ball is in motion is irrelevant.