Too much Sharpie on the golf ball?

[Dormie1360]

Sharpie marker on the ball is not considered foreign material.  Therefore this rule does not come into play at all.  You can put any marking you want on your ball, and if it comes off on your club and you can see where the club struck the ball that's fine as well.  You can use the line you make on your ball (if you use one) to line up drives and putts, and can also use the markings on your ball off the tee as an impact point.

Well my pedant nature might get into a discussion on what is "foreign"  but I think that would get silly.  We agree he can mark his ball with a Sharpie.  As the rules strongly suggest that you put an identifying mark on your golf ball, it would be difficult to do if you could not use a Sharpie.

As far as the Sharpie, if a player puts a big black spot on the ball fresh every drive, and deliberately puts that spot toward the back for the obvious purpose of checking his impact, then he would be in breach of the rules.  I think that it would fall under Rule 14-3 as unusual use of equipment or using a training aid during the round.

Have to think about this one.  As described it does sound like he is using the Sharpie as a form of impact tape, which I agree would be a breach.

[Rulzguy]

dkolo is correct. Marks on a ball that leave a mark on the club are not considered a problem. happens all the time

[Rulzguy]

There is no rule violation when a player puts a mark on the ball, lines it up on the tee and then reviews the mark left on the club face. the player is allowed to mark his ball and if it just so happens he lines it up and sees the impact on the club face, so be it. I would not recommend placing a mark on the ball when lifted on the putting green on any where else once the ball is in play. that may be a problem. I have a red line on my ball and use it to line up putts. My putter club face has red right on on near the sweet spot made from that mark.

[Rulesman]

I would not recommend placing a mark on the ball when lifted on the putting green on any where else once the ball is in play. that may be a problem.

Why?

[ColinL]

Why, indeed.  Since there is nothing wrong in marking up your ball, and nothing wrong in aligning a lifted ball using such a mark when replacing it, why would there be any restriction on when you did the marking?

[Avalanche]

There was a PGA tour pro who would let his young daughters color and scribble all over his golf balls before each tourney with brightly colored Sharpies.  I recall seeing a close up of his ball a couple of times when it was on the putting green, showing the scribblings.  Can't recall who it was though, but he was a fairly big name at the time.  This was several years back.

[Fourputt]

There was a PGA tour pro who would let his young daughters color and scribble all over his golf balls before each tourney with brightly colored Sharpies.  I recall seeing a close up of his ball a couple of times when it was on the putting green, showing the scribblings.  Can't recall who it was though, but he was a fairly big name at the time.  This was several years back.

Duffy Waldorf.

[Rulzguy]

There is no rule violation. I just don't like to see an opportunity for an opponent or competitor to maybe question if player had changed balls.

[ghalfaire]

Duffy Waldorf.

good memory.