Lexi Thompson's 4 Stroke Penalty at the ANA

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, sac1 said:

 

You need to put your comments about a quote outside the quote box. Otherwise, when someone quotes you, your post is blank, as above.

[Ernest Jones]

17 hours ago, iacas said:

 

I think it's possible you're over-reacting to ONE very specific event that doesn't feel "right." But if you were to change it to "before the start of the next round" and people will still complain that it's unfair, because some players have 24 minutes between rounds and others have over 24 hours.

 

 

 

There is a saying "Hard cases make bad law" and this is a typical example of why that holds true. 

[1badbadger]

4 hours ago, sac1 said:

I didn't realize it until I watched this video, but Wayne makes an interesting observation that it doesn't appear that she originally placed her ball mark behind the ball in line with the hole.

And why did that happen, she was standing right on top of it, NOT reaching in from the side in order to avoid stepping on someone's line etc.

If the error came from the issue of her position, then how do you explain that she put it down in a different spot when she had not moved from the same position from where she picked it up

I say this in all seriousness...if markers like this were used instead of round objects, it would prevent things like this from occurring, or make it more noticeable to playing companions if the ball wasn't replaced in the same spot:

In all seriousness you are clutching at the most slender of straws trying to defend the undefendable.

What are you talking about?  I'm not defending anything, and I'm not clutching at straws.  All I said is that video pointed out something I hadn't noticed before, and that a round object may not be the best item to use to mark your ball so that it can be replaced accurately.  That reaction is so far off I'm thinking you responded to the wrong post...

[sac1]

15 minutes ago, 1badbadger said:

What are you talking about?  I'm not defending anything, and I'm not clutching at straws.  All I said is that video pointed out something I hadn't noticed before, and that a round object may not be the best item to use to mark your ball so that it can be replaced accurately.  That reaction is so far off I'm thinking you responded to the wrong post...

Yes you are, it was a feeble masked excuse to try and shift the blame for the "error" from the person who perpetrated it to the type of marker used.  

One most plausible explanation is that the marker was placed slightly to the side so that the ball could be seen to have been placed back in line with the marker to achieve the sideways shift that was sought to avoid whatever was lurking there.   The only other was that her eyes were closed.......

Edited April 6, 2017 by sac1

[RH31]

2 hours ago, Marty2019 said:

But the thing is, she didn't lift the ball more than an inch off the ground.   One inch off the ground and one inch over.   She didn't clean it, or examine it, or align some sort of line on the ball, or anything.  She just moved it over.  Why, I have no idea.   But it looks like her entire intent was to move the ball over an inch to the left of the original line.  Because that was her entire action.   She just slid it over an inch.  

Again, none of us know if she intended to cheat.   It's possible that some players do these little bitty adjustments, bend the rules, and don't think about it.  None of us know what was in her mind.  But I'm starting to think she got off light.   Because she didn't exhibit any purpose other than moving it over. 

 

When she picks the ball up off the ground, she appears to be spinning the ball slightly. If you go back to the video she will see her fingers moving as she picks it up and before she puts it down. My guess is she likes to have something on the ball, Titelist or whatever, oriented a certain way.

[1badbadger]

3 minutes ago, sac1 said:

Yes you are, it was a feeble masked excuse to try and shift the blame for the "error" from the person who perpetrated it to the type of marker used.  The ONLY way the ball could be so inaccurately marked with a coin was if the person had their eyes closed or they were looking to place it elsewhere!  

Woah, woah, woah...you are reading something into my post that wasn't there. If I tell you what my point is, how can you dispute that and tell me I meant something else?

I am absolutely not trying to shift the blame from the person who committed the violation.  All I am saying is that a different type of mark might prevent any violations in the future or make an intentional breach more noticeable by playing partners or viewers.  I am firmly of the opinion that she was responsible for her actions.  The video I referenced made me realize how badly her ball mark was initially placed...everyone is talking about how she replaced the ball incorrectly (which she did) but not much has been made of the fact that her marker was not placed correctly to start with.   

[GolfLug]

2 hours ago, nevets88 said:

I've been meaning to mention the TST ball marker. A lot more elegant than lasers.

In the video, Jane Blalock is mentioned, whom I knew nothing about, here's an SI piece I read to get up to speed:

https://www.si.com/vault/1972/06/19/613598/keeping-a-close-eye-on-the-ball

 

I love the TST markers. I have three..

Edited April 6, 2017 by GolfLug

[RandallT]

1 hour ago, sac1 said:

Yes you are, it was a feeble masked excuse to try and shift the blame for the "error" from the person who perpetrated it to the type of marker used.  

One most plausible explanation is that the marker was placed slightly to the side so that the ball could be seen to have been placed back in line with the marker to achieve the sideways shift that was sought to avoid whatever was lurking there.   The only other was that her eyes were closed.......

Gotta go with @1badbadger on this one. I read his post exactly as he describes, and thought you attributed some things to it that he did not say or imply. 

But we get your point, nonetheless, and there are probably other posts in this thread you could've quoted and your response would've been a direct rebuttal.

Movin' on. 

[DaveP043]

59 minutes ago, 1badbadger said:

.everyone is talking about how she replaced the ball incorrectly (which she did) but not much has been made of the fact that her marker was not placed correctly to start with.   

From everything I've read in the rules, there isn't a "correct way" to place a marker.  There's certainly a recommendation that the marker be placed immediately behind the ball, but its not a requirement.  One acceptable (but not recommended) method of marking the ball that is specifically mentioned in Decision 20-1/16 is to place the toe of a club to the side of the ball.  Her method of marking would have been fine if she'd simply put the ball back on its original location.

[HitAndGiggle]

11 hours ago, 1badbadger said:

I didn't realize it until I watched this video, but Wayne makes an interesting observation that it doesn't appear that she originally placed her ball mark behind the ball in line with the hole.

I say this in all seriousness...if markers like this were used instead of round objects, it would prevent things like this from occurring, or make it more noticeable to playing companions if the ball wasn't replaced in the same spot:

Hey, I like those markers! May have to get some of those. Where can I? I hope, though that nobody gets their knickers in a bind over them or disqualifies me for "kneeling on a towel". Kneeling on a towel...for the love of Pete...That's hilarious. I can just picture the Walrus' face when he was told. LOL. For me, that's just too anal. Thinking back - I have played golf with a few people that wound up. I don't anymore. I hope one can't be disqualified for sipping a beer on the tee box...

[iacas]

7 hours ago, sac1 said:

If the error came from the issue of her position, then how do you explain that she put it down in a different spot when she had not moved from the same position from where she picked it up

Yeah, that's the weird thing. I get that she came in from the side, but then why, in a span of a second or so, did she then twist her hand to put it down >= 0.7" away from where it was?

Try to do what she did yourself - it's very awkward. The more and more I think about it, the less I think it was just a brain fart moment. But to be clear I'm still on that side of things. But less so than I was on Sunday/Monday.

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

From everything I've read in the rules, there isn't a "correct way" to place a marker.

Correct.

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

Her method of marking would have been fine if she'd simply put the ball back on its original location.

Yeah.

12 minutes ago, HitAndGiggle said:

Hey, I like those markers! May have to get some of those. Where can I?

[14ledo81]

I also think its somewhat telling how she came up to the ball, grounded the putter, paused, and then went down to mark/move.  It kind of looks like she was just going to tap it in, and then saw something she didn't like.

[RH31]

1 hour ago, 14ledo81 said:

I also think its somewhat telling how she came up to the ball, grounded the putter, paused, and then went down to mark/move.  It kind of looks like she was just going to tap it in, and then saw something she didn't like.

Yes, again, she picks the ball up, twirls it slightly in her fingertips, and puts it back down.

Some people, myself included, try to line the lettering of the ball up a certain way.

I try to line the <NXT Tour> so that it is pointing directly where I want to hit my putt.

[WestKyGolfer]

57 minutes ago, RH31 said:

Yes, again, she picks the ball up, twirls it slightly in her fingertips, and puts it back down.

Some people, myself included, try to line the lettering of the ball up a certain way.

I try to line the <NXT Tour> so that it is pointing directly where I want to hit my putt.

Do you move an inch to the side after you have aligned you mark?

[RH31]

33 minutes ago, WestKyGolfer said:

Do you move an inch to the side after you have aligned you mark?

I don't recall ever having intentionally moved my ball an inch the side. I've never been called for an infraction. But then Joey Cheeto doesn't record my play either....

 

Edited April 6, 2017 by RH31

[HitAndGiggle]

4 hours ago, 14ledo81 said:

I also think its somewhat telling how she came up to the ball, grounded the putter, paused, and then went down to mark/move.  It kind of looks like she was just going to tap it in, and then saw something she didn't like.

Yeah, I noticed that too. But, I didn't think of it in the same way. You're comment got me to look at the photo with the red line showing the path between her ball and the hole - haha. My impression was that she was, after thinking about just tapping in, aiming her ball. But, I can't read the mind of a pretty lady. That I've proven over a few decades of trying.

[Aflighter]

Just alittle off topic but I just saw Snedeker kinda drop his marker down behind ball. It would be interesting to know if it was placed exactly behind ball. I have  no idea how I could see it again plus zoom in to see plus they didnt show him put ball back down to putt out.

[1badbadger]

1 minute ago, Aflighter said:

Just alittle off topic but I just saw Snedeker kinda drop his marker down behind ball. It would be interesting to know if it was placed exactly behind ball. I have  no idea how I could see it again plus zoom in to see plus they didnt show him put ball back down to putt out.

Actually @DaveP043 or @iacas, if I understand correctly, the mark doesn't have to be placed behind the ball at all...technically, it could be placed on the side, correct?