It’s the new Obama golf-tax. You didn’t know?
They want to line it up with a mark on the ball or clean it off.
You’re allowed to clean the ball IF it is on the green. Sometimes (often times) there is dirt, grass, or sand on the ball, which could affect its roll when putting. Also, it is considered proper golf etiquette when playing with partners to mark your ball to ensure the other player(s) aren’t distracted by your ball, and/or won’t have any chance of hitting and displacing your ball when they putt theirs.
You can mark it with a coin or a ball marker. It’s a matter of choice.
I don’t think that should be allowed, it would make gold more exciting. They should also leave the balls alone on the green. Players could use their ball to try to block an opponent. :-D
Thanks y’all! I’m really enjoying the Masters today.. Seems the excitement level picked up a bit, along with the drizzle. I’ll never forget Tiger’s ‘loop back’ shot a few years back. UNBELIEVABLE, and they showed it again. Jason Day seems calm, cool and collected.
Clean the ball, may not be their turn.
Golf rules mandate that you must mark your ball before lifting it from the green. Golfers often have a line on their ball or use the logo or other printed information on the ball to line up their putt.
So in short, they will mark the ball, lift it, allign their mark with their desired putt line, put the ball back down, and remove their mark.
I nominate you for worst post of the year. I clicked here for that? G_O_O_G_L E!
See the reply by Yo-To at 16. First, the player farthest from the hole plays. Sometimes that ball may be on the green and a ball may be off the green in the first cut that is closer.
I’ve seen that situation. The flag is pulled for a player to attempt a put and the flag is put back into the hole for the player closer to the green, but not on the putting surface.
The green is the only time you may pick up the ball to clean it. The marks on the ball are also on the equator of the ball. Many golfers never study the balls, but there is a raised line between dimples that goes all the way around the ball.
That is where most pros put dots or dashes and line up their puts with that, so the ball has less tendency to be deflected by blades of grass or something on the surface.
Advertising guy, you may want to add your remarks.
Not a quarter, I think they all have ther own special markers
A ball to be lifted under the Rules may be lifted by the player, his partner or another person authorized by the player. In any such case, the player is responsible for any breach of the Rules.
The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted under a Rule that requires it to be replaced. If it is not marked, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke and the ball must be replaced. If it is not replaced, the player incurs the general penalty for breach of this Rule but there is no additional penalty under Rule 20-1.
If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of lifting the ball under a Rule or marking its position, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty, provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the specific act of marking the position of or lifting the ball. Otherwise, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke under this Rule or Rule 18-2a.
Exception: If a player incurs a penalty for failing to act in accordance with Rule 5-3 or 12-2, there is no additional penalty under Rule 20-1.
Note: The position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball-marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball. If the ball-marker interferes with the play, stance or stroke of another player, it should be placed one or more clubhead-lengths to one side.