(1) Facts — Marking and Lifting

Foremost thought he had dunked his wedge shot on the Par 5, 8th hole at BMCC. The ball landed softly and, from F’s vantage point in the fairway, appeared to come to rest only a couple of feet from the pin. F was excited to have a birdie putt, a short one at that!

As so often happens, however, by the time F had navigated the stepping stones through the creek and accomplished the short climb to the elevated putting green, Garland the Golf God had messed with the approach shots so that there were two balls in the vicinity of the hole — one 4-5 feet short of the hole, and the other, probably 8-9 feet short of the hole — both balls on about the same putting line to the hole.

“I can make that”, F thought F to himself as he eyed the short 4- foot putt. He quickly marked his ball with his lucky Trump silver dollar and stepped aside.

“What are you doing?”, said RM. “That’s my ball you marked!”

“Darn”, said F, realizing his mistake as he examined for the first time the ball he had lifted. He quickly replaced the ball and removed his marker.

“That’s a penalty, isn’t it?”, said RM. “You can’t lift my ball.”

“It was just an accident”, said F.

“You aren’t even playing a yellow ball”, RM said accurately. (F knew this looked bad, but he been playing recently with yellow balls and, in fact, his only thought at the time had been on making the putt).

“And so”, continued RM, moving in for the kill, “It’s got to be a penalty. Certainly it’s a penalty in match play if an opponent marks my ball without asking permission. What’s the difference?”

“Accidents are now treated differently on the putting green. No penalty”, said F rather weakly.

(Even F was somewhat concerned about his explanation. This incident wasn’t really an “accident” — he hadn’t kicked the ball, or dropped his marker on it causing it to move. This lifting had been a deliberate, intentional act).

RM politely refused to concede the issue.

Issue

Does a player incur a penalty when he marks and lifts an opponent’s ball on a putting green?

Ruling

It depends.

The general rule is that only the player, or a person authorized by the player, can mark and lift the player’s ball. (R14.1b). Accordingly, a player in match play, for example, must ask his opponent and receive permission, before marking and lifting the opponent’s ball. Under the old rules, the application of this penalty applied anywhere on the course, including the putting green, in every circumstance.

The New Rules 2019 make an exception to this general rule. On the putting green only, there is no penalty in a case of mistaken identity, where a player wrongly believes the ball he is marking and lifting is his own. (R9.5b, Exception2). The offender may replace the ball without penalty.

F, then, was correct in his “no-penalty” conclusion. Had he known he was lifting RM’s ball, without prior authorization, a penalty would have been incurred.

(2) Facts- Concessions

F had a downhill two-footer for a par and a win on the 12th hole at BMCC. (He would remind his tight-lipped opponents RM and JS, by the way, that concessions are allowed in match play. (R3.2b)).

F’s partner, WT, had a meaningless 8-footer uphill and was finishing out the hole. He ran his putt a couple of feet by the hole next to F’s marker.

“I can putt this out, can’t I”, asked WT, as he leaned over to rake in the putt.

Opponent JS was only mildly paying attention, but instead of ignoring him, or answering “yes” or “no” or “of course” , he said “that’s good”.

F promptly shouted “Noooooo!” as WT simultaneously raked the ball towards the hole.

With F’s outburst, JS and RMs’ joint antennae went up as they sensed a violation had occurred.

“Why did you putt before you got your answer?”, F asked his partner. “I get a penalty since your putt theoretically helped me”.

“What is it?” said WT. “A stroke? We still halved the hole.”

Ruling

The violation occurred because WT went ahead and putted a conceded putt which was on F’s line.

This thoughtless error cost his team the hole. The score of the player, who putts after a concession of his putt, stands. The score of his partner cannot be used by the side. (R23.6).

WT then offered an emotional and long-winded rant on the stupidity of this rule as the teams took the long tunnel-walk to the 13th tee. Generally speaking, WT’s central theme was, that he had come to the course to play and practice golf, and have fun! And, that he had simply wanted to work on his putting. RM and JS were very sympathetic to his arguments, and they nodded their heads from time to time in silent, but respectful, agreement.

F told his partner to shut up.

WT did offer to make amends to F if his hasty action ended up costing F any $ on the day … don’t ask F how that turned out.

As usual, all comments or corrections are welcome!

Respectfully submitted,

F