This month, I want to expand upon the rules about correctly marking the golf ball on the green that I shared in the April edition of the Indiana Golf Journal. The rules and procedure for marking and replacing one’s golf ball are specific within the Rules of Golf and can lead to unwelcome penalty strokes if not done correctly. in the Rules of Golf tells us that you can use your ball-marker to mark the spot 360 degrees around the ball as long as it is “right next to it.” However, when replacing the golf ball, the ball-marker must be removed before any stroke is made. If not, a one-stroke penalty will be accessed. The rule also adds that the ball must be set down on the required spot and you must physically let go of it. So, the next time you see one of your buddies rake their ball back to their ball-marker with their putter and play, know that you will be delivering the news of a one-stroke penalty! The Rules of Golf are there for every golfer to help keep the game fair and equitable. Know the rules, they can help, as well as harm your score. Marking the Golf Ball: What Can Be Used & How To Do It By Mitch Moon According to the Rules of Golf, the definition of “ball-marker” explains that it must be an artificial object like a tee, coin, or a small piece of equipment. This means that if you forget your ball-marker a pine needle, stone, or other part of nature is not permitted to be used as a mark and if done so, is a breach of the rules. The rule also explicitly spells out that you can hold a club on the ground next to your ball and use that if you choose to do so. A scoring pencil, golf tee, or gambling chip from the casino are all permitted, as long as they are not natural to the area. Digging a little deeper, Rule 14.1
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