Marking ball on green

[chrisd]

I wondered why there is no rule. Years ago players didnt move their ball, even if it was in a direct line between another ball and the hole, giving rise to "being stymied" and causing players to have to chip over a ball often at times whilst on the green. Indeed, some players were very adept at this shot.

When they stopped allowing stymies you would have thought that this would be by application of a rule introduction or rule change? How did the change come about without a new rule I wonder?

 

[Colin L]

Chris,
There is indeed a rule, 22-2, which gives a player the right to have any ball anywhere on the course moved if it is interfering with his play. The problem highlighted in this thread is that there isn't a rule explicitly giving him the equivalent right to have a ball marker moved.

 

[bobmac]

Has anyone in the history of golf EVER asked someone to move a marker and the person has refused?

 

[Foxholer]

I wondered why there is no rule. Years ago players didnt move their ball, even if it was in a direct line between another ball and the hole, giving rise to "being stymied" and causing players to have to chip over a ball often at times whilst on the green. Indeed, some players were very adept at this shot.

When they stopped allowing stymies you would have thought that this would be by application of a rule introduction or rule change? How did the change come about without a new rule I wonder?

Rule change(s). http://www.ruleshistory.com/green.html#stymie

 

[Colin L]

Has anyone in the history of golf EVER asked someone to move a marker and the person has refused?

What's that got to do with anything?

 

[MashieNiblick]

Rule change(s). http://www.ruleshistory.com/green.html#stymie

That is a great website for anyone interested in the development of the Rules. :thup:

 

[backwoodsman]

Chris,
There is indeed a rule, 22-2, which gives a player the right to have any ball anywhere on the course moved if it is interfering with his play. The problem highlighted in this thread is that there isn't a rule explicitly giving him the equivalent right to have a ball marker moved.

This is subtley different to what we've been discussing. The rules allow the ball to be lifted out of the way and substituted by a marker - in exactly the same spot. What we've been wondering is, given that the marker is a representation of the ball, what rule allows it to be lifted and put down somewhere else. There only appears to be the Note to 20/1 which isn't in it's own right clear enough -since the word "should" means it is only a recommendation.

 

[Colin L]

It was more than just subtly different, but it was a direct answer to the question:
When they stopped allowing stymies you would have thought that this would be by application of a rule introduction or rule change? How did the change come about without a new rule I wonder?

I fully understand what we have been wondering about - which is not what rule allows us to move a marker but under what rule can we deal with a player who won't move his marker when asked.