Marking Your Ball - seperate thread to cheating

[0]

On sunday one of the guys at our course said he had played with a guy who marked his ball in front rather than behind the ball as usual.

What do the rules say about this ?
Also if you use a totally flat marker does it make a difference as some markers have the little spike in.
If you mark with this infront of the ball surely you are changing the ground on the line of the putt so thats a penalty ?

 

[bobmac]

The rules recommend you mark behind the ball

“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.”

But there is no penalty if you choose to mark it in other ways

 

[Imurg]

You can mark it to the side as long as you put the ball back in the right place...

 

[Losttheplot]

Ref the OP, it's a funny one but as long as you return it to the same place it's ok. Like bobmac says, it's recommended to place it behind the ball.

As per the spike changing the line of the ball..... That's a funny one, haven't a clue. Technically yes it changes the line of the ball but is it a rule infringement....?????? Haven't the foggiest!

 

[Matty]

My understanding is that you can mark the ball with whatever you like (coin, marker, tee peg, house brick) provided you mark in a way so that you can replace the ball on the spot where you lifted it from.

Now, if the process of marking included placing your marker in front of the ball and therefore on the line of your putt, I would have thought you'd have to make very sure not to mark the surface of the green in any way for fear of penalty. Perhaps that's why it is recommended to mark behind the ball, but that said, doesn't the line of the putt extend backwards too?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I guess Mike needs to get in touch with the King of the Ball Marker - Mr Ian Poulter for definitive guidance!

 

[bobmac]

Now, if the process of marking included placing your marker in front of the ball and therefore on the line of your putt, I would have thought you'd have to make very sure not to mark the surface of the green in any way for fear of penalty. Perhaps that's why it is recommended to mark behind the ball, but that said, doesn't the line of the putt extend backwards too?

Examples of methods of marking the position of a ball that are not recommended, but are permissible, are as follows:

scratching a line, provided the putting green is not tested (Rule 16-1d) and a line for putting is not indicated (Rule 8-2b). As this practice may cause damage to the putting green, it is discouraged.

But allowed

 

[Oddsocks]

My understanding is that you can mark the ball with whatever you like (coin, marker, tee peg, house brick)

hmm, now i find some funky stuff in my bag, but when my wall fell down at home, i got the house bricks from B&Q, didnt think of looking in my golf bag. I could have saved a fortunte