Pitchmark repairer used as marker stops ball

[cookelad]

Had an incident today where, in a four-ball better all match, one player marked his ball on the green with his pitchmark repairer, his partner then putt his ball ran past the hole and the pitchmark repairer stopping dead instead of running a few feet Futher past the hole

I can't see anything in the rules so is this just a lucky break or is there a penalty to be applied?

 

[Colin L]

The ball must be played as it lies after hitting the marker. {11.1b Exception 2, 1st bullet point. ] There is no penalty.

The only times there is penalty for your ball, played from the putting green, hitting an object are,

• if in stroke play, it collides with another ball at rest [11.1a] - no penalty in match play; and,
• if the pitch marker had been deliberately used with the intention of acting as a possible backstop and the ball struck it. [11.2a, 2nd bullet point].

Rule 11 tells you the whole story:
https://www.randa.org/rog/the-rules-of-golf/rule-11

 

[cookelad]

Thanks Colin, that was my understanding also

 

[Deleted member 23344]

So what is to stop the pitchmark repairer being deliberately used as a backstop? Out of interest, did he use it as a marker on every hole, or just for those where it had the potential to stop an overhit putt by his partner?

 

[Colin L]

So what is to stop the pitchmark repairer being deliberately used as a backstop? ........

Nothing apart from the integrity of the players. But there is the penalty I mentioned above (general penalty - two strokes or loss of hole).
Quite right, though, to be a bit suspicious of using such an obtrusive object in a position where it could assist.

 

[Neilds]

So what is to stop the pitchmark repairer being deliberately used as a backstop? Out of interest, did he use it as a marker on every hole, or just for those where it had the potential to stop an overhit putt by his partner?

If someone is a good enough putter to hit a pitchmark tool ( or another ball) surely they are good enough to get it in the hole? ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I am not normally of a suspicious nature, but how far past the hole was the pitchmark repairer.

Kinda feels it was not very far past at all in which case I’d have asked it to be changed for something that wouldn’t be a risk to stopping an overhit or misdirected putt.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@cookelad did the person use the pitch repairer again to mark the ball?

 

[salfordlad]

So what is to stop the pitchmark repairer being deliberately used as a backstop? Out of interest, did he use it as a marker on every hole, or just for those where it had the potential to stop an overhit putt by his partner?

Note that any other player can require that assisting ball marker to be moved (rule 15.3) - and, IMO, should do so to protect the field.

 

[rulie]

Note that any other player can require that assisting ball marker to be moved (rule 15.3) - and, IMO, should do so to protect the field.

No “field” in this case- match play.

 

[IanM]

Marking the ball with pitchmark repairers, fixing pitch marks with tees???

... blimey, they let all sorts of folk on the course these days!

 

[salfordlad]

No “field” in this case- match play.

In 4bbb match play the "field" is restricted, but the issue I'm pointing to is still binding, the opponent can prevent the backstopping from occurring.

 

[Steven Rules]

Note that any other player can require that assisting ball marker to be moved (rule 15.3)

I just noticed something in Rule 15.3c that I had never noticed or not thought about before. Or, if I had, it hadn't sunk in:

"Either the lifted ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2) or....."

What is this getting at? Is this saying that the ball may be replaced on its original spot without first moving the ball marker back into its original position?

 

[rulie]

I just noticed something in Rule 15.3c that I had never noticed or not thought about before. Or, if I had, it hadn't sunk in:

"Either the lifted ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2) or....."

What is this getting at? Is this saying that the ball may be replaced on its original spot without first moving the ball marker back into its original position?

Yes. But try it sometime in casual play and I'm sure that someone will suggest that you didn't follow the required procedure.

 

[salfordlad]

I just noticed something in Rule 15.3c that I had never noticed or not thought about before. Or, if I had, it hadn't sunk in:

"Either the lifted ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2) or....."

What is this getting at? Is this saying that the ball may be replaced on its original spot without first moving the ball marker back into its original position?

Yes, as Rulie notes, there is no requirement to replace the ball-marker first - but it sure reduces the risk of getting a penalty for playing from a wrong place.

 

[Jigger]

If someone is a good enough putter to hit a pitchmark tool ( or another ball) surely they are good enough to get it in the hole? ?

Don’t be silly now. In all seriousness, if it was being used, It’s an insurance policy in case you miss that it may hit the marker and stop. It’s similar to the pros leaving balls on the green while partners are chipping on

 

[Blue in Munich]

Marking the ball with pitchmark repairers, fixing pitch marks with tees???

... blimey, they let all sorts of folk on the course these days!

If you ever play at Centurion, you can buy pitchmark tools with a single prong; apparently it encourages the correct method of pushing it back rather than lifting up and ripping the roots. The single prong looks very much like a tee peg…

 

[Jigger]

Had an incident today where, in a four-ball better all match, one player marked his ball on the green with his pitchmark repairer, his partner then putt his ball ran past the hole and the pitchmark repairer stopping dead instead of running a few feet Futher past the hole

I can't see anything in the rules so is this just a lucky break or is there a penalty to be applied?

you can always tell them to lie it flat. ?

 

[IanM]

If you ever play at Centurion, you can buy pitchmark tools with a single prong; apparently it encourages the correct method of pushing it back rather than lifting up and ripping the roots. The single prong looks very much like a tee peg…

Interesting......is it flat sided? I think if you use a tee then soil passes round the sides too easily