Placing of bag / trolley

[Lord Tyrion]

I thought about this thread whilst playing yesterday evening. I always like to pick a spot on the grass in front of my ball and line up with that. On one fairway, the shadow of my bag was casting itself over the area just forward of my ball. It annoyed me so I moved my bag, but it made me think: would deliberately placing equipment so that it's shadow is helpful be against the rules? BTW, I'm not doing this and I'm not going to start doing to it, even if it's legal. It's just something (vaguely!) interesting to ponder.

I think the answer is the same as to my question. The moment you do it deliberately you are in trouble. If it is there by accident, a one off, you are okay, but if you are placing deliberately it to give an aid then you start to break the rules.

That is my reading of things.

We just need to keep focusing on the daisy, the twig, the bare patch etc that is there naturally.

 

[Steven Rules]

On one fairway, the shadow of my bag was casting itself over the area just forward of my ball. It annoyed me so I moved my bag, but it made me think: would deliberately placing equipment so that it's shadow is helpful be against the rules?

This would breach 10.2b(3) - A player must not set an object down (in this case - a golf bag) to help with aiming....

This Rule also applies to taking other actions for a similar purpose.

 

[clubchamp98]

I think the answer is the same as to my question. The moment you do it deliberately you are in trouble. If it is there by accident, a one off, you are okay, but if you are placing deliberately it to give an aid then you start to break the rules.

That is my reading of things.

We just need to keep focusing on the daisy, the twig, the bare patch etc that is there naturally.

That might help you with your backswing.
if your pro wants you swinging more straight back.

pick a spot behind the ball to swing over as well as a target spot.
It just concentrates the mind.