Pre-shot digging... allowed or not?

[Fyldewhite]

It's rule 8 for me too. Perhaps the wording didn't envisage a player would ever deliberately damage the course for this purpose??

 

[Ethan]

I read as breaking 8.2 indicating line of play,

you can mark the line of play, but it must be removed before a stroke is made.

Pretty hard if its a gouge in the ground, but nothing stopping you from using something already there.

I agree. Choosing an existing mark is fine, a good idea even, but creating one is verboten.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

8-2 - Indicating Line of Play

a. Other Than on Putting Green
Except on the putting green, a player may have the line of play indicated to him by anyone, but no one may be positioned by the player on or close to the line or an extension of the line beyond the hole while the stroke is being made. Any mark placed by the player or with his knowledge to indicate the line must be removed before the stroke is made.
Exception: Flagstick attended or held up – see Rule 17-1.

b. On the Putting Green
When the player’s ball is on the putting green, the player, his partner or either of their caddies may, before but not during the stroke, point out a line for putting, but in so doing the putting green must not be touched. A mark must not be placed anywhere to indicate a line for putting.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

Oops - I think I may have broken this rule a couple of times in the past. When a PP has been playing a blind shot from way off line in the rough I think I may have stood on top of rise to be played over - to show my PP and then I've placed my golf glove or something else (loose branch for instance) onto the ground as a marker for him before walking out of the way.

I may have thought I might not be able to do this - I now know I cannot do this.