Putting green Rules conundrum...

There is an additional problem with this! I once played with a gentleman who aproaced the ball after a putt had stopped death defyingly close to the edge and preceeded to wait to see if it would drop? it didn't!

He realised that under the rules of undue delay he was required to take action? he decided to mark his ball! move away line up the putt etc etc and then replace the ball! foolishly or not thinking he could walk away after replacing and get another 10 seconds! what actually happened was it was impossible to replace the ball!!! even when touching the marker it just kept falling in!

How do you proceed from there?

JollysH1
 
Just finished an article for the June issue based on my experiences at the annual R&A Referees' School in St Andrews.

Here's one that came up in discussion there for the assembled forum gurus to chew over: Is it fair that a ball that stops on the lip and then drops after you've reached the hole and stood there for 10 seconds counts as a shot while a ball blown in by strong winds from further afield does not?

I await your comments...
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I would ask 'How does this conundrum deal with a ball that is out of sight until you are nearer the green' (I have played some holes with raised greens where from some locations you cannot see what the wind or gravity is doing to your ball till you get up on that green)

Also what determines a ball has actually stopped any form of motion that brings on the 10 seconds or the oposite with the wind moving the ball?

The ball has either stopped on the lip or it hasnt. If it has stopped then some other intervention has caused it to fall in eg. wind, vibration or gravity altering the motionless balls resting place and to me is no greater or lesser piece of luck than that of the wind blowing one from further away.

My view is that if the ball makes its way to the hole within a certain time limit that does not affect pace of play nor interfere with another players play then so be it.

I have never understood why a difference is seen between a ball stopped on the lip then falling in and a ball stopped further away and being blown in as to me if it stopped, it stopped so it should be replaced in both cases or left alone in both cases.

But thats just my opinion ;)
 
I think the rule about spike marks on the green needs looking at especially in the pro game. With the advent of these new low level HD slow motion cameras that show the putt in all its glory its amazing how bumpy the greens get especially for afternoon starters or those in the last group. There have been many instances where a ball has jumped offline and even airborne after hitting a spike mark
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Perhaps the Officials can get the groundsmen to roll the greens after every group.... Now that would really slow things down, but would give a repeatable surface for each group.

I honestly think it should be made legal for players to tamp down spike marks with their putter.
 
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