Rules question

[TheChamp]

Player A chips his ball up beside the hole. Player B also faces a chip onto the green. Player A asks player B, 'would you like me to leave my ball there for you or would you like it marked?'

If player B says, 'yes, please leave it there', is he breaking the rules?

 

[RGDave]

Interesting idea/q?

It's not a question I could ever imagine, "leave my ball there for you".....surely the question would only ever be "would you like me to mark it?"

Leaving a ball on purpose as a sort of backstop sounds dodgy.

I don't suppose as a third party you can "demand" player A marks before player B chips on/up.

- - -

The other day, I faced a chip that if hit properly would just miss a ball. He asked me if I wanted it marked and I said ", I'm not going to hit it, and if I do, it'll ruin my shot". If it had been beside the hole, and I aimed for it, and hit it, then I would call it bending the rules.

 

[rickg]

Definitely against the rules if both of you agree to leave the ball where it is with the intent of player B gaining an advantage if he uses the ball as a backstop.
player A is also entitled to mark his ball if he thinks it will give player B an advantage. Player B, then has to wait until Player A marks his ball.

 

[Spinn77]

If it had been beside the hole, and I aimed for it, and hit it, then I would call it bending the rules.

I'd imagine the player who's ball that is would tap in or mark, just to avoid you gaining that advantage, i think i would.

If ball 1 is on the green and ball 2 is played from off it then there's no penalty for ball 1 being hit. Ball 1 would be replaced and ball 2 carries on from wherever it finished.

If however both balls are on the green and ball 2 is played and it hits ball 1 then there's a penalty.

 

[RGDave]

If it had been beside the hole, and I aimed for it, and hit it, then I would call it bending the rules.

I'd imagine the player who's ball that is would tap in or mark, just to avoid you gaining that advantage, i think i would.

I would too! I'd never leave a ball around the hole.
BUT, I wouldn't know where in the rules to look to cover this?
If a player asked me to leave it, I'd say no.

 

[Spinn77]

you have the right to 'finish it off' anyway dont you, if you lag it up?

 

[clubchamp07]

Totally against the rules. Someone cant ask for a ball to be left. The only question would be for the guy who's ball is close to the hole asking if the other player would like the ball marked. Player A cant ask for the ball to be left.

 

[RGDave]

Totally against the rules. Someone cant ask for a ball to be left. The only question would be for the guy who's ball is close to the hole asking if the other player would like the ball marked. Player A cant ask for the ball to be left.

I agree, but where is it in the rules?

 

[rickg]

I agree, but where is it in the rules?

Rule 22:

Ball Assisting or Interfering with Play (Rule 22)
You may lift your ball or have any other ball lifted if you think the ball
might assist another player.
You must not agree to leave a ball in position in order to assist
another player.
You may have any ball lifted if it might interfere with your play.
A ball that is lifted due to it assisting or interfering with play must not
be cleaned, unless it is lifted from the putting green.

 

[Ethan]

I am not so sure that the question, as asked in the OP's post, is clearly intended to conspire to give advantage. Except for the words 'for you' although that can be read in different ways. Intent is a big issue, but the intent is not at all clear here.

If not, then since neither of the two situations allowed - player has right to mark own ball, and other player has right to ask for other ball to be marked - apply, I can't see where the infringement is.

 

[RGDave]

You must not agree to leave a ball in position in order to assist another player.

Excellent. You've got to love computers. I copied this text and pasted it into the "find" box on my pdf copy of the R.O.G.
Found it straight away.

Beautiful!!!

There we have it. QED.

 

[hopeful]

Yes, this seems to boil down to a question of intent. In strokeplay, if the intent was to conspire to assist player B then both players would be dissed by 'the Committee.' Rule 22/1. How they would determine such intent is another matter!

 

[TheChamp]

Excellent stuff lads... i had a quick look at the rule book, but couldn't seem to find what i was after.

This actually happened today. I was in position of player b and one of my playing partners asked me before i chipped on if i'd like his ball left where it was. It was pin high, about 3-4 inches from the cup.

I had a fair idea what the rule was so replied 'you'll need to mark it, you can't ask/agree to leave it sitting as a backstop'.

Both he and my other playing partner thought i was wrong, so just wanted to check.

 

[Ethan]

You must not agree to leave a ball in position in order to assist another player.

Excellent. You've got to love computers. I copied this text and pasted it into the "find" box on my pdf copy of the R.O.G.
Found it straight away.

Beautiful!!!

There we have it. QED.

QE not necessarily D, actually.

The question revolves around the phrase "in order to assist another player". Player A's question could possibly also be interpreted as "Are you going to make me walk all the way up there to mark that?"

 

[SammmeBee]

The action is not the problem...the problem is the 2 have 'discussed' it....A would have been better waiting to be asked (or probably not asked) to mark it rather than the other way round....

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Excellent stuff lads... i had a quick look at the rule book, but couldn't seem to find what i was after.

This actually happened today. I was in position of player b and one of my playing partners asked me before i chipped on if i'd like his ball left where it was. It was pin high, about 3-4 inches from the cup.

I had a fair idea what the rule was so replied 'you'll need to mark it, you can't ask/agree to leave it sitting as a backstop'.

Both he and my other playing partner thought i was wrong, so just wanted to check.

Hi
If he asked do you want me to mark that you can say no its fine, if someone pitched on from 40 yards to a couple of inches and you are waiting to play beside the green are you going to wait until he walks up to mark it.
Mike

 

[TheChamp]

Mike, yes, but the way he put it to me was 'do you want me to leave that there for you'. The inference here was 'do you want me to leave that there for you as a backstop to make it easier for you'.

If i'd said 'no it's fine', i would have been agreeing with him to do something which would have aided my shot and been in breach of the rule quoted above in this thread.

And would i wait until a guy walks 40 yards to mark his ball if it was in my way? Definitely.