I was just flipping through the channels and on the Champions Tour learning show they talked about marking a ball on the greens. They said if you mark your ball, clean it or put it in your pocket or whatever, as soon as you put the ball back down in front of the coin the ball is technically in play?!?! They mentioned if the ball moves from that point it has to be played from its new position, you can even hit the ball with the coin still there as long as it doesn't aid a stroke.
My question is how can this be a rule, I've seen it a hundred times on TV where a player will line up a ball, take a look from the other side of the hole and then fix the alignment all over again. Would that be a rules violation?? What if the player puts the ball down, then picks it back up again while the coin is still there? I'm so confused on this, I could've sworn the ball is not in play until the mark is picked up.
Full Version: Question marking a golf ball on the green
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20-4. When Ball Dropped or Placed Is in Play
If the player's ball in play has been lifted, it is again in play when dropped or placed.
20-4/1 Ball Replaced on Putting Green But Ball-Marker Not Removed; Ball Then Moves
Q. A player replaces his ball on the putting green but does not remove his ball-marker. Subsequently the wind moves his ball to a new position. What is the ruling?
A. Under Rule 20-4, a ball is in play when it is replaced, whether or not the object used to mark its position has been removed. Consequently the ball must be played from the new position — see Decision 18-1/12.
If the player's ball in play has been lifted, it is again in play when dropped or placed.
20-4/1 Ball Replaced on Putting Green But Ball-Marker Not Removed; Ball Then Moves
Q. A player replaces his ball on the putting green but does not remove his ball-marker. Subsequently the wind moves his ball to a new position. What is the ruling?
A. Under Rule 20-4, a ball is in play when it is replaced, whether or not the object used to mark its position has been removed. Consequently the ball must be played from the new position — see Decision 18-1/12.
So if I'm replacing my ball on the green, and it "wobbles" I should leave it where it wobbles to? I've always tried to keep replacing the ball so it sits just right. How do you guys treat this?
The ball must first come to rest on the spot it is placed, and only then it becomes in play. If it then subsequently rolls, it's played from the new position.
If it just won't come to a rest on the spot placed, the nearest spot where it will come to a rest is chosen. (20-3d)
If it just won't come to a rest on the spot placed, the nearest spot where it will come to a rest is chosen. (20-3d)
QUOTE (gators77 @ Sep 22 2009, 01:12 AM) 
My question is how can this be a rule, I've seen it a hundred times on TV where a player will line up a ball, take a look from the other side of the hole and then fix the alignment all over again. Would that be a rules violation?? What if the player puts the ball down, then picks it back up again while the coin is still there? I'm so confused on this, I could've sworn the ball is not in play until the mark is picked up.
Although the ball is in play it is still marked. So the player may touch or lift the ball. If the mark had been removed he could not do this. He would have to replace the mark.
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