Dear Linda,
I never would have thought that this is legal [marking a ball with a putter or a loose impediment]. What would be the ruling if while marking the ball with your putter and your putter slips? What would be the ruling if you do mark the ball with a loose impediment and wind blows it away?
Thank you for educating us cyber geeks on the rules of golf.
Best regards,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
Here is where things get a little sticky. You have to take great care when marking the position of the ball using an unorthodox method. Should your putter slip or the loose impediment blow away, you will need surefire proof of the exact position of your ball. Otherwise you will incur a one-stroke penalty under Rule 20-1 for failure to mark the position of the ball.
I am going to anticipate and answer another question that might occur to you relating to a moved marker. If a player has marked and lifted a ball, and wind or water move the marker before he replaces the ball, then the ball or marker must be replaced on the original spot and no penalty is incurred.
Linda
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