Dear Linda,
Recently I asked my partner to move his ball marker off my line of putt, expecting him to simply move it a putter head. Instead, he moved it the length of his putter. I had never seen this done before and wondered just how accurately he would be able to replace his ball in its original position. Would appreciate your view on this.
Thanks,
Lou
Dear Lou,
The recommended distance for moving your ball marker out of another player’s line of putt is one or two club-head lengths. However, there is nothing in the Rules to prohibit a player from moving his marker a club-length away. He must be very careful to reverse the procedure exactly when he replaces his ball or marker.
If the player were my partner, I would ask him to announce what fixed object (such as the base of a tree or a ball washer) he is using to line up his club – there would be no question later on where the ball should be replaced. I would also suggest afterwards that moving the ball one or two club-head lengths is sufficient, and makes it easier to replace the ball on the correct spot.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
