First question: In match play my ball stops on the green
inside my opponent’s ball. When I mark my ball the marker is in the area of my
opponent’s line. I ask my opponent if my marker is OK where it is. He says yes
but says I have to take a penalty for asking. His point was that I am assisting
him in reading the putt.
Second question: My ball lands on the green and my opponent,
who is just off the green, asks that I mark it and leave it there which may or
may not provide him some advantage if he hits it. I tell him I have a right to
mark my ball on the green and remove it and in fact must do so to avoid giving
him any advantage over me in match play or the rest of the field in medal play...True?
Thanks,
Lou from Ontario
Question #1
Asking an opponent whether he would like you to move your
marker is a common courtesy. There are no penalties in golf for being courteous.
Question #2
If you suspect your ball may assist another player, you may
lift it [Rule 22-1]. You always have that prerogative. No player may require
you to mark it and leave it in place. In stroke play, if the Committee learns
that competitors have agreed to leave a ball in place to assist one of them,
the penalty is disqualification for both.
Linda
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