Thursday, June 25, 2015

Ask Linda #1091-Putt from wrong place

Dear Linda,

I was playing stroke play in a tournament. Both of us were "on the green". My ball was in the direct line of my partner's 20-foot putting path. After marking my ball, she asked me to place the marker to the side. So I measured a distance of two putter heads to the left and moved my marker to the new spot. She putted within two feet of the hole and asked to finish. After putting my ball, I realized I had placed my ball immediately in front of my marker -- without first compensating for the two putter heads I had moved it to the side. She insisted it was her fault, and I should not be assessed any penalty.

Should I have incurred a penalty? One stroke or two?

By the time we got back to the clubhouse, we forgot to ask for a clarification of the rule. Your response will help in any similar situation in the future.

Thanks,
Lulu from Stillwater, Oklahoma


Dear Lulu,

It is your responsibility to remember that you have moved your marker and must replace it before you putt. The penalty for putting from a wrong place is two strokes.

Here’s a tip: When you are asked to move your marker on the putting green, place the marker upside down. The upside-down marker will remind you that you moved it and must move it back before you put your ball down.

Linda
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