Ciao Linda,
This situation happened last Saturday. On the green I asked
another player to move the marker that was on my putting line. I played my putt
and then I thanked the other player, reminding him to place the marker back to
the original position. I did it to be kind with him, but then I thought that it
could breach the rule 8-1. Did I?
Just to end the story, at the next hole I said nothing and
he played from the wrong position. :)
A clever tip is to place the marker upside down when it's
moved from the original position.
Cordiali saluti / Best regards / S pozdravem
Lou, an Italian living in the Czech Republic
Dear Lou,
Reminding a player who has been asked to move his marker out
of your line of putt to replace the marker is not “advice.” It is good etiquette and a courtesy that should be
practiced all the time. Anything you
can do to help a player avoid a penalty is good sportsmanship.
When Rule 8-1 tells you that you are not permitted to give
advice to (or receive it from) any competitor (other than your partner), it
means that you cannot give a player information that will help him in his play
(e.g., which club to use, how to hit the ball, how to correct a flaw in his
stroke). Information about the Rules is
not “advice” under the Rules of Golf [Definition of “Advice”].
Your tip is one I have mentioned before, and is a good one. Flipping
your marker over when you are asked to move it serves as a reminder to put it
back before replacing your ball.
Linda
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