Friday, March 8, 2019

Ask Linda 1871-Lift ball on green while other ball in motion

Linda,
Player A and B are on the green. Player A is going to mark her ball. Player B putts. Is Player A able to mark her ball while Player B's ball is in motion?
Lulu from Blythe, California

Dear Lulu,

Yes.

There is no reason why a player may not mark her ball while another player’s ball is in motion. I would recommend that you wait to mark until the other ball is actually moving; some players find the movement of another player marking her ball distracting while they are in the process of setting up to putt their ball. 

While we’re talking about marking a ball on the putting green, I would like to inform everyone that the Exception to Rule 11.3 allows you to mark and lift your ball at rest when another ball in motion might hit your ball. This permission is limited to the putting green. You may also move a removed flagstick and other player equipment (except a ball-marker) out of the way of an oncoming ball.

Linda
Copyright © 2019 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.