Marking your ball quiz
Suzy’s and Mary’s balls lay in the fairway a few feet apart. Mary is away and before she makes her next stroke she asks Suzy to mark her ball as she thinks it might interfere with her play. Suzy marks her ball and lifts it.
Suzy incurs?
A two stroke penalty
A one stroke penalty
No penalty.
Same situation:
This time before Mary makes her stroke, Suzy asks Mary if she would like her to mark her ball and lift it. Mary says, “Yes I would, please do.” Suzy marks and lifts her ball.
Suzy incurs?
A two stroke penalty
A one stroke penalty
No penalty
Same situation:
Suzy sees her ball close to Mary’s and believes her ball is in Mary’s way and without asking Mary she marks it and lifts it.
Suzy incurs?
A two stroke penalty
A one stroke penalty
No penalty.
Well Suzy has been a busy gal marking and lifting all those balls, what were your answers?
First scenario: No penalty
Second scenario: No penalty
Third scenario: Sadly, nice “forward thinking” Suzy is penalized one stroke for lifting her ball without being asked. (Rule 18-2a)
Here’s the Rule that covers all this asking, lifting, and marking!
Rule 22-2. Except when a ball is in motion, if a player considers that another ball might interfere with their play, he may have it lifted. (A player may request a ball to be lifted if the ball interferes either physically or mentally with their play)
A ball lifted under this Rule must be replaced and must not be cleaned unless it is on the putting green.
NOTE 1: Except on the putting green a player may not lift their ball solely because he considers it might interfere with the play of another player. If he lifts his ball without being asked to do so he incurs a one stroke penalty.
The moral of this part of the story is, be courteous but wait to be ASKED!
One more for you………
Same time, same place Mary asks Suzy to lift her ball again! Suzy is so very tired of bending over and doing all this marking for Mary that she tells her, as nicely as she can, that she will play her ball first rather than marking it.
Suzy incurs?
A two stroke penalty
A one stroke penalty
No penalty
Actually kind, and very tired, Suzy gets no penalty.
Rule 22-2 also states that: In stroke play, a player required to lift his ball may play first rather than lift the ball.
Good news for some of us as these days bending over is getting harder and harder!
I hope this helps you.
Hilary
dbwgc.com 