Rules question: Using a tee to mark your ball on the green - 2 stroke Penatly?

[ballgolong]

I was playing a US Open qualifier today, and was about to mark my ball with a tee, when my marker informed me that it is a 2 stroke penalty to mark my ball on the green with a tee. He said the marker had to be flat. I have never heard this before. That just does not sound right. I remember Jasper Parnevick marking his ball with a tee out of protest for moving his ball by dropping a marker on it, and being penalized. What is the deal with this?

[br61]

I recalled this during one of my competition but not applying to me. I knew it was permissible but not recommended. Looked it up and here it is. Decision 20-1/16


20-1/16 Method Used to Mark Position of Ball
Q. The Note to Rule 20-1 provides that "the position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball-marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball." Is a player penalized if he uses an object that is not similar to a ball-marker or small coin to mark the position of his ball?

A. No. The provision in the Note to Rule 20-1 is a recommendation of best practice, but there is no penalty for failing to act in accordance with the Note.

Examples of methods of marking the position of a ball that are not recommended, but are permissible, are as follows:

• placing the toe of a club at the side of, or behind, the ball;

[b]• using a tee;[/b]

• using a loose impediment;

• scratching a line, provided the putting green is not tested (Rule 16-1d) and a line for putting is not indicated (Rule 8-2b). As this practice may cause damage to the putting green, it is discouraged.

However, under Rule 20-1 it is necessary to physically mark the position of the ball. Reference to an existing mark on the ground does not constitute marking the position of a ball. For example, it is not permissible to mark the position with reference to a blemish on the putting green.

When moving a ball or ball-marker to the side to prevent it from interfering with another player's stance or stroke, the player may measure from the side of the ball or ball-marker. In order to accurately replace the ball on the spot from which it was lifted, the steps used to move the ball or ball-marker to the side should be reversed.

[puttingmatt]

No problem, I use a tee if I can't bring up
a dime out of my pocket. That said, I would
not use a tee if it is in someones line. Better
to borrow a dime, something flat.

[putt4_66]

A tee is fine, UNLESS there is a local rule prohibiting such a method or requiring a specific method. It would have been interesting to ask the marker why he believed that. If he had said USGA rules was his reason then he would have been wrong and you could have told him so. If he had said a local rule, then I would have not used a tee.

[ballgolong]

It was not a local rule. Local rules do not apply in USGA qualifiers. This was stated in the info sheet handed out.

[Zooko23]

If it was put in the sheet I think you should of took the time to read the sheet. Local rules our tourney rules or whoever the "committee" is, all have different rules. I leave about 2 cents in spare change in all my bags to avoid this just in case I forget. In a charity tourney I prefer tees to mark just because it is in the ground and your drunk playing partners wont hit it around the green

[putt4_66]

[quote name='ballgolong' date='19 May 2010 - 12:11 AM' timestamp='1274245869' post='2452311']
It was not a local rule. Local rules do not apply in USGA qualifiers. This was stated in the info sheet handed out.
[/quote]

Then he was obviously wrong.

Just for the heck of it...

It's amazing that some people think that PGA TOUR policies are USGA/R&A rules. One of my favorites is practice putting and chipping around a teeing ground during a medal tournament. The PGA TOUR does not allow this in their medal tournaments. I swear, 99.9% of golfers think this is a rule. I was playing in a medal tournament a couple of weeks ago and it was SLOW. Two groups on the tee boxes on a lot of the holes. I would pass the time by chipping behind and to the side of the tee boxes while we all waited. Two different people wanted to hit me with a penalty. I keep a rule book in my bag, but I also have the rules on my iPhone with the USGA's Rules app. One of the guys was a real jerk about it. I pulled out my iPhone and showed him rule 7-2. It showed he was wrong. He "could have swore that you couldn't do that." I've had that come up in several tournaments.

[ballgolong]

Thats awesome. I never knew that. We had a 47 minute delay on the 4th hole. I would love to have done that.

[tayyyyy]

you can use a billboard to mark your ball as long as its not in the way of your other players line and you can return the ball to its original position.

[resist_hard.]

I sometimes like to mark my ball with a traffic cone.

[highergr0und]

[quote name='ballgolong' date='19 May 2010 - 09:57 AM' timestamp='1274281042' post='2452908']
Thats awesome. I never knew that. We had a 47 minute delay on the 4th hole. I would love to have done that.
[/quote]

47 minutes? What happened there?

[putt4_66]

[quote name='ballgolong' date='19 May 2010 - 09:57 AM' timestamp='1274281042' post='2452908']
Thats awesome. I never knew that. We had a 47 minute delay on the 4th hole. I would love to have done that.
[/quote]

Just be aware, I have played in tournaments where a local rule for the tournament was no practicing between shots. Of course, it was in the sheet that was given to the players. In your U.S. Open Qualifier that could not have applied, but it does happen in other types of tournaments. So, as I'm sure you do, just check the rules sheet.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='tayyyyy' date='19 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1274281425' post='2452925']
you can use a billboard to mark your ball as long as its not in the way of your other players line and you can return the ball to its original position.
[/quote]

I share this funny story found on another golf forum. FYI - Dave Silk was a member of the "miracle on ice" 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team.

[i]" I nominate Dave Silk as one of the greatest golfing partner of all time.

He always enjoys the day no matter how well he is playing, adheres to the rules of golf etiquette, doesn’t smell, is polite, makes good conversation and is appreciative of the fact that any day on a golf course is a good day.

Now, he’s not perfect. Silk insists on marking his ball with his Olympic Gold Medal, ribbon included and, without fail, says each and every time he marks: “Is my Olympic Gold Medal in the way?”"[/i]

[TMfan54]

[quote name='tjy355' date='19 May 2010 - 04:52 PM' timestamp='1274302367' post='2453671']
[quote name='tayyyyy' date='19 May 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1274281425' post='2452925']
you can use a billboard to mark your ball as long as its not in the way of your other players line and you can return the ball to its original position.
[/quote]

I share this funny story found on another golf forum. FYI - Dave Silk was a member of the "miracle on ice" 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team.

[i]" I nominate Dave Silk as one of the greatest golfing partner of all time.

He always enjoys the day no matter how well he is playing, adheres to the rules of golf etiquette, doesn't smell, is polite, makes good conversation and is appreciative of the fact that any day on a golf course is a good day.

Now, he's not perfect. Silk insists on marking his ball with his Olympic Gold Medal, ribbon included and, without fail, says each and every time he marks: "Is my Olympic Gold Medal in the way?""[/i]



[/quote]

hahaha nice story. deserves the right to say it.

[mark m]

I believe the Tours have rules on what you can mark a ball with - must be a coin like object - so perhaps this marker was a "pro jock" or something....gunga la gunga!

[curryj]

Seems like you could mark your ball with another ball if you really wanted to confuse the issue?

[JHey22]

I use a tee to mark my ball all the time in tournaments unless I am impeding someone else's line! Unless it is on the rules sheet handed out before the round, then this is perfectly legal!

[Tmiller72]

[quote name='ballgolong' date='18 May 2010 - 11:51 PM' timestamp='1274241073' post='2452171']
I was playing a US Open qualifier today, and was about to mark my ball with a tee, when my marker informed me that it is a 2 stroke penalty to mark my ball on the green with a tee. He said the marker had to be flat. I have never heard this before. That just does not sound right. I remember Jasper Parnevick marking his ball with a tee out of protest for moving his ball by dropping a marker on it, and being penalized. What is the deal with this?
[/quote]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you are good enough to play in a US Open qualifier, you should know the rules a little better. Wouldn't it have been great to tell that guy that he was wrong and you know the rule?

[varno]

you can use a billboard to mark your ball as long as its not in the way of your other players line and you can return the ball to its original position.

 

I share this funny story found on another golf forum. FYI - Dave Silk was a member of the "miracle on ice" 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team.

 

" I nominate Dave Silk as one of the greatest golfing partner of all time.

 

He always enjoys the day no matter how well he is playing, adheres to the rules of golf etiquette, doesn't smell, is polite, makes good conversation and is appreciative of the fact that any day on a golf course is a good day.

 

Now, he's not perfect. Silk insists on marking his ball with his Olympic Gold Medal, ribbon included and, without fail, says each and every time he marks: "Is my Olympic Gold Medal in the way?""

 

 

 

 

 

Just awesome. Period.

[Zooko23]

[quote name='putt4_66' date='18 May 2010 - 09:36 PM' timestamp='1274247360' post='2452332']
[quote name='ballgolong' date='19 May 2010 - 12:11 AM' timestamp='1274245869' post='2452311']
It was not a local rule. Local rules do not apply in USGA qualifiers. This was stated in the info sheet handed out.
[/quote]

Then he was obviously wrong.

Just for the heck of it...

It's amazing that some people think that PGA TOUR policies are USGA/R&A rules. One of my favorites is practice putting and chipping around a teeing ground during a medal tournament. The PGA TOUR does not allow this in their medal tournaments. I swear, 99.9% of golfers think this is a rule. I was playing in a medal tournament a couple of weeks ago and it was SLOW. Two groups on the tee boxes on a lot of the holes. I would pass the time by chipping behind and to the side of the tee boxes while we all waited. Two different people wanted to hit me with a penalty. I keep a rule book in my bag, but I also have the rules on my iPhone with the USGA's Rules app. One of the guys was a real jerk about it. I pulled out my iPhone and showed him rule 7-2. It showed he was wrong. He "could have swore that you couldn't do that." I've had that come up in several tournaments.
[/quote]


Not to be a stickler but.........The USGA does not allow players to use electronics and must be left in the car or club house. I could be wrong but I thought there was a strict rule about this

[ropin4fun03]

a tee is fine just not recomended