Have you ever had a situation where your watching your ball make its way to the hole, only to see a big deviation away? I’m not talking by spike marks or small stones, but your playing partners ball marker. Well I have had a few times over many years, but two in one round just took the cake. Now I’m partly to blame, I was offered the chance to have the markers moved and decided against it, but it did make me think long and hard about etiquette when marking your ball. Especially when the maker is bigger than the actual ball itself.
Picture of my marker from Bethpage State Park
Rule 20-1 deals with marking a ball, which can be done by ‘a ball-marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball.’ So basically anything. I have even used my putter, more for speed than anything else, where I am adjusting the ball for the line putt. We all want our playing partners ball marked, especially if you are playing a shot on the green. Who wants the two stroke penalty for hitting your partners ball?
Over the years I have seen many things being used. From the traditional plastic ball marker, sometimes with a small spike, to logo ball markers (either golf course or product), coins, casino chips (some golf courses now have logo chips) to medallions.
Various markers that can be used
But it is the medallion or casino chip which I do have slight issues with (must declare I do have a chip but only use when quite some distance from the hole). If you have your golf ball within 6 feet of the hole or anywhere near the line of putt, you would think most people would have the common sense to use a small ball marker, out of courtesy at least. Some markers can be hugely distracting when they are very large. Sometimes I think instead of moving the marker a putter head or so, how about the whole length of the putter shaft. Definitely should be out of the road and eyesight by then. Keep this in mind during your next round.
