Marking Golf balls
Peter James
circumference of the ball.
I have been told, by no less a person than the Club Vice-Captain, that
this could be construed as cheating as it could be used as an aid to
putting.
I have perused the rules carefully. The only mention of marking the
ball that I could find seems to be rule 12.2 "Identifying ball". It
makes no mention of the sort of mark that should be used and or on what
part of the ball the mark should be placed.
Can any of the rules experts on this NG advise me. Thank you.
david s-a
This is no difference to aligning the ball using the trademark aimed
along the line of putt to indicate the line of play. Decision 20-3a/2
grants this as permissable practice....and the same would apply to a
line marked around the circumference of the ball.
cheers
david
Benway
Kindly ask the vice-captain to show you in the rules where it says you
could be breaking the rules.
You would have to argue that your application of the markings was taking
the ball outside of the set characteristics of a ball laid out in
Appendix III.
If he still feels strongly that he is correct, you should suggest that
he should write to the R&A, PGA, USPGA etc and advise them that Tiger is
a cheat because he does the very same thing.
It is of course a nonsense that you are cheating.
IMO the popularity of Titleist ProV1 golf ball with decent players is
partly down to the fact that the "< Pro v1 >" marking is the straightest
of all markings (Callaway HX Tour is similar) on golf balls and the
perfect lining up aid for putting. In fact the latest Pro V1 has gone
further and turned the < & > type symbols into arrows with actual lines.
See http://www.titleist.co.uk/golfballs/prov1.asp where Titleist even
call the new markings "A.I.M (Alignment Integrated Marking) TM".
Don't forget to use the line when playing from a tee peg and when
placing under winter rules.
--
Benway
Pat Williams
Peter,
Tell your Vice Captain to go to the USGA site and look at the Rules page. On the
right hand side he will see 'Rules FAQ's'. Under - The Ball- he will find the
following......
Lines or Arrows Used to mark Golf Ball
Q. It is recommended placing an identification mark on my golf ball. May I use
a line or an arrow that will also help me align the club face?
A. Rules 6-5 and 12-2 state that each player should put an identification mark
on his ball. Thus, the Rules do not limit the type of markings a player may put on
the ball (i.e. arrows, lines, words, etc). Additionally, there is no penalty for
using such lines to "line up" prior to a stroke on the putting green or any place
else on the course.
It really is quite wrong of a club official to make such incorrect remarks and
expect his authority to be unquestioned. He is absolutely incorrect, as others
have pointed out.
JPW
Peter James
I would like to thank everbody who responded to my original posting. It
is a serious thing when a club official makes such a accusation, if even
indirect as this was.
I am obviously greatly relieved, so my heartfelt thanks to everyone.
Durram
Incorrect though he was, he was probably only trying to help and be
supportive rather than being accusing, possibly getting mixed up between
'artificial devise' and 'marking line of play'. Easily done, especially
at the beginning of the season as club official.
You are in the right but I would recommend you be gentle :-) Some of the
responses in this forum sound a bit confrontational and aggressive in
tone which highlights the problem of how to point out someone else's
misinterpretation of the rules. Some people seem to find this easy and
clearcut but I find it a bit more difficult as with trying to bring
'slow play' to the attention of the group in front ;=)
--
Durram (HP2007 Agoniser)
Chris
What's going on ? The Greek is definitely showing Plato!
Where's the gruff Tyke ?
--
Surprised
Alan Murphy
news:f1lbdu$9et$1$8300...@news.demon.co.uk...
> but I find it a bit more difficult as with trying to bring 'slow play' to
> the attention of the group in front ;=)
> --
> Durram (HP2007 Agoniser)
What's wrong with, "Let us through when you get a
chance, lads." Works every time. Usually they speed
up.
Alan
Demetri (Durram)
Nothing at all, it's an excellent suggestion - I'll maybe try it if I
ever get close enough!
The LHC
>> I mark my golf ball with a blue waterproof pen and put a line around
>> the circumference of the ball.
>> I have been told, by no less a person than the Club Vice-Captain,
>> that this could be construed as cheating as it could be used as an
>> aid to putting.
> Tell your Vice Captain to go to the USGA site and look at the Rules
> page. On the right hand side he will see 'Rules FAQ's'. Under - The
> Ball- he will find the following......
> Lines or Arrows Used to mark Golf Ball
>
> Q. It is recommended placing an identification mark on my golf ball.
> May I use a line or an arrow that will also help me align the club
> face?
>
> A. Rules 6-5 and 12-2 state that each player should put an
> identification mark on his ball. Thus, the Rules do not limit the type
> of markings a player may put on the ball (i.e. arrows, lines, words,
> etc). Additionally, there is no penalty for using such lines to "line
> up" prior to a stroke on the putting green or any place else on the
> course.
> It really is quite wrong of a club official to make such incorrect
> remarks and expect his authority to be unquestioned. He is absolutely
> incorrect, as others have pointed out.
The Vice Captain may have been reading the latest copy of Today's Golfer (I
think), as they had a small story to the effect that the R&A and USGA are
looking into limiting or even banning such devices as a line that
circumvents the entire ball or possibly even part of the ball.
As everyone has said however, they haven't done so yet, so perhaps he's
just getting his wires crossed.
LHC.
The LHC
> The LHC <the...@hotmail.co.uk> writes:
>> The Vice Captain may have been reading the latest copy of Today's
>> Golfer (I think), as they had a small story to the effect that the
>> R&A and USGA are looking into limiting or even banning such devices
>> as a line that circumvents the entire ball or possibly even part of
>> the ball.
>> As everyone has said however, they haven't done so yet, so perhaps
>> he's just getting his wires crossed.
> Is that article available online? I'm looking for it on
> todaysgolfer.co.uk but cannot find it.
I've no idea, from what I recall it was a very small comment in another
article, I've got the magazine with me, I'll see if I can find it.
LHC.
John Laird
> Pat Williams <j...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote
See Q19 at:
http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?action=rules.equipment.faq
Having made a definite statement that such a marking is not deemed an
assistance as the manufacturer's logo could fulfil the same purpose, I
would be surprised if they were considering a complete about-face.
As for another poster's comment about a VC being only human, well yes
he is, but he is also an elected officer of his club. He owes a
greater responsibility to his members than they do to each other, and
either ought to be more clued up when he opens his mouth, or keep it
shut. On matters on which he is clearly at best badly informed, at
least.
--
"Justice: A decision in your favour."
Thomas Prufer
>and either ought to be more clued up when he opens his mouth, or keep it
>shut. On matters on which he is clearly at best badly informed, at
>least.
Eh? Keeping one's mouth shut on matters on which one is badly informed?
Counter to human nature, I say :-)
Thomas Prufer
Demetri (Durram)
Can't remember using the word 'human' anywhere but such high standards
of probity of elected and appointed officials is missing in most areas
of public life so one can't really expect it at a golf club. Where would
we be without mistakes anyway.
--
D
Don Lilley
"Demetri (Durram)" <m...@privacy.com> wrote in message
news:f1sa28$iuq$2$830f...@news.demon.co.uk...
> Can't remember using the word 'human' anywhere but such high standards of
> probity of elected and appointed officials is missing in most areas of
> public life so one can't really expect it at a golf club. Where would we
> be without mistakes anyway.
>
> --
> D
Don
John Laird
> Can't remember using the word 'human' anywhere but such high standards
> of probity of elected and appointed officials is missing in most areas
> of public life so one can't really expect it at a golf club. Where would
> we be without mistakes anyway.
Sheltered life you lead ! You can hardly get anyone in any position
to say anything these days without it being couched in lawyer-speak
and getout clauses.
I only spent a year and a bit as handicap secretary, and virtually
from day one I was consulted endlessly (it was a new club, I hasten to
add). I tried to be only ever authorititive when I was absolutely
sure of my facts(*). My reading of the OP's post was that his VC
sounded a bit pushy. We've all met the sort.
(*) Although I can be knocked onto the back foot, especially when it
comes to ladies and mixed comps and stroke indices :-) What I should
have done at Hawkstone Park, of course, was ask for a ruling from the
competition committee. However the committee of one seemed to be
losing hair, sleep, and his marbles in rapid succession and probably
didn't need me traipsing across the fairways for his opinion, which
doubtless might have been delivered with a lob wedge...
--
"Man has his will. Woman has her won't!
corbei
So that is what happened to my lob wedge :-)
Jaygee
Demetri (Durram)
LOL - you'd have been safe enough, I couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.
The OP mentioned that his VC had said [incorrectly] his action may be
'construed as cheating'. Mentioning the dreaded 'C' word usually gets
people's back up. I have always preferred to use the phrase 'breaching a
Rule of Golf' or 'not applying a RoG correctly' thereby avoiding use of
that word but I admit does sound very pompous. Being accused of possibly
cheating is bound to put a golfer on the defensive and prevents an
informative discussion of any issues at question. I have often found in
such circumstances they are quite happy adjusting their score or indeed
DQing themselves but I've only ever met one who admitted to cheating.
Clearly the VC in question has a lot to learn about the Rules and how to
put them across. Hopefully, in future he may be encouraged to lurk or
post in this forum and pick up some advice from the RoG gurus :-)
--
Durram
HP2007 Agoniser
John Turner
I think that the official R&Aspeak for the "C" word is "knowingly", as in,
for example, Rule 2-5: " Once the result of the match has been officially
announced, a later claim may not be considered by the Committee unless it is
satisfied that the opponent knew he was giving wrong information"