Moving Ball Marker for Fellow Competitor

[BC MIST]

It is a common practice to move our ball marker on the putting green when the marker rests on the line of play of a fellow competitor. Golfers with good etiquette remind the FC to move the marker back, but what happens if he does NOT.

Your FC does not put the marker back and putts from a spot a putter width from where it should have been. After making a stroke and then realizing that the ball was not put back, he lifts the ball and returns and PLACES it where it should have been, and from there putts out. What is the ruling? (Off the top of your head)

[sillywilly]

no penalty???

[jvincent]

Since this an off the top of my head answer...

I believe the original stroke is canceled and he is assessed a two stroke penalty for playing from the wrong place.

[BC MIST]

no penalty???

Maybe in your group, but.....

This situation helps to show a distinction between playing a wrong ball and playing from a wrong place. When a wrong ball is played you must return to the scene of the crime and play a "right" ball - 2 stroke penalty. However, if you play from a wrong place, this time you don't right the wrong. You just finish the hole having played from the wrong place and add 2 strokes, unless there is a serious breach of the rule and in this case there is not.

Now, the rules breaking in my scenario above, is not yet finished. Two more infractions were made.