Playing From Wrong Place

[BC MIST]

In a medal play tournament A chips his ball close to the hole. To save time B marks A's ball and moves it one putterhead length so that the marker does not does not interfere with B's line. A is unaware that the ball has been moved but is aware that the ball has been marked. B putts.

B gives A his ball and A replaces the ball in front of the marker and putts out. They both then realize that the marker was not moved back before A putted.

Is A penalized because he played his ball from the wrong place even though he was unaware that B had moved the marker and did so without A's permission?

[Gary Hill]

Yes. Player A is penalized.

Player A was aware that his ball had been lifted.
If no objection is made by him, he is deemed to have authorized the lifting.

When a competitor authorizes another person to lift his ball, the competitor is responsible for any breach of the Rules.

Rule 20-1.
A ball to be lifted under the Rules may be lifted by the player, his partner or another person authorized by the player. In any such case, the player is responsible for any breach of the Rules.

[Sakuraba]

It was always my understanding that if B marks A's ball, B must place A's ball back, allowing A to then mark his ball, clean it etc. I thought it was a penalty if A replaced his ball atfer B marked it, regardless if it was moved it one putterhead length. Maybe this practice while wise, is only a convention and not a rule...

[Gary Hill]

Either A or B can replace the ball.

20-3. Placing and Replacing a. By Whom and Where
If a ball is to be replaced, the player, his partner or the person who lifted or moved it must place it on the spot from which it was lifted or moved. In any such case, the player is responsible for any breach of the Rules.

Rule 16-1b.says: A ball on the putting green may be lifted and, if desired, cleaned.
The Rule has no qualifiers. It does not prohibit lifting more than once nor after someone else has replaced it.

[Sakuraba]

My interpretation of 20-3 as written above: "...the person who lifted or moved it [the ball] must place it on the spot from which it was lifted or moved" means that any player, partner or person may move my ball, but that person becomes the only person who is allowed to re-place it. I am no expert, its just how I've always played. I thought that was the rule, and that to me is what 20-3 is saying up there, no?

[Gary Hill]

No. The Rules are VERY specific and mean EXACTLY what they say.

what it says is: ...(the player, his partner or the person who lifted or moved it)   must place it...

This means:

The player must place it
OR
The partner must place it
OR
The person who lifted or moved it must place it

It is a list with 3 choices.

Just like: A ball is not in play when it has been    (lost, out of bounds, or lifted).
1. lost
OR
2. out of bounds
OR
3. lifted