Conference 7.286::golf

    I have this Canadian nickel that I have had probably since high
    school that I use to mark my ball. It is fairly visible on the green
    and it is not oversized. I also carry it in my box of tees so I
    always have it.
    
    Mike

    Yeah, I was somewhat mystified by the comment, too. But I use the
    little button off the glove (which I think is the greatest thing
    since sliced bread, since I can never dig a coin out of my pocket
    anyway because of all the spare balls and tees I keep in there).
    I don't know how the pro's do it, and never realized there was any
    real difference.  You can buy little gizmos that are concave on
    one edge, which is the edge you put snug against the ball when you
    mark it (so you'll be able to replace it exactly as it lay), but
    those are just as hard to fish out of pocket as a dime. (I have
    one, and mainly just leave it in the pocket of the bag, as though
    I don't have enough junk in there already, what with three different
    kinds of ballmark repair tools [and then I just use a tee anyway]
    and assorted other useless paraphernalia).
    
    The guy he was talking about (Fulton Allem?) might as well have
    come from Mars for all anyone knew about him. Apparently he got
    into the Series on the basis of winning the South African Open.
    He did okay, for a near unknown, though!
    

	Re .1:

	 How interesting  -  I use a Canadian nickel too.  Just p]erfect for
	 marking the ball...

	-- Mr Litby

    	I use just about anything that's available.  A dime or penny,
    a tee, if it's not in someones line, or I have a little gadget that
    has 2 ball markers, that are hexagon in shape and about the size
    of a dime, and has a ball mark repair fork in it.  It really doesn't
    matter, as long as you move your mark accordingly when an opponent
    asks you to.  I don't wear a golf glove, but if I did, I too, would
    probably bye one with the little ball marker button on it.
    
                                              Beak

    
    I agree that it doesn't much matter. Many gloves don't come with
    those buttons. Also I remove my glove when I putt and it would be
    a pain to have to deal with that button (which doesn't come on the
    gloves I have anyway) Also the button doesn't lay very flat and
    is hard to see sometimes.
    
    I like to collect ball markers from nice courses, but usually use
    a metal marker (like a coin, but I have a metal marker from a course)
    
    Why metal? Once I marked with one of those standard plastic markers with
    the little 'stake' coming out the center of the bottom. It was early
    in the morning and the bottom of my putter was wet from the dew.
    I pushed the marker flat on the green with the bottom of my putter
    and waited my turn to putt. When my turn came to putt I couldn't
    find my marker, it was stuck to the bottom of my putter!! It was
    only a casual weekend round so no big deal, but what would have
    been the ruling if I were in some tournament? (some people get
    pretty sticky on the rules, even in a hacker's tournament.
                                          
    -Joe

    	I use one of those ball markers that have the little stake on
    
    	the bottom. This one is interesting for two reasons
    
    	* It was a promotional gift from a bank that has now ceased
    
    	  exist about eight years ago, just about when I started
    
    	  this great game.
    
    
    	* Since then I cannot lose it, more times than I care to 
    
    	  remember someone in my group has said "Luke is this yours"
    
    
    
    
    		I like the glove markers also for their convenience
    
    	but they dont sit flat on the green, so I just stick with
    
    	old faithful. After all apart from the clothes we were on
    
    	the course the only other peculiar feature of a golfer
    
    	is his marker......very serious stuff.
    
    
    
    
    				Luke

    	Most markers do sit flat on the green, but as a rule, they don't
    have to.  The purpose of the marker, is to mark where your ball
    is, thereby removing a large, possibly distracting object, (the
    ball), and replacing it with a smaller, less distracting object,
    so that others may putt with as little distraction as possible.
    If a marker doesn't lie flat, and is in another players line, he
    simply has to ask you to move it to one side or the other, either
    a clubhead length or possibly an entire club length.  Many opponents
    I've played against, ask me to move my marker, even though it does
    sit flat on the green.  Another reason for marking your ball, is
    that it is a penalty, if one ball putted from the green, strikes
    another ball on the green.  So you should always mark your ball.
    Many times I've seen people not mark there ball, thinking, there's
    no way his opponent could possibly hit his ball, and sure enough,
    it does.  In this case, the penalty is a 2 stroke penalty, and is
    assessed to the person who hit the ball at rest.  So if your putting,
    you should insist, that all other balls on the green should be marked
    before you putt.
                                                  Beak

    
    re .4 & .7
    
    I vaguely recall a mention in Golf Digest earlier this year about
    not using a tee for marking balls.  Don't know if this is a new
    rule or what.                                    
    
    As for me, I've used just about everything including a tee, and a
    nearby twig.  I've got the greatest one now though.  After a round of
    golf a couple of months ago, it was my turn to buy the beer. For change
    I received a 50 cent piece.  I complained to the manager (my playing
    partner) about what was I going to do with a half dollar, they're not
    much good for machines.  He said quit complaining, use it for a marker.
    I have and it's great.  Pretty tough to lose on the green, easy to find
    in the pocket, and I'd offer to move a flat marker if it was near
    someone's line anyway.
     

    There are rules for everything in golf, including marking your ball,
    and moving your mark. To mark your ball, you must mark it BEHIND
    the golf ball. When you place the ball back on the green, you must
    put in in front of the mark. I once played with a guy who also used
    a � dollar as a mark, but he marked it in FRONT of his ball, and
    then placed the ball back in front of the marker. He is now closer
    to the hole without ever putting. (I won't get into what happens
    if the ball was marked multiple times!).
    
    Moving your mark can also get tricky, according to the rules. You
    must line your mark up with a stationary object prior to moving
    it. When you place it back in it's original position, you again
    must line it up with that same object. Don't forget to move it back
    to it's origina; position..... if you do.... add 2 strokes! Also
    add 2 strokes if you don't line it up with the stationary object!
    
    As far as the guy who's mark was stuck to the putter. You must add
    2 strokes, but I am not sure where you would then play your ball.
    But there must be a 'rule' on it, cause there is for everything
    else.
    
    This game is tuff enough, but if you play by the rules, the mental
    errors can really cost you.
    
      Smitty

    
    Re: .7
    
    I think the reason peolpe like to use a marker that lies flat is
    because, as you stated, people often think the mark is not in the
    way and they end up rolling over it anyway. A marker that lies flat
    won't make the ball hop as much.
    
    Also I believe that in match play you can request that a player
    mark the ball but *leave* the ball on the green. You could then
    use it as a backstop if it is on the other side of the cup from
    the line where you're putting. If you hit the ball it is no
    penalty to you, and the other ball is spotted back on the mark.
    
    I'm quite sure that was a match play rule at one time. Is that still
    a legitimate rule, or am I dreamin'??
    
      -Joe

    Last week I was watching the World Series of Golf, in Akron, when
    Paul Azinger had to place a marker for his one foot tap in. He used
    a coin and tapped the coin with the bottom of his putter to insure
    it sat down flush with the green. Since it was drizzling, the coin
    stuck to the bottom of his putter and he needed to get a ruling
    from an official as to where to mark and if there was no penalty.
    The announcers didn't see this happen, so they were wondering why
    he needed a ruling for a one-footer. This brought up another inter-
    esting rule. The ball can't be moved if a spike mark is in the direct
    line to the cup, but can be moved if a badly repaired ball mark
    is in line. Is this true??

    Re .-1: A ball can be marked on a putting green regardless of spike
    marks and ball marks. Spike marks, however, CANNOT be repaired until
    the hole has been finished where as ball marks can be repaired.
    
    As far as the guy who's mark got stuck on the putter: Add 2 strokes
    and then place the ball in the approximate position that it *was*
    in. In other words, guess as best as you can to its position before
    the mark stuck to your putter. I guess this would have happened
    to Azinger too.
    
    Mike

    In response to the original question I think most pro's use a coin
    for the sake of consistency. Alot of them remove their glove for
    putting which would require additional effort to keep up with the
    marker from the glove in their back pocket. A coin seems a little
    eaiser to manage and less likely to inadvertantly move the ball
    during spotting or replacing it. (especially if you have FAT fingers)
    
    Consistency is their biggest asset and this is just another way of 
    staying in a grove. Most of them also place their ball the same way 
    each time on the tee and green. I have found this to help me keep my
    head behind the ball on the tee if I focus on the back of the ball
    with the brand toward the rear.
    
    Regards,
    Richard Drye

I use anything BUT the little marker on my glove - coins, tees, or if I'm
just picking the ball up to clean it, I place the end of my putter behind
the ball position. I, too, remove my glove around the green (putting,
chipping), so that little pearly thing just isn't practical for me. A friend
of mine lost his a couple of weeks ago, so I gave him mine.  I haven't missed
it.

Does anyone know if Azinger was assessed a two stoke penalty on a 1 footer?
Kind makes you feel like you should just tap it in and get it over with.

    re: 11
    You may not move your ball to avoid a bad ball mark, or anything
    else to my knowledge, except for casual water, and, I think even
    that requires a local rule.                         

    
    RE: .10
    
    Yes in match play you can have you opponent mark their ball and
    leave it there with the thought being that you can use it as a
    backstop.  You can not however be on the green at the time.
    
    RE: .15
    
    Casual water does not require a local rule.  If there is casual
    water, you get relief.  You may chose not to take relief.
    
    
    						KO