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Is marking on your putter with a permanent marker legal? For alignment purposes
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Re: Putting Alignment
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Re: Putting Alignment
I'm not sure that is categorically correct.Originally posted by GregJWillis
It is illegal to mark the FACE of the putter, but surely it's okay to draw a line over the top of the putter edge and down the back?
Almost every modern putter has some kind of alignment tool built in anyway.Comment
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Re: Putting Alignment
Interesting, never thought of the face part being considered a valuable alignment tool (since at setup you don't really see anything on it - maybe a slight amount). But I can't imagine that a mark on the face is out of the rules either. Will have to look.
But the top as you say is perfectly legal.Comment
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Problem isn't a mark for alignment, but that marks on the clubface of ANY club can be used to evaluate point of impact, which is an illegal aid.Originally posted by GregJWillisComment
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Re: Putting Alignment
much easier to just mark the ball....Originally posted by MoxComment
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Re: Putting Alignment
Originally posted by GreeBoman
Sure, but that won't tell you how and where your club contacts the ball.
You would mark the ball for different reasons than you would mark the club-face.Comment
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Re: Putting Alignment
Yes... My friend did it too his and i know one of the pga professionals has done it, they use a try square at the face of the putter and mark a straight line through too the back, cant remember the guy who did it, he was on the golf show.Originally posted by gopokes111Comment
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Re: Putting Alignment
ehhh yes it would, the mark on the ball will be transferred to the club face...Originally posted by Mox
I use it all the time to see if I am hitting out of the middle of my driver.
The reasons for marking either (other than identification) are to determine the point of contact.
The ball hits the club face in the same place that the club face hits the ball!Comment
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Re: Putting Alignment
I'm fairly sure that is illegal for anything other than practice. Will dig into it a little bit more.Originally posted by GreeBoman
Actually, you can also mark balls in order to line them up for putting, which is fully legal (again, I believe UNLESS it leaves a mark on the putter face).The reasons for marking either (other than identification) are to determine the point of contact.
The ball hits the club face in the same place that the club face hits the ball!Comment
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Re: Putting Alignment
It would be fairly hard to prove that you were marking your ball for impact reasons rather than identification.Originally posted by MoxComment
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Re: Putting Alignment
No - not if it leaves a mark on your club face. After all - unless the entire ball is painted, you have to explicitely place it on the tee, so that it would leave a mark. In the case of a line, you could very easily place it so that it would not leave a mark, and if you know that the rules doesn't allow it, then any mark would see you busted.Originally posted by GreeBoman
Knowing infringing the rules is a violation of 1-3, and REALLY bad etiquette as well.
In fact, it is not the commitee that has to prove that you marked it for impact reasons, but you that need to prove that you did not.
That is ... IF it is illegal at all. I'll get back to you on that.
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Re: Putting Alignment
I never place the ball on the tee for the purposes of impact detection, yet I often see marks on the clubface where my personal identification mark impacted.Originally posted by MoxComment
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Re: Putting Alignment
There in lies the issue.Originally posted by GreeBoman
You can't purporsely place the ball on the tee in such a way that you get a mark on the club face that you can use to evaluate your contact and 'measure conditions that might affect your play' (14-3b).
So you can't really purposely line the ball up on the tee in such a way that a mark on the ball would rub off onto the club face, if it is in any way possible to line up the ball in such a way that it does not.
Also you can't purposely mark the ball with the intent to make use of marks set on the club face. So you can't go around 'refreshing' your mark every hole to make sure you get a decent mark on the club face.
Problem is - it is your obligation to ensure that you play the game inside the rules.
So what happens if your playing partner / opponent notices that you are studying a mark on the club face of your driver? Personally, I'd call the ref over and ask him about 14-3b.
If he/she agrees with me, the penalty is a DQ. Are you willing to risk that?
Code:[b]14 Striking the ball[/b] The R& A reserves the right, at any time, to change the Rules relating to artificial devices and unusual equipment and make or change the interpretations relating to these Rules. A player in doubt as to whether use of an item would constitute a breach of Rule 14-3 should consult the R& A. A manufacturer may submit to the R& A a sample of an item to be manufactured for a ruling as to whether its use during a stipulated round would cause a player to be in breach of Rule 14-3. The sample becomes the property of the R& A for reference purposes. If a manufacturer fails to submit a sample before manufacturing and/or marketing the item, the manufacturer assumes the risk of a ruling that use of the item would be contrary to the Rules. Except as provided in the Rules, during a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment: a. That might assist him in making a stroke or in his play; or b. For the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play; or c. That might assist him in gripping the club, except that: (i) plain gloves may be worn; (ii) resin, powder and drying or moisturising agents may be used; and (iii) a towel or handkerchief may be wrapped around the grip. PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE 14-3: Disqualification.
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Re: Putting Alignment
Marking your putter is fine. But it must be done before the round and can't be retouched during..... I love this game and it's crazy rules!!
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