Is this a legal way to mark a ball on the green?

Question

Player A reaches the green. Player B reaches the green. Player B marks his ball by placing the marker behind the ball and by doing so, moves the ball forward by accident in placing his marker. He moves the ball back and places the mark. Player A marks the ball by tapping the ball out of the way and putting the mark down in the spot that the ball was.

Question is -- Is player A in breach of rule 20 if he doesn't replace the ball and mark again? If the player then removes the mark and places the ball back down when it's his turn, is he in another breach, or is it just the one stroke?

I ask because it's moving the ball in the act of marking, which is covered as OK under the rule, but the rules stipulate that the "proper" way to mark the ball is by placing the mark behind the ball and then lifting the ball.

Answer 1

The "proper" way is to place the marker under the ball and push the ball off.

Answer 2

If it is Player A's habit of tapping the ball outof the way with his mark, he is marking incorrectly and should place the marker as described in the rules.  If it is accidental, he needs to replace the ball and remark, or incur a one stroke penalty.

Rule 20

If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of lifting the ball under a Rule or marking its position, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty, provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the specific act of marking the position of or lifting the ball. Otherwise, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke under this Rule or Rule 18-2a.

Note: The position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball-marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball. If the ball-marker interferes with the play, stance or stroke of another player, it should be placed one or more clubhead-lengths to one side.

Answer 3

The rule is quite clear, the ball or ball marker must be replaced, and marked again, if desired.  Read rule 20.1

(Bryan Barnes, a well known European  player and former alcoholic once marked his ball on the 18th with a beer bottle, in the course of winning the tournament.)

Answer 4

Player B is OK. If you accidentally move the ball as a direct result of marking it, there is no penalty. (The key words there are "accidentally" and "direct result".)

Player A is in violation of rule 20 just by lifting the ball when it isn't marked. The rule says that you must mark your ball BEFORE you move it. That part is a one-stroke penalty.

The rule also says that you must then replace the ball. If you fail to do so, you receive a penalty of two strokes (instead of the one-stroke penalty).

Picking up the marker before replacing the ball is covered by the same rule.

In general, you can only be penalized once on a hole for violating a specific rule. So, if you violate rule 20-1 twice, you are only penalized once. (Decision 1-4/12, principle 3.)

Answer 5

Player B's marking is allowed...player A incurrs a 1 stroke penalty under rule 20 for improperly marking