Marking ball on green rule???

I was playing in a stableford comp and I hit into a green and went out the back by a foot or two, eveyone else was on the green already....this is a very long green. I chipped back on and put it 3ft to the side of the pin.

I walk back to my bag (left at the exit of the green area to the next tee and on route back to the flag) to replace my wedge and get my putter. As I'm removing the putter cover I think about going to mark my ball then notice that a chap is well into his practice putt - not wanting to interrupt I leave him to it.

he hit a good putt that just goes by the edge and knocks into mine.....now as this isn't matchplay he says he has to take a penalty....and gets in a huff with me for not marking my ball, and then made a point of asking me to mark my ball even if it was 3 yards off his line.

One question I have is, do you HAVE to mark your ball on the green? Whilst I would always mark my ball if asked, normally I leave it in place, in this instance I did not want to interrupt him and he did not even seem to want to ask me to mark it.

No, but you must mark it if requested to do so.

I'm with James on this one.

In the situation you described I would have done exactly the same as you.

Normally you would just go and mark you ball first, but seeing as you had to go and get your putter then it wasn't possible.

It was up to the other player to ask you to mark your ball, especially if it was near to his line.

If he takes his putt and hits your ball then it's his fault, that is why he gets the penalty.

I'm sure if we are wrong then somebody will be along soon to put us right.

Russ

I see it like this.

Serves him right for missing his putt. http://www.golfshake.com/scripts/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/teeth_smile.gif" title="laugh" />

Seriously, I'd agree with the above 2 as well, if he wasnt in such a rush to make his putt then you would have marked your ball. Likewise you didnt want to disturb his routine do your dammed if you do.....

Yes Lewis as the others have said, it is entirely his fault for not waiting or asking you to Mark your ball first.If there is any chance when putting I might hit an opponents ball I would always ask them to Mark it and also if I thought I might hit there marker then I would also ask them to move that as well.Darren

Fellow competitors can force you to lift your ball on the green - and mark it in doing so - if you do not opt to play first rather than lift the ball - Rule 22-2.

Under Rule 22-2 it is for the player to decide if the opponent's ball should be marked and lifted.  It is  not restricted to purely physical interefernce as mental intereference is a vaild reason to have a ball marked and lifted (Decison 22/1).  You cannot refuse to mark and lift your ball if asked to do so although a player could be penalised by the committee for undue delay under rule 6-7 if the request to mark the ball is unreasonable and without merit (Decision 22/3).

See the R&A's Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2010 - 2011.