Marking Your Ball on the Green
Also known as: mark my ball, marking my ball, marking the ball, mark the ball on the green, ball marker, mark and clean, mark lift and clean, lift and clean on the green, clean my ball in the fairway
Once your ball is on the putting green, you may mark, lift and clean it whenever you like. First place a ball-marker, or hold a club on the ground, right behind or right next to the ball. Replace the ball on exactly the same spot, and remove the marker before you putt. Lifting a ball without marking it first costs one penalty stroke.
Rule 13.1b says a ball on the putting green may be lifted and cleaned. Its spot must be marked first, and the ball must be replaced on its original spot. Rule 14.1 explains how to mark it. Place a ball-marker, such as a coin, right behind or right next to the ball. Or hold a club on the ground right behind or next to it. Remove the marker before you make your stroke. Lifting without marking, marking the wrong way, or putting with the marker still down costs one penalty stroke.
Only you, or someone you authorize, may lift your ball. On the putting green your caddie may lift it without asking. A ball lifted from the green may always be cleaned. Replace it by setting it down by hand on the original spot so that it stays there.
If you or your marker accidentally move the ball or marker on the green, there is no penalty; just put it back. If wind or another natural force moves your ball after you have lifted and replaced it, put it back on its spot. If it moves before you have lifted and replaced it, play it from where it now lies.
Off the green the rules on cleaning are tighter. You may not clean a ball lifted to see whether it is cut or cracked. Nor may you clean one lifted because it interferes with play. A ball lifted to identify it may be cleaned only as much as needed. A ball lifted to check whether relief applies may be cleaned only if you then take relief.
Tips by skill level
Keep a coin or ball-marker in your pocket. On every green, mark behind the ball, lift, clean and put it back exactly where it was.
Make marking a fixed habit: marker right behind the ball, lift, clean, replace in front of the marker, then pick the marker up. A routine stops the easy one-stroke penalties for lifting without marking or putting with the marker down.
Example
A golfer's approach finishes on the green with mud on the ball. He places a coin directly behind it, lifts and cleans the ball, and sets it back down just in front of the coin. He picks up the coin before lining up his putt.
Why it matters
A clean ball rolls truer, and marking correctly avoids an easy one-stroke penalty. It is also basic etiquette when your ball is on another player's line.
Common mistakes
- Picking the ball up before marking it
- Replacing the ball in a slightly different spot to get a better line
- Forgetting to remove the marker before putting
- Cleaning a ball off the green when the Rules don't allow it
Frequently asked questions
When can I mark and clean my ball?
Any time your ball is on the putting green. Mark the spot first, then lift, clean and replace it on the same spot. Off the green, cleaning is allowed only in some situations.
How do I mark my golf ball on the green?
Place a ball-marker or coin right behind or right next to the ball, or hold a club on the ground there, before lifting. Replace the ball on exactly the same spot and remove the marker before you putt.
What happens if I pick up my ball without marking it?
You get one penalty stroke and must replace the ball on its original spot.
Can I clean my ball in the fairway?
Not just because it is muddy. Off the green you may lift your ball only when a Rule allows it, such as when you take relief, and you may usually clean it then (Rule 14.1c). You may not clean it when you lift it to identify it, beyond what you need to see, or to check for damage. A preferred-lies Local Rule also lets you lift and clean it.
Sources
Related terms
- Repairing Ball Marks and Spike MarksYes, you may repair spike marks, ball marks and almost any other damage on the putting green, even on your putting line. That includes shoe damage, old hole plugs, turf seams, scrapes from equipment or the flagstick, and animal tracks. You may not repair natural imperfections, such as aeration holes, uneven growth or weeds, or the natural wear of the hole.
- Flagstick In or Out When PuttingUnder the Rules of Golf you choose before each stroke: leave the flagstick in, have it removed, or have someone attend it. This applies even when putting from on the green. If your ball hits a flagstick left in the hole, there is no penalty and you play it as it lies. A ball resting against the flagstick counts as holed if any part of it is below the surface of the green.
- PuttingPutting is rolling the ball along the ground toward the hole using a flat-faced club (putter). A round of 90 with 36 putts spends 40% of its strokes on the green, so putting adds up fast.
- Golf EtiquetteGolf etiquette comes down to safety, pace and care of the course. Wait until the group ahead is out of range, shout 'fore' if your ball heads toward anyone, and keep up with the group in front. Repair ball marks, replace or fill divots and rake bunkers after you play from them.
- Embedded Ball (Plugged Lie Relief)An embedded, or plugged, ball sits in its own pitch mark with part of it below ground. In the general area, including the fairway and rough, you get free relief under Rule 16.3, except in sand not cut to fairway height. Drop within one club-length of the spot right behind where it was embedded, no nearer the hole. There is no free relief for a plugged ball in a bunker or penalty area.
- Wrong BallHitting a wrong ball, any ball other than your ball in play, costs two penalty strokes in stroke play. In match play you lose the hole. In stroke play the strokes with the wrong ball don't count; go back and play your own ball. If you don't correct it before teeing off on the next hole, or before returning your card after the last, you are disqualified.
Related guides & benchmarks
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