The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.
A friend recently gave me some golf balls that have no markings — his brother-in-law custom-prints them for special events. They are purportedly a conforming model from a reputable brand. They’re easy to identify as mine — who else plays a nameless, numberless ball?—but other golf buddies say I can’t play them without any identifying mark. True? —Larry D. Ingram, via email
Rules Guy is drawing a blank here…kidding! Absent a Model Local Rule requiring the use of a ball on the list of conforming golf balls (MLR G-3), the Rules simply require that you play a conforming golf ball (Rule 4.2a).
Provided that the MLR isn’t in effect, the assumption is that the ball you are playing is conforming unless there is strong evidence to the contrary, such as a ball that’s clearly too small. Here’s hoping that your play isn’t as anonymous as your orb.
For more guidance from our guru, read on …
Rules Guy: Is it a penalty to pick up an unmarked ball to avoid a collision?
Is it required to mark your ball when it’s on the green, whether it’s in the way of another player or not? Yesterday, I was playing with our golf pro, and he got so angry with another player because he didn’t mark his ball, even though it wasn’t in the pro’s line. The pro said that all the balls on the green must be marked … but my online research so far doesn’t seem to support that. —Liz Grebler, via email
This pro doesn’t sound like much of a people person — never mind that he is in the wrong, or at least partly in the wrong.
Under Rule 15.3, a ball at rest on the putting green only must be marked and lifted if it is interfering with play or helping another player; otherwise, there is no requirement to do so.
That said, a player can always request that you indeed mark your ball (again, if it can reasonably be deemed to be interfering or helping on the putting green) in which case you must accede to that request (making the request in essence a demand, but it sounds more polite the other way).
So, yes, the pro can make everyone mark his or her ball, but that’s not the same thing as declaring, “All balls on the green must be marked!” He might be better suited to a less customer-facing profession.
Want to find the right gear for your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.
