Curious

[quote=LowPost42]line - including moving impediments or obstructions.

Ball on the fringe, short sided, ball mark right on his line.
quote]

Are you sure it wasn't a sprinkler head. He would not get relief from that as it was an Immovable Obstruction.

No - the camera did a good job of showing the ballmark. But since he was putting, and was NOT on the green, he couldn't fix it.

Well I still don't see why he wasn't allowed to repair it. Rule 16-1 is pretty clear.


Rule 16-1c. Repair of Hole Plugs, Ball Marks and Other Damage
The player may repair an old hole plug or damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball, whether or not the player’s ball lies on the putting green. If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of the repair, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty provided the movement of the ball is directly attributable to the specific act of repairing an old hole plug or damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball. Otherwise, the player incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a.
Any other damage to the putting green must not be repaired if it might assist the player in his subsequent play of the hole.

The part in red includes spike marks

Good Q.

Alls I know is that he putted around it, and even the colour commentary was that he was screwed.

Given the rules are constantly under review and ever changing, the classic example of a "living document" if you will, it may well be that time has seen changes to this particular area of the rules and it's interpretation.

More than likely there are many examples of some action or other that was illegal some years ago that isn't now and vice versa...

That one hasn't changed since Adam was a boy.

Further to aaa's post correctly outlining rule 16-1c, rule 16-1 also says in 16-1a that "the line of putt must not be touched except ... (i) the player may remove loose impediments, provided he does not press anything down; and ... (vii) in removing movable obstructions"

So, I know I'm being pedantic, (there's a lawyer inside somewhere) but almost anything can be moved from the line of putt, whether you're on the green or off it. I still think cigarette butt guy was jipped.

Cheers fellas.

Remove the word "almost"

but you can't fix a spike mark

He certainly was.
The moral is of course - if someone says you can't do something, bring out your rule book and ask them to show you the rule.
As I've said before, if the rules don't say you can't then you may if you wish.