Rules question · Rule 15.3a · Expert
Leaving another player’s ball as a backstop: is that allowed?
In stroke play you are chipping from just off the putting green. Another player’s ball lies one metre behind the flagstick. As they go to mark it, you say: “Leave it, it’ll help me.” They leave it and you chip. What is the ruling?
Answer
You both get two penalty strokes
Your request and their leaving the ball count as an agreement. As soon as you make a stroke with the helping ball in place, each player who took part gets two penalty strokes, even if your ball does not hit theirs and even if you did not know the Rule. If nobody says anything, you may simply chip.
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