Rules question · Rule 15.3b · Hard
Another player refuses to mark their ball on my line: what is the ruling?
In stroke play another player’s ball lies on the putting green right on your line of play. You ask them to mark and lift it. They refuse. You putt and just miss their ball. What is the ruling?
Answer
The other player gets two penalty strokes
If another player’s ball might interfere with your play, you may require them to mark and lift it. In stroke play they may choose to play first instead. If they do neither and you then make your stroke, they get the general penalty of two penalty strokes. Had you hit their ball, though, you would have got two penalty strokes yourself.