Golf Rules: Marking a Ball on a Slope Before It Rolls Back

Two rules questions about marking a ball on the putting green, answered under the current Rules of Golf.

Can a caddie mark a ball before it rolls back down a slope?

Yes. If a ball comes to rest at the top of a slope on the green, a caddie — or the player — may move quickly to mark and lift it before wind or gravity sends it rolling back down. Rule 14.1 gives a caddie the right to mark and lift a player’s ball on the putting green, provided the ball has not already started rolling. Once it moves on its own, the marking window has closed.

What if someone lifts another player’s ball while a different ball is in motion?

In stroke play, if Player A leaves a ball unmarked on the green and Player B then putts toward it, a third player lifting A’s ball before the two balls collide — then replacing it after B’s ball passes — creates no penalty for anyone involved, as long as the player who lifted the ball is not A’s partner. Rule 9.6 covers the general requirement to mark before lifting a ball that must be replaced, and Rule 11.3 permits lifting a ball at rest on the green while another ball is still in motion. Together, the two rules clear everyone in the scenario of a penalty.

Both situations turn on the same principle: a ball at rest on the green may be marked and lifted, by a player or caddie, right up until it starts moving on its own or collides with another ball still in play.