Interference by Ball: “Interference” that allows a player relief, exists when another player’s ball at
rest:
• might interfere with the player’s area of intended swing or stance
• there is a reasonable chance that the player’s ball in motion could hit the other ball OR
• is enough to distract
When taking such relief, it is important to know how the relevant rules operate in order to avoid
unnecessary penalties. A penalty will be incurred if:
• the other ball position is not marked before lifting
• (unless the ball is on the putting green) the ball is cleaned after lifting, or the ball is lifted
when not required to do so
• a stroke is then made without waiting for the ball to be lifted as requested
• the other player refuses to move or mark their ball and the player makes the stroke anyway.
Interference by Marker: The rules governing possible interference by a ball-marker are similar to
those relating to a ball itself.
If a marker might help or interfere with play, a player may:
• move the marker out of the way if it is their own, or
• if it belongs to another player, may require that player to move the marker out of the way for
the same reasons as they might require a ball to be lifted.
Any marker so moved, must be moved to a new spot measured from its original spot (e.g. by club
head lengths, hand span or club length). When moving the marker back, the original moving
procedure should simply be reversed to ensure there is no “wrong place “ penalty.
The penalties that may be incurred for any breach of the procedures for moving a marker are the
same as for moving a ball:
• making a stroke without waiting for the marker to be lifted after becoming aware that
another player intended to move that ball or had required another person to do so
• a player refuses to comply with a request to move their marker, and the other player whose
play might have been helped or hindered, had nevertheless made their stroke.
NB : In Stroke Play a player, requested to move his interfering ball or marker, may elect to play his ball
first.
