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How to Mark Your Ball on the Green

LPGA Top 50 Teacher, Debbie O'Connell shows you how to mark your ball on the green and line it up to give yourself the best chance of making your next putt.

According to the United States Golf Association, when your ball is on the putting green and you want to clean your golf ball, line up your next putt, or just get your ball out of the way of the other players in your group, you should mark your ball, preferably with something around the size of a coin. There is always a great range of fun and interesting ball markers available in your club’s Pro Shop.

In this video, I take you through some of the do’s and don’ts of marking your ball.

How to Mark Your Ball on the Green
How to Mark Your Ball on the Green

Marking Your Golf Ball

To mark your ball on the green simply place the marker behind the golf ball in line with the hole. Often I see new players move the ball out of the way first thinking they have to put the market exactly on the spot where the ball is. In fact, according to the rules of golf, it is not legal to move your ball before it is marked.

Another good reason to mark your ball is to line up your next putt. Many golf balls and putters have lines on them printed by the manufacturer, so you can line both up with the direction of your putt when you are replacing the ball after marking it. You are also permitted to draw a line on the ball with a sharpie for that purpose.

Brooke Henderson lining up the ball in the Volvik Championship | Photo: Ben Harpring for WomensGolf.com
Brooke Henderson replacing her marked ball in the Volvik Championship | Photo: Ben Harpring for WomensGolf.com

So, remember … place the marker behind the ball before you pick it up, and then line the ball up with the direction of the putt before you pick up your marker.

Always follow the rules of golf to make sure that you enjoy the game and live positive and golf positive!

Debbie

Feature Image: Cheyenne Woods at the 2017 Volvik Championship | Photo: Ben Harpring for WomensGolf.com
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