2 player’s balls finish just short of the green. One is in front of the other (a few feet). The ball behind, the player wants to putt so the player who’s ball is in front, marks his ball and lifts. Is this within the rules? I thought you could only mark and lift to identify.

Really, this is a pretty obvious question that took me two seconds to look up in rule book. If you think your ball may assist a player, you can mark and lift, also if the player thinks your ball may interfere with their shot they can ask for it to be marked. Only difference to the green is that you cannot clean your ball.

22-1. Ball Assisting Play
Except when a ball is in motion, if a player considers that a ball might assist any other player, he may:

a. Lift the ball if it is his ball; or
b. Have any other ball lifted.

A ball lifted under this Rule must be replaced (see Rule 20-3). The ball must not be cleaned, unless it lies on the putting green (see Rule 21).

In stroke play, a player required to lift his ball may play first rather than lift the ball.

In stroke play, if the Committee determines that competitors have agreed not to lift a ball that might assist any competitor, they are disqualified.

Note: When another ball is in motion, a ball that might influence the movement of the ball in motion must not be lifted.

22-2. Ball Interfering with Play
Except when a ball is in motion, if a player considers that another ball might interfere with his play, he may have it lifted.

A ball lifted under this Rule must be replaced (see Rule 20-3). The ball must not be cleaned, unless it lies on the putting green (see Rule 21).

In stroke play, a player required to lift his ball may play first rather than lift the ball.

Note 1: Except on the putting green, a player may not lift his ball solely because he considers that it might interfere with the play of another player. If a player lifts his ball without being asked to do so, he incurs a penalty of one stroke for a breach of Rule 18-2a, but there is no additional penalty under Rule 22.

Note 2: When another ball is in motion, a ball that might influence the movement of the ball in motion must not be lifted.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE:
Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes.

Interesting. So if you move to mark your ball that is close to the hole and the player about to chip says, “Leave it there pal, it will be right”, then you have to continue to mark it because it may assist him by stopping his ball closer to the hole?

Who get penalised for the breach? Both players?

This has happened to me a couple of times where someone has says not to bother marking my ball. Will I tell them in future that it is in the rules that I must?

If he asks you to leave your ball there because it will help his shot then he is DQ’d. That is a serious breach of the rules. You do not incur any penalty if you continue to mark your ball. If you don’t lift the ball after being asked to leave it then you are also DQ’d for assisting the player.

If you ask someone whether you need to mark your ball because it is in a position where it shouldn’t interfere with play and they tell you not to worry, that is fine.

If your ball shouldn’t interfere with play, and as such it is not marked, but it gets hit by the other players ball (they shank it or skull a chip etc.) then you must replace your ball to the original position (or as close as you can), and the other player plays their ball normally.

Interesting. So if you move to mark your ball that is close to the hole and the player about to chip says, “Leave it there pal, it will be right”, then you have to continue to mark it because it may assist him by stopping his ball closer to the hole?

Who get penalised for the breach? Both players?

This has happened to me a couple of times where someone has says not to bother marking my ball. Will I tell them in future that it is in the rules that I must?

“Where did THAT go?”

Agree with Dulberf. If leaving your ball in place might assist another player, then you must continue with the marking and lifting.

What happens in a bunker.
Obviously marking is not so easy.

For example, we had 2 balls within 2 cm of each other in a bunker.
Marking and lifting is fine. But the marker will be removed during the shot.

I felt common sense was to ‘repair’ the ground to an equivalent of what it was previously and place (not drop) the ball at a place that is the best possible guess as to the correct position.

V_C, the player is entitled to the same lie that he had when his ball came to rest. There is nothing to prevent use of multiple markers (e.g. 4 tees for a virtual cross-hair) so that the position of the ball to be replaced can be properly determined. Then the bunker surface is returned to the state that it was when the ball stopped and the ball placed there.

Also, the ball must not be cleaned while lifted.

Also, the ball must not be cleaned while lifted.

OldBogey

I was advised to always hold the ball when lifted with just two fingers and well away from the body. Placing the ball in a pocket or brushing it against clothes could incur a penalty.

Placing the ball in a pocket or brushing it in any way not only could but almost certainly would result in a penalty.
Only if the course was bone dry and the ball was seen by someone else as totally clean before it was picked up would let the player of the hook.

Placing the ball in a pocket or brushing it in any way not only could but almost certainly would result in a penalty.
Only if the course was bone dry and the ball was seen by someone else as totally clean before it was picked up would let the player of the hook.

And be careful who you let lift your ball.

A much better and more experienced golfer asked if he could lift my ball in a bunker. Watched approvingly as he lifted it very carefully , one finger and thumb on each side . Then dusted it off on his shirt and threw it to me.

We both got up and down, but only one of us made par :-(