Ball Marker
A ball marker is a small, artificial object used to mark the spot of a golf ball on the putting green so the ball can be lifted and later replaced in exactly the same position.
What is a ball marker?
The marker’s job is a simple one. A player places it next to the ball on the putting green, lifts the ball, and then removes the marker before the next stroke. Between those two steps, the ball can be cleaned or moved aside to clear another player’s putting line.
Ball markers exist because golf requires the ball to go back exactly where it was after any permitted lift. Without a marker, reproducing that spot by eye alone would be slow and inaccurate. A coin placed beside the ball solves the problem with almost no fuss.
The Rules of Golf define a ball-marker (the governing bodies hyphenate the term) as an artificial object used to mark the spot of a ball to be lifted, listing a tee, a coin, a purpose-made ball marker, or another small piece of equipment as examples. Natural objects such as leaves, twigs, or stones cannot be used. This definition was added formally during the 2019 Rules of Golf overhaul and clarified further in January 2020.
A ball marker is different from a ball mark, even though the names are almost identical. A ball mark (also called a pitch mark) is the small crater an approach shot leaves when it lands on the green. That is damage, not equipment.
What counts as a legal ball marker?
Rule 14.1 specifies only that the marker has to be artificial. Almost anything small and man-made qualifies. In practice, the most common choices are coins, purpose-made metal or plastic discs, tees, poker chips, and the flat edge of a divot tool. The toe of a putter pressed into the ground works too, as a way of marking without a separate object.
The 2019 rules overhaul explicitly made tees a legal marker on the putting green, confirming a long-standing informal practice. Before the overhaul, the definition had been ambiguous enough that some players avoided tees on the green to be safe.
What is ruled out is any natural object: a leaf, a twig, a pebble, an acorn. These cannot be used as markers, even in a pinch. If a player is ever caught without a proper marker, holding the head of a club on the ground immediately behind or next to the ball is a legal alternative under Rule 14.1a.
Size rules: when a ball marker becomes illegal
Most ball markers pose no issue. The problem arises with markers designed as alignment aids, the kind with lines or arrows intended to help a player line up a putt. The USGA Equipment Rules (Part 6, Rule 8) treat these as alignment devices once they cross certain size thresholds, or when they contain features that measure slope or green speed, or include electronic or optical components.
| Feature | Legal | Illegal |
|---|---|---|
| Height (any configuration) | Under 1 inch | 1 inch or more |
| Horizontal dimension with alignment lines | Under 2 inches | 2 inches or more |
| Alignment line length | Under 2 inches | 2 inches or more |
| Slope or green-speed indicator | Not present | Present (any size) |
| Electronic or optical component | Not present | Present (any size) |
The penalty for using an alignment device to mark and align the ball is the General Penalty on the first offence, which is two strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play. A second use in the same round results in disqualification.
A plain coin or a standard disc marker, with no alignment features, falls well under these limits and carries no risk.
How a ball marker is used
A player places the marker on the ground immediately behind or right next to the ball, lifts the ball, and replaces it on the same spot once it is their turn to putt. The marker is then removed before the stroke. That is the full sequence under Rule 14.1.
Several common errors each cost one penalty stroke. The first is lifting the ball without marking the spot. Marking the spot in the wrong way, such as with a leaf or other natural object, is equally punished. Playing a stroke while the marker sits on the ground also costs one.
If a marker sits in another player’s line of putt, the player whose ball is marked can move the marker one or more putterhead-lengths to the side, using a visible reference point to return it accurately before the next stroke. The marker must be moved back to the original position before the ball is replaced.
Marking is only required when the ball has to be replaced on its original spot. Under Rule 15.3, a ball at rest on the putting green must be marked and lifted only if it interferes with play or helps another player. When lifting a ball to take free relief under another rule, marking the spot is not required.
Ball marker vs. ball mark
These two terms appear constantly on golf broadcasts and are the most common source of confusion for new players. They describe completely different things.
| Ball marker | Ball mark | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A small artificial object | A depression in the green surface |
| Purpose | Marks the position of the ball | None; it is damage, not a tool |
| Where it appears | Placed by the player | Caused by a ball landing on the green |
| What the player does | Places, then removes | Repairs with a divot tool |
| Other names | Marker, mark, coin | Pitch mark |
A ball mark is a small crater left in the grass by an approach shot. Players are expected to repair ball marks on greens they play, often using a pronged tool called a divot tool or pitch mark repair tool.
Types of ball markers
Golfers carry a wide range of ball markers. The choice is mostly personal: the rules are lenient, so style and convenience tend to win out.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Coin | The most common. Pennies and old foreign coins are widely used, along with commemorative coins. |
| Purpose-made disc | Flat metal or enamel discs, often with personalised designs or logos. |
| Magnetic marker | A small magnetic disc that clips to a divot tool or hat brim for easy carrying. |
| Hat clip combo | A magnetic marker paired with a clip that attaches to a cap for quick access. |
| Tee | Legal since 2019. More common for marking spots off the green than on the putting surface itself. |
| Poker chip | Oversized and louder than most; fine within size limits but can distract other players. |
A PuttBANDIT survey of 1,200 UK golfers found that 69% used a round ball marker, with coins and purpose-made discs making up the bulk of that figure. Other shapes are permitted, but round markers dominate the market.
Related Golf Terms
- Divot tool — A pronged tool used to repair ball marks on the green, often combined with a magnetic ball marker.
- Ball Flight Laws — The physics principles governing how clubface and swing path affect ball trajectory.
- Backspin — Reverse rotation on the ball that causes it to climb and stop quickly on landing.
- Away — The player whose ball is farthest from the hole, who typically plays next.
- Backswing — The first part of the golf swing where the club moves away from the ball.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a player required to mark their ball on the green?
Not always. Under Rule 15.3, a ball at rest on the putting green only has to be marked and lifted when it interferes with another player’s shot or helps them, for example, by acting as a backstop. If the ball is neither in the way nor an aid, marking is optional. Another player can still ask for it to be marked if they believe it interferes, in which case the request must be honoured.
Can a tee be used as a ball marker?
Yes. The 2019 Rules of Golf update named a tee as an acceptable ball marker, confirming what had long been an informal practice. A tee is most often seen as a marker for a ball being lifted off the green under a relief rule, but it is legal on the putting green, too.
What is the penalty for not marking a ball?
One stroke. A player picks up the penalty for lifting the ball without marking it first, and the same penalty applies if the spot is marked in a wrong way, such as with a natural object. Playing a stroke while the marker is still on the ground also costs one stroke. The penalty is identical in stroke play and match play.
Can a ball marker have an alignment line on it?
Yes, within size limits. Most coin-sized markers with alignment lines are legal. Once a marker exceeds 1 inch in height or has alignment features longer than 2 inches, it counts as an “alignment device” and is not permitted for use on the course.
Does a ball marker have to be placed directly behind the ball?
No. The Rules state the marker must be right behind or right next to the ball. Next to it on any side is legal. Behind the ball is the convention shown on television, which is why most players do it, but the rules allow flexibility as long as the ball can be replaced accurately.
Sources
- United States Golf Association. “Rule 14: Procedures for Ball: Marking, Lifting and Cleaning.” Rules of Golf, Players Edition. Accessed April 2026.
- United States Golf Association. “Equipment Rules, Part 6, Rule 8: Definition of Alignment Device and Treatment of Ball-Markers.” Accessed April 2026.
- R&A. “Rule 14: Procedures for Ball.” Rules of Golf. Accessed April 2026.
- Florida State Golf Association. “Rules of Golf: Ball Markers.” Accessed April 2026.
- Golf Digest. “Rules Review: What can you use, and how can you use it, when marking your ball on the green?” Accessed April 2026.
- Golf.com (Josh Sens). “The do’s and don’ts of marking your ball on the green.” Accessed April 2026.
- PuttBANDIT. “Does a golf ball marker have to be round?” Accessed April 2026.
