Mine isn’t so much a golf ball marker as it is a disc. It’s big enough it could probably be seen from the International Space Station.
But there is a reason for such scale. Unlike most markers I’ve had, I have managed to avoid losing it. You see, size does matter.
I know you will have seen all sorts used as ball makers during your rounds. Priceless old coins seem to be a favourite and, yes, I have seen someone use a beer can.
Sentimentality, practicality, or just whatever you can get your hands on sometimes can be a determining factor when deciding what marks the spot of your ball.
Is it all legal, though? What do the rules of golf say and how do you avoid getting into trouble with your committee if you’re playing in a competition?
Golf ball marker rules
Why do we need a golf ball marker?
When you are lifting a ball under a Rule which requires it to be replaced on its original spot, Rule 14.1a says the “player must mark the spot”.
Here’s a surprise for you. You can hold a club on the ground “right behind or right next to the ball”. That counts as marking!
Nearly all of the time, though, you are going to place a ball marker there to do the job.