Ted:
Good questions in post #1108
Personally, I feel the practice of using a mark or line on a golf ball to indicate the line for putting is not a big deal in the context of that practice offering golfers "Assistance" the way the R&A/USGA Rules of Golf and the Rulesmakers look at or have written the Rules to address this particular subject (marks or lines on golf balls)----eg "artificial devices" or "unusual equipment" (Rule 14-3). I say that while admitting I've never tried the practice.
On the other hand, I do think this practice is gaining popularity, it does take too many players too much time to do and consequently has or will become a problem in pace of play (Rule 6-7--Undue Delay; Slow Play).
I also feel the Ruleswriters and Rulesmakers are more than aware of this but in the recent past and currently they view it as a practice that would be very hard for them to regulate or for golfers to regulate and enforce.
They have stated this (their reason and rationale) so if someone like Shivas or Pat is looking for their reasons or rationale at this point as to why this practice is not a violation of the Rules they have that rationale and reason from the Rulesmakers, even if Pat or Shivas seem unwilling to accept their rationale or reason simply because they don't like the practice.
Shivas or Pat seem to think making this practice a violation of the Rules would be easy to regulate. The point is at this time the Rulesmakers do not seem to agree with them.
That's one of the reasons I've told Pat I will help him make a proposal to the USGA Rules Committee that this practice should become a violation of the Rules of Golf somehow. I'm doing that mostly so that Pat can see how the process of Rules change really works in the context of the only way the Rules of Golf can change---eg through the USGA Rules Committee, the R&A Rules Committee and ultimately through the Joint Rule Committee of the USGA and R&A.
I'm doing this because, frankly, I've gotten a bit tired of listening to people like Shivas and Pat tell all of us the Rulesmakers and Ruleswriters don't even know how to interpret and apply their own Rules that they write and make and iterpret.
In my opinion, if the Rulesmakers were to make this practice a violation of the Rules somehow they have three basic options to do that which are:
1. Attempt to ban all lines or marks on golf balls (or putterheads) that any player may use to indicate a line for putting.
2. Not do #1 and simply attempt to ban the player practice of aligning almost anything on a golf ball (or putterhead) for the purpose of indicating the line for putting. I guess the working principle would have to be that the player could align nothing to the line of putt other than himself and his putter blade.
3. Do not make this practice a technical violation of Rule 8 or 14 or 20 but attempt to deal with the problems of pace of play this practice seems to be creating within the Rule where this problem really lies----which is Rule 6-7 (Undue Delay; Slow Play).
I hope that answers your questions.