shivas:
All that is understood. And your respect and knowledge for the rules, both in letter and in spirit, remains exemplary. BTW, you made a 5 after the skulled chip.
But here's another point: if I was your opponent that day... and you HAD fixed that ballmark on the fringe... I swear I wouldn't have said a word. And as JV says, that would have been my right. Half of that would have been because at that point in time I had forgotten that you can't do that under the written rules (no lie - just conditioning from lax rules playing, also not seeing that happen for a LONG time); but the more important half would have been because in the spirit of the rules as I see them, you ought to be able to fix that mark, in that situation. It's just silly to me that a ball that would obviously be putted now can't, because a pitch mark is three inches from where it could be fixed. Oh I know why the rule has to exist, and I believe it's a good rule. But in that instance... shit, fix it and putt it. I don't want to win a hole due to something so silly.
Which also might be why I lose more matches than I should... no ruthless killer am I... hmmmmm... separate issue.
In any case, that's more the point FOR ME of discussing that instance, as a witness. I understand absolutely perfectly why there's no way you fix that mark - I'd feel the same - or let's say I would have had I been more familiar with the rule at the time! But from that point forward, hell yes, I feel the same.
But if someone else does it? Of course it depends on the situation.... but it if's three inches off the green, where a pitchmark should never happen... in match play.... hell if you want to fix it go ahead. That's part of the spirit of the rules to me.
TH