The famous Scottish golfer and legendary character Brian Barnes once marked his ball with a can of beer during a professional tournament. That was at the 1981 Scottish Championship at Dalmahoy. Although these days he would probably receive a fine for drinking alcohol on the course – most tours don’t allow that, he wouldn’t face penalty shots. Rule 14.1a says you must mark your ball before lifting it but the definitions of ball marker are vague – “an artificial object when used to mark the spot of a ball to be lifted, such as a tee, a coin, an object made to be a ball-marker or another small piece of equipment”. A beer can would be ok!
But what if Brian had replaced his ball, picked up his beer can and proceeded to putt with one hand while holding his drink in the other? Would he have been penalised then?
