From time to time there will be a Q and A about common golf rules. Starting off, read an easy one below, but don't look at the answer until you've chosen A. or B.

Mary's ball was on the green, about 8 feet from the hole. Mary bent down down next to her ball and rotated the ball to line up the imprinted arrow that was on the ball with the hole. She did not lift the ball, mark its position or change its position. Helen called out foul. She said Mary, that's a one stroke penalty. I don't care if the ball didn't change position, you knew it was your ball and you touched the ball without marking the ball. Of course Mary protested and said she was entitled to rotate her ball if she did not move the ball's position and if the ball was on the green.

What is the correct ruling?

A. Helen is correct, one stroke penalty. Mary was in error for not first marking the ball.

B. Mary is correct, no penalty. On the green, a ball if not moved, it can be rotated. Marking the balls position is not necessary because the ball is not being picked up and never moves from its' original position.

And the answer is...

The correct answer is A. Helen was correct, Mary is awarded a one stroke penalty for touching the ball other than as provided for in the Rules. Under Rules 6-b and 20-1, a ball on the putting green may be lifted, or touched, or rotated, after its position has been marked. Had Mary marked the ball position before rotating it, there would have been no penalty.