Why are you allowed to mark you ball when your playing partner is done?

[op2]

Hoffman and Spieth are playing together on #3. Hoffman putts and misses and taps in. Then Spieth misses by a foot or two and goes up and marks his ball. Why mark a ball when nobody else is going to be putting?

 

[WVUBRU]

Re: Mostly two reasons

In order to stay in a routine and to align your ball to the line/putter as you like it. Very smart to do it so you don't rush the putt and mishit it.

 

[RichardPeterJohnson]

Also....

to clean it....not that it is really necessary at AN.

 

[mneilmont]

You usually tend the green around the ball to be sure it did not settle into or behind a spike or ball mark, clean any debris from or around the ball. If you have played long, you may be able to think of other reasons to mark and make any legal improvements.