Editor's note: PGA TOUR Tournament Official Dillard Pruitt has seen the game from both sides. He played the PGA TOUR from 1988-96 and won the 1991 Chattanooga Classic. He now works as a PGA TOUR rules official and will share his knowledge weekly with PGATOUR.com viewers.

QUESTION: Is there a minimum number of golf balls that a pro on the PGA TOUR must have in his bag to start a round? Or, can he just take one and trust to luck and skill? Thanks, Joe Scholle of Severna Park, Md.

PRUITT: Joe, there is no limit to how many golf balls a player can carry for a round of golf. I would guess that most players have 9 to 12 in the bag -- remember they are not carrying the bag.

QUESTION: After missing a putt, my ball came to rest in what turned out to be the indentation of an old pitch mark. I used my pitch mark repair tool to mark the position of my ball by inserting it in the green directly behind where my ball was located. After lifting the ball, and determining that it was an old pitch mark I then removed my tool and repaired the mark that my ball was resting on, at least to the extent of leveling the surface....the scar from the old pitch mark was still visible. I then replaced the ball on the spot from which it had been lifted and carried on. My playing partners suggest that I should be penalized as I removed my marker prior to replacing the ball. I contend that the rule states only that the ball must be marked (which it was) prior to lifting the ball, and surely the intent of the rule...ensuring the ball was replaced in the spot it had been lifted from, was fulfilled as the indentation mark that had been leveled out was clearly visible. This did not result in any great argument, however I am curious as to your thoughts on the matter. Regards, Gary.

PRUITT: Gary, I hate to tell you but I think you are under a one-stoke penalty under Rule 18-2a. I know there was no intent to break a Rule but you have purposely moved your ball marker. The pitch mark is not your mark. In the future I would mark the ball with a small coin, move the coin to one side or another, fix the pitch mark, move the coin back replace the ball and go from there. Great question.

QUESTION: Saturday during the third round of the BellSouth Classic I watched Phil Mickelson take a drop for relief from the cart path on No. 12 or 15, not sure which one. His ball came to rest on the "right" side of the path. However, as he approached the ball, it rolled to the "left" side of the cart path. Phil took relief on the right side of the path where his ball originally lied before he arrived at the location. Seems to me he should have taken relief at the point "nearest" to the left side of the path where his ball came to rest. Can you explain? Ken Cornwall of Morehead City, N.C.

QUESTION: During the third round of the BellSouth Classic, Phil Mickelson's ball came to rest on a cart path. By the time he got to the ball it had somehow moved from one side of the path to the other. When he took relief he dropped on the side of the path near the first position. I thought the rule is from the 'nearest point of relief'. Thanks, Ron Adams of Kaiapoi, New Zealand

PRUITT: Ken and Ron, thanks for watching the PGA TOUR and writing in your questions. The questions are very similar -- if not the same -- so I thought I would combine the two. K & R, what I would like to do is look at some film the next time I work with CBS; I think that is who covered the telecast in Atlanta, which will be at the Memorial. Before then I will say that it couldn't have been at No. 15 because there is no hazard on that hole that is in play. My best guess is that this might have taken place on No. 10 or 11. There are some places on those two holes that a left-handed player would not be able to drop on one side of the path because he would not have enough space to drop because of the location of the path and the hazard line. K & R you are both correct with your thoughts about dropping at the nearest point, but the point cannot be in the hazard and the player cannot stand on the obstruction that he his taking relief from once he has dropped. This is my best guess without actually looking at some film. Phil would not intentionally do any thing contrary to the Rules of the Game. I will get back to you on this question at a later date. Thanks.

QUESTION: I live in west Texas and the wind sometimes blows. When I replace my ball, after marking it, can I press down on the ball? I just want to get it off the top of the grass. Our greens are not very fast or the ball never would stop rolling. However this makes for some easy movement of the ball by the wind. Thanks and God bless you. Jim Bennett, the Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas. Say high to Tom Lehman for me.

PRUITT: Jim, I will make sure I say hello to Tom Lehman for you. He is probably a little busy with all his duties for the Ryder Cup. Jim the Rules do not allow you to press down on the ball to make sure it stays on its position. Now you are aware of the reasons why guys who run competitive golf tournaments are so concerned with greens speeds in high wind situations. On the PGA TOUR, if we had your situation with balls rolling on the greens because of heavy winds, we would temporarily suspend play until the balls stopped rolling around on the greens.