In stroke play, if player A asks player B to lift their ball and player B plays out of turn, what is the ruling if they didn't agree?

In stroke play, when one player lifts another player's ball without permission, it can lead to a situation where the player who played out of turn incurs a penalty. The rules of golf place a strong emphasis on maintaining the order of play and following proper procedures to ensure fairness.

If player A requests player B to lift their ball, player B is expected to either comply with the request or seek clarification on whether it's permissible to play out of turn. However, if player B plays their shot without an agreement from player A, this constitutes a breach of the rules. The consequence for playing out of turn when permission has not been granted incurs a penalty, which in this case is two strokes added to player B's score.

This ruling reinforces the importance of communication and adherence to the established order during play in stroke play. Ensuring that all players are on the same page helps to maintain the integrity of the game. Players must always ensure that they have the right to make their actions, especially when it involves the ball of another player.