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Winter Tee Mats.... If your winter tee mats are small and taking 2 clubs length back would take you off the mat on to the grass is it legal to play from the grass
2 club length on winter tee mat
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Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Whether it's legal or not, to my mind, the mat is there for a reason and should be used without question.
D
Deleted member 15717
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When a winter mat is in place, why would you want to take two length backwards?
rulefan
Tour Winner
From the R&A (and an old thread) some months ago.
It really depends on how the Committee wish for the mats to be used. If the Committee do not specify how the mats are to be used then players will still have their two club-lengths from the front of the tee markers.
It is permissible to make a Local Rule requiring players to play from tee mats. This is commonplace in winter when clubs wish to protect the teeing area but the same principle could be applied to the teeing areas that are being renovated.
Although a mat may not provide a teeing area that is two club-lengths in depth, the point of using the mat is to protect the teeing area at times when the conditions merit consideration. Allowing the player to stand or play from outside of the mat is really defeating the purpose of using the mat in the first place. As a result, it would be recommended that the Committee clarify by Local Rule that the mats must be used.
The recommended wording for such a Local Rule is as follows:
" Tee Mats.
Where present, tee mats comprise the teeing area. When starting a hole from a tee mat the player must stand on and play a ball from the mat.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule: Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes."
It really depends on how the Committee wish for the mats to be used. If the Committee do not specify how the mats are to be used then players will still have their two club-lengths from the front of the tee markers.
It is permissible to make a Local Rule requiring players to play from tee mats. This is commonplace in winter when clubs wish to protect the teeing area but the same principle could be applied to the teeing areas that are being renovated.
Although a mat may not provide a teeing area that is two club-lengths in depth, the point of using the mat is to protect the teeing area at times when the conditions merit consideration. Allowing the player to stand or play from outside of the mat is really defeating the purpose of using the mat in the first place. As a result, it would be recommended that the Committee clarify by Local Rule that the mats must be used.
The recommended wording for such a Local Rule is as follows:
" Tee Mats.
Where present, tee mats comprise the teeing area. When starting a hole from a tee mat the player must stand on and play a ball from the mat.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule: Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes."
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Thanks
I thought that but over heard a member last week say they just play off the grass it got me thinking
Swango1980
Well-known member
When they said that, did they clarify whether they just tee off the grass behind the mat, or to the side of it. I've heard people say that at my place. However, they definitely wouldn't tee up behind it, as it is like a wooden crate and they'd either wreck their club on the follow through, or rish the ball rebounding into their face.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
We have a LR for tee mats that require a player to both stand on the mat and tee their ball on the mat but our mats are big enough for this.
The whole purpose of mats is to protect the course. Players are not doing this if they stand off them or tee off on grass near to them.
The whole purpose of mats is to protect the course. Players are not doing this if they stand off them or tee off on grass near to them.
SammmeBee
Journeyman Pro
What’s a winter tee mat?
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
As per Jim8flog - if you have mats, they are there for a purpose and so should be used by everyone. If you don't have a local rule that requires this, then you should be pressing for one. We didn't have one until recently - we now do (which requires both standing on, and playing from, the mat. But like above ours are big enough for this).
