2019 Prefered lies extended??

[2blue]

I've played quite a number of courses in N of England where it's very doubtful that the fairways will be in a playable condition by May...… even June & some not at all in 2019 as last Summer was so damaging.
I know it's fairly early days yet but from what I've been seeing some courses would actually benefit from a season of preferred.... thoughts please

 

[Orikoru]

Would love that for obvious reasons. Preferred lies is the only decent thing about winter golf. Won't happen though obviously.

 

[duncan mackie]

It will happen if it's needed

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Probably varies by area, so they may pass it down to County authority for them to decide if their area needs it.

 

[robinthehood]

I played on preferred lies for most of 2018. Our fairways were scorched !

 

[Grant85]

Would fall on the side of No Preferred lies unless there has been a big repair job or the ground is particularly wet.

The course is the same for everyone.

Personally, playing inland golf on the west of Scotland - the course is wet a lot of time and it's just something you have to deal with. Sure, it would be nice to play of firm / bouncy turf every week, but you are going to have to hit balls off wet ground with grass or mud on it.

Play it as it lies, or drive to a links course.

Clearly every course will make their own decision, but I think if preferred lies started to become the norm, the rules bodies would step in and clarify the rules / guidelines.

 

[duncan mackie]

Clearly every course will make their own decision, but I think if preferred lies started to become the norm, the rules bodies would step in and clarify the rules / guidelines.

The relevant rules body (CONGU) already has very clear rules and processes. No need for any clarifications

 

[2blue]

Would fall on the side of No Preferred lies unless there has been a big repair job or the ground is particularly wet.

The course is the same for everyone.

Personally, playing inland golf on the west of Scotland - the course is wet a lot of time and it's just something you have to deal with. Sure, it would be nice to play of firm / bouncy turf every week, but you are going to have to hit balls off wet ground with grass or mud on it.

Play it as it lies, or drive to a links course.

Clearly every course will make their own decision, but I think if preferred lies started to become the norm, the rules bodies would step in and clarify the rules / guidelines.

It's not to do with wetness, infact quite the opposite. It's the severe damage from last year's exceptional Summer, causing many fairways to be so badly damaged that balls are frequently coming to rest in deep depressions similar to divots.... yes its the same for everybody but will have a very unfair impact on handicaps & discourage players from playing Q-Comps.
In these circumstances having preferred lies is also the same for everyone & in fact much fairer & if mats are an option, far better for the course to recover.

 

[2blue]

Probably varies by area, so they may pass it down to County authority for them to decide if their area needs it.

I can quite imagine it maybe necessary at Seaton as even the fairways on the Brabazon holes are very slow recovering.... however there is a way to go yet, Paul. Will give you a shout for a round when it's in shape.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My club has engaged in a vigorous programme to try and get back the really badly damaged fairways from last year but there is no mention of any local rule coming in to extend preferred lies. I hope last year isn't replicated again and if we get a typical British spring and summer a lot of the grass and over planting etc will take effect and it'll start to come back. I don't think it'll be totally fixed in 2019 but don't see it impacting play at all and I'm of the opinion any bad lies are the rub of the green. I really don't see how or why it should impact on players entering qualifiers

 

[2blue]

I really don't see how or why it should impact on players entering qualifiers

If there's such extensive damage that can't be marked as GUR (abnormal ground conditions) then it's likely to occur several times in a round so that CAT 1 players, in particular, will struggle to maintain or reduce their H/cap so may decide it's just not worth it.
Or am I seeing this wrongly?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If there's such extensive damage that can't be marked as GUR (abnormal ground conditions) then it's likely to occur several times in a round so that CAT 1 players, in particular, will struggle to maintain or reduce their H/cap so may decide it's just not worth it.
Or am I seeing this wrongly?

Personally I think you are but thats not to detract from your point of view. My argument would be it's the CAT1 players who would have the skills to deal with these lies the best anyway so if anything the higher handicappers are getting more penalised. I guess it depends on how severe the damage is. I can only base my answer on the state of my course last year and how it's trying to recover and I don't think there will be any need to extend

 

[Capella]

Even though parts of our course were scorched last summer, I expect it to get back to normal quickly in spring if we get half decent weather with a bit of rainfall. We normally do a divot repair day in March or April and after that it takes about 2 weeks for new grass to take hold in the winter divots. After that there is no real reason for preferred lies anymore.

 

[garyinderry]

England must have taken a serious hiding. Ireland was scorched something awful. It only took a couple of weeks and we were back to normal.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Some courses are still quite poorly from grass coverage in some areas, as 2blue says hard to imagine even with serious overseeding etc in 2019 they will be recovered, got to take a couple of years would have thought.

Going to be a busy March/April for a lot of greenkeepers.

 

[jim8flog]

Far too early to make that sort of decision in Dorset.

We have got a lot of bare patches from last year but we overseeded and hopefully they will take before then.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

I think we’ll be in for a summer of thr same weather. Not good for some places!

 

[williamalex1]

Still preferred lies and mats, but the course is starting to look good getting some growth now with some daffies bursting through.
Our greens were ironed yesterday, no bumps, what a difference a couple of dry days make , still only 10/12 degrees but hey ho it's looking good.

 

[upsidedown]

We've still got lots of patches that are dead so will needs lots of work this Spring

 

[Shooter McPowick]

I'm amazed at how well our place has recovered, it was a desert in july!

The new green keeping team have been working wonders over the winter and we will definitely not be needing preferred lies when the growth starts.

Only areas that have continued to struggle is the greens, theyre still quite scarred unfortunately.