Back Distance Plates as Tees?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Can the hole yardage marker be used as an additional tee marker. In a recent match the Captain of the home team decided that games would be played off the yardage plates even although in many if not most cases that marker was further back on the tee than the rearmost set of tees? Into the bargain - as on most courses - there was only one hole yardage marker - on one side of the tee.

And what is the consequence of doing so? If you can't then is the whole match null and void?

 

[pbrown7582]

A similar thread ran recent the tee markers should have 2 markers to define the teeing ground.

 

[Imurg]

Was it a league match, a competitive one...or just an inter-club thing.?
If it was just a "friendly" then it wouldn't make a real difference as long as everyone feed off from behind the marker.
In a competitive scenario then it shouldn't happen so null and void should be the outcome.

 

[Blue in Munich]

At my old club some if not all of the knockout comps were played "off the plates" thus ensuring that everyone involved played the same course in each round. Nobody ever had an issue with it, apart from the odd bumptious senior who'd demand to know if you were a member, and had the situation explained to him with the same degree of courtesy that he'd employed.

 

[Spuddy]

At my old club some if not all of the knockout comps were played "off the plates" thus ensuring that everyone involved played the same course in each round. Nobody ever had an issue with it, apart from the odd bumptious senior who'd demand to know if you were a member, and had the situation explained to him with the same degree of courtesy that he'd employed.

why not just put another marker in on the opposite side of the tee for those comps? If you've just one marker then how do you assure that someone is teeing off from the right place?

 

[fundy]

Have been at clubs where matches have been played off the plates or the stones, never been a problem whether one or two of them imo albeit i accept the rules has a need for 2

 

[Old Skier]

There is a vets knockout comp in Devon where the rules of the comp states that the match is played of the yellow plates and not the markers of the day.

 

[rulefan]

Almost enough to make one weep.

 

[Blue in Munich]

why not just put another marker in on the opposite side of the tee for those comps? If you've just one marker then how do you assure that someone is teeing off from the right place?

You teed off from level with or up to 2 club lengths behind the plate, taking a line square across the tee from the plate. No one ever found it that difficult to work out or live with.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Almost enough to make one weep.

Why, exactly?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It was a local friendly league match. Their skip just told our players to just imagine a line across. Our skip questioned it but theirs was adamant that it was ok

Why bother deliberately breaking a rule?

 

[rulefan]

Why, exactly?

It's bad enough many players not knowing or ignoring the rules but in inter club leagues etc one would hope that team administrators would have enough nous to know what a teeing ground is. They could at least put a temporary marker in.

But I thought thought it was generally the greenkeeper's job to determine the daily position of the tees (except possibly for board comps etc) in order to even out wear on the area.

 

[srixon 1]

I've done it a few times when playing away scratch matches for the club. Don't see a problem with it. If anything it can be a benefit because you can use the whole width of the teeing area.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Most clubs permanent back tee markers are not positioned correctly.
They should be at least four club lengths from the back of the level teeing area, are yours?

 

[rulefan]

Most clubs permanent back tee markers are not positioned correctly.
It's 4 yards.
But only applies to new tees in England. Scotland has been rating under the USGA system for many years so most courses should be correct.

 

[DCB]

We only use our Plates for Championship matchplay ties. Not a great difference from rear most medal markers.

 

[Fyldewhite]

This is actually quite common and we used to play "off the stones" at our place for some comps. Point is that committees and club officials should know it isn't correct. I really don't see how difficult it is to put markers out be they Black, Blue or simply move the Whites back for that comp which is what we do.

Yes, it's pedantic I suppose but so are many rules. It's also fairly pedantic for the Captain to want to do it in the first place. Surely the White tees can't be that far away or it would be non conforming?

Edit: I suppose the whites may have a separate distance marker but nobody would ever insist you played off that without propper tees so why would the "back" distance marker have such special status?

 

[rulefan]

CONGU specify that the tee markers should be placed within 10 yards of the distance measure. The R&A recommend the the tee markers should be distributed 6 forward six middle and six back. That will average the course to the measured length without having to stick rigidly to the distance markers.

The macho idea of 'playing off the blocks' is shown to be iffy when the course length can be varied upto 100 yards anyway for qualifiers.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Sounds a bit like gamesmanship for the match in question, what better way to throw off opponents from the tee!