Ball in bounds - practice swing out of bounds?!

[AmandaJR]

Our course has a few holes where the oob is "marked" where the reeds/plant matter start and the grass ends (bit vague)!. So today our ball (greensomes) was about 6" in bounds but the backswing was very restricted as the nettles etc were very overgrown behind the ball. So I know I can't touch the area behind the ball in my practice swing as I'd be improving my lie but can I take a practice swing 10' away to get a feel for how the nettles etc will snag my club? Said backswing in practice would cross the oob line...

Opponents said no and it would be like taking a practice swing in a bunker somewhere away from your ball. Not sure I agree as the bunker is a hazard and oob a boundary of the course? So if the oob line didn't have nettles etc obstructing it I'd have to stop the practice swing short of the thin air boundary?!

Thanks.

 

[bobmac]

They are talking poop

 

[Doh]

I am pretty sure you can play a ball whilst standing out of bounds if the ball is in bounds. its the ball that counts not you.

 

[AmandaJR]

They are talking poop

I thought so too. Have checked another rule he quoted about when a ball is in the hole with flag still in (chipped in) that if you lift the flag out and the ball comes out it's back in play.

It's always the ones who are adamant about rules who seem to know the least about them.

To be fair though the points were put nicely and I didn't know for sure whether both were right...or not!

 

[bobmac]

I always say carry a rule book with you. If someone gives you a ruling that you don't agree with, GIVE THEM THE RULE BOOK and ask them to show you the rule

 

[AmandaJR]

I always say carry a rule book with you. If someone gives you a ruling that you don't agree with, GIVE THEM THE RULE BOOK and ask them to show you the rule

Ahh good point. I do carry one and knew I wouldn't be able to quickly locate where the hell such rules were but if they aint there they aint a rule. Thanks Bob.

 

[Doh]

I am pretty sure you can play a ball whilst standing out of bounds if the ball is in bounds. its the ball that counts not you.

 

[Down_The_Middle]

I've heard the same about the flagstick and ball. I've alway thought that once the ball has rested at the bottom of the hole the hole was finished

 

[AmandaJR]

I've heard the same about the flagstick and ball. I've alway thought that once the ball has rested at the bottom of the hole the hole was finished

The rule is that if the ball is at rest and the whole ball below the top of the hole then it's holed out and finished. If it's resting against the flagstick you can move it so the ball falls below the top of the hole (hopefully)!

 

[Imurg]

Both these only need a modicum of common sense don't they?

It's frustrating that "experienced" golfers often don't don't know their arse from their elbow......

I like Bob's idea - you think there's a rule - Show me!

 

[duncan mackie]

...So I know I can't touch the area behind the ball in my practice swing as I'd be improving my lie but can I take a practice swing 10' away to get a feel for how the nettles etc will snag my club? Said backswing in practice would cross the oob line...

Bob's given you the technical answer but just to highlight that touching the area behind the ball is not improving your lie.

As long as you are not breaking 13-2, 13-4 or 1-2 you are generally able to 'swish away'.

 

[Colin L]

Thanks Amanda, very entertaining - that OOB notion was a new one to me.:thup:

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I always say carry a rule book with you. If someone gives you a ruling that you don't agree with, GIVE THEM THE RULE BOOK and ask them to show you the rule

Wise words Bob.

I used to run a very succesful junior development programme.
Our system was based on four levels of improvement certificates.
One of the standards on the 4th level was that we would give the junior a 'situation' [eg as above]. hand them a rule book and ask then to find the answer in the rule book. It sometimes took single figure players 2 to 3 attempts to gain that certificate.

 

[bigslice]

I always say carry a rule book with you. If someone gives you a ruling that you don't agree with, GIVE THEM THE RULE BOOK and ask them to show you the rule

snap, they dont like that but xxxk them

 

[Foxholer]

I always say carry a rule book with you. If someone gives you a ruling that you don't agree with, GIVE THEM THE RULE BOOK and ask them to show you the rule

Unfortunately, while I agree with the sentiment, finding a rule in The Rules is actually not that easy. The standard come-back that an opponent (or I even) would use would be to say 'It's one of the decisions, so won't be in there!'.

And I agree with Bob's original reply - they were talking 'poop'!

 

[bobmac]

The standard come-back that an opponent (or I even) would use would be to say 'It's one of the decisions, so won't be in there!'.

I would think the standard come-back from 99.9% of the people asked would be "that's what someone told me in the bar". Most of them wouldn't have even heard of the decisions book if they think that swinging out of bounds is against the rules..

 

[Colin L]

One of our ladies forgot that she had marked her ball a putter head away and putted from where the marker was, then realised her error and picked up her ball and replaced it. She was somewhat disbelieving when told afterwards that this had cost her 4 penalty strokes. See Decision 20-7c/2 she was told. Her classic reply was, "Ah well, that's just the Decisions, it's not the Rules." :mmm:

 

[ScienceBoy]

I always say carry a rule book with you. If someone gives you a ruling that you don't agree with, GIVE THEM THE RULE BOOK and ask them to show you the rule

In our group at Thetford three of the four could pull out a rule book. OK Bobs might have been a mental one as I do not remember seeing it.

 

[RGDave]

They are talking poop

What? You mean you can't step OOB to answer the call of the Paula Radcliffe?

 

[AmandaJR]

What? You mean you can't step OOB to answer the call of the Paula Radcliffe?

Weirdly enough at the time it seemed to possibly make sense especially when he quoted the "like practicing in a bunker away from your ball". When I typed the post here I thought how ridiculous it actually was as quite often the oob "line" is fresh air.

Good job you can do a Paula (assuming she just peed!!) over the oob as that's my top spot :mmm: