Golf Random Irritations

[D-S]

We had a 4BB Invitation Day recently, staggering how many guests put GP scores in whilst playing 4BB, a couple of members too. Also cards attested when attester not present. Seems like the rules are simply not understood. This creates work for our Committee but it’s not being picked up by quite a few other clubs. I don’t think it’s manipulation just lack of understanding and I am sure this ignorance will be replicated in other areas of the game.

 

[D-S]

My course has all bunkers as GUR today, due to the amount of rain this week. I'll be surprised if they take off preferred lies tomorrow and if so it won't be because conditions have improved. It will be down to an arbitrary date, nothing more.

Lots of clubs looking for extensions to Preferred Lies into June around here.

 

[Mandofred]

My course has all bunkers as GUR today, due to the amount of rain this week. I'll be surprised if they take off preferred lies tomorrow and if so it won't be because conditions have improved. It will be down to an arbitrary date, nothing more.

Yeah, the fairways were doing well until Wed......things were getting a bit mucky again that morning. Only a tiny amount of rain since....so I figure they shouldn't be too bad tomorrow. I'd been so frustrated lately I took my name off the medal for tomorrow on Wed.......it took me 2 days to calm down and I put it back in this afternoon. I can't keep playing this bad....my brain can't take it.

 

[PaulMdj]

My course has all bunkers as GUR today, due to the amount of rain this week. I'll be surprised if they take off preferred lies tomorrow and if so it won't be because conditions have improved. It will be down to an arbitrary date, nothing more.

England Golf put an email out this week:

Preferred lies update​

As of the 1 June, 2024, preferred lies on closely mown areas (fairways and green fringes only) are not permissible. Clubs do have the option of an extension for preferred lies past 1 June and should speak with their county office for further support. Any extension would be on a case-by-case basis, reviewed frequently, and would not be a blanket approach (for all holes).​

 

[Patster1969]

I've only really been a club member for 6 years but have never known preferred lies to be this late in the year - usually been done by the start of April

 

[Mandofred]

I've only really been a club member for 6 years but have never known preferred lies to be this late in the year - usually been done by the start of April

This "could" be the new normal.

 

[Orikoru]

I've only really been a club member for 6 years but have never known preferred lies to be this late in the year - usually been done by the start of April

Ours was still in place in May too, given that it was still chucking it down for the 5th straight month when we entered May.

 

[Imurg]

We come off PL as of tomorrow morning..
To be honest, unless there's been a hulking great lump of mud on the ball, I've barely used PL all winter...we're lucky like that..

 

[Mandofred]

We come off PL as of tomorrow morning..
To be honest, unless there's been a hulking great lump of mud on the ball, I've barely used PL all winter...we're lucky like that..

I've had to wash my towel every 4 rounds or so this winter.....absolutely covered with mud.

 

[NearHull]

We are getting several emails today reminding people of the rules. They have also finally taken off preferred lies on the fairway for tomorrow’s medal. I think there must be a bunch of other people also getting tired of it....but it's been going on so long I think it's going to be hard to stomp it out. The last couple of times playing I have pretty well stopped even cleaning my ball on the fairway and just playing it as it was.....I figured they were going to tighten things up for June.

Today is the last day for Preferred Lies in England. Clubs may apply for an extension but the message from EG is that it will not be authoriser across the course, only in specific areas and will be difficult to get authority. Of course the Club can invoke the Local Rule of mark, pick, clean, replace ( replicating the original lie) in the General Area at any time but it’s not known as the ‘Cheat’s Charter’ for no reason. I’ve never come across this rule being in place unless the ‘Preferred Lies’ rule is also in place.

 

[Alan Clifford]

Today is the last day for Preferred Lies in England. Clubs may apply for an extension but the message from EG is that it will not be authoriser across the course, only in specific areas and will be difficult to get authority. Of course the Club can invoke the Local Rule of mark, pick, clean, replace ( replicating the original lie) in the General Area at any time but it’s not known as the ‘Cheat’s Charter’ for no reason. I’ve never come across this rule being in place unless the ‘Preferred Lies’ rule is also in place.

In South Africa, they have placing - 1 club length. I don't think we should even have "prefered lies" at all in England so you can guess how I feel about placing.

If your ball goes in a muddy divot, so be it. Play it as it lies.

 

[Mandofred]

In South Africa, they have placing - 1 club length. I don't think we should even have "prefered lies" at all in England so you can guess how I feel about placing.

If your ball goes in a muddy divot, so be it. Play it as it lies.

A guy I played with last week stated that all winter divots heal up in early March.

 

[woofers]

We had a 4BB Invitation Day recently, staggering how many guests put GP scores in whilst playing 4BB, a couple of members too. Also cards attested when attester not present. Seems like the rules are simply not understood. This creates work for our Committee but it’s not being picked up by quite a few other clubs. I don’t think it’s manipulation just lack of understanding and I am sure this ignorance will be replicated in other areas of the game.

I think you are being naive.
The requirements around GP scores have been clear and documented since the introduction of WHS.
Players have been putting in scores from 4BBB and ‘best 2 (or 3) from 4’. Who is to stop them? The technology (EG App) doesn’t have the necessary checks and balances, e.g. it doesn’t have geo-location for attesters, it has no way of identifying ‘pre-registration’ (an extra box for entering tee time might go some way to help, but could be circumvented).
I don’t think the rules aren’t understood, it’s just that some people think rules don’t apply to them (a bit like speed limits and parking restrictions).
The work to pick up some of these transgressions falls to committee volunteers. I am one. I have given up on the pre-registration checks, because it’s always ‘phone battery’ or wi-fi signal.
At the end of day, who cares? You can’t police General Play out on course, who knows what goes on between mates. And if someone is desperate to put in GP scores to win a plastic trophy, so what.
It’s why I can’t consider GP scores as having the same standing as competition scores, (and neither can England Golf really but I suspect they have a corporate mission to increase the number of qualifying rounds) and why we now require x number of competition scores to be eligible for our trophy events.
I wonder how many GP score would be submitted if the Apps were switched off and it was a requirement to register by signing in at the Pro Shop for example?

 

[Alan Clifford]

I wonder how many GP score would be submitted if the Apps were switched off and it was a requirement to register by signing in at the Pro Shop for example?

At my South African club, the club signs in for you electronically. All rounds count for handicap. At other clubs, they'll do if for you if you ask; I've never done it myself on the HNA app.

 

[Imurg]

My Random Golf Irritation is.....Golf..
I seem to have forgotten how to play it, get plagued with poor lies and bad bounces and get punished for decent shots.
Just finding the whole game hard right now.....
And it's still a stupid game...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

England Golf put an email out this week:

Preferred lies update​

As of the 1 June, 2024, preferred lies on closely mown areas (fairways and green fringes only) are not permissible. Clubs do have the option of an extension for preferred lies past 1 June and should speak with their county office for further support. Any extension would be on a case-by-case basis, reviewed frequently, and would not be a blanket approach (for all holes).​

Our club have been given an extension until June 16th. I was preferring away this morning

 

[Mandofred]

Our club have been given an extension until June 16th. I was preferring away this morning

I didn't see much on my ball today, although I did see a few really good mud balls by my playing partners today. They just had to tough it out......no cleaning . Things should stay mostly dry the next week.....so should be ok.

 

[rudebhoy]

Our club have been given an extension until June 16th. I was preferring away this morning

Still on at our place as well.

 

[Golfnut1957]

Still on at our place as well.

And here, until the 16th. Thank you Durham County.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The continued highlighting of Charley Hull smoking whilst playing - it was bad enough she was smoking whilst signing autographs with kids but it’s poor when social media are trying to make it out it’s cool

It’s not - it’s disgusting and it kills