Marking & picking up ball on the fairway (new 2019 rules)

[Golf&More]

Last weekend I was a volunteer at the European Tour Belgian Knock-out. As walking score (carry board) I witnessed the pro's from the first row.

I am confused about the new rule where you can pick up your ball without telling your playing partners;

Almost all tour pro's I accompanied during their rounds, marked their ball with a tee peg on the fairway after their tee shot.

So they walk up to their ball (on the fairway), put a tee behind the ball, pick it up and then re-position / aiming it.

I am pretty sure it was not to identify the ball. As there where only 3 balls in play (on the fairway) and they confidently walked over to their ball.

The re-positioning, is ‘near’ the tee, I would argue it is at the exact spot. Maybe they even find some grass roots to tee it up a little bit.

They never informed their flight members they where going to pick it up (which is now allowed).

So, if your ball lands on the fairway, you can just walk up to it, mark it, and re-position? (you could do an invisible quick clean with your hands while doing so in my opinion).

I am definitely going to do exactly the same as of now, if that really is allowed.

Confused …

Thx
Xavier (Belgium)

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Welcome Xavier. Had there been a lot rain recently? It sounds as though preferred lies was in place.

Did you enjoy it? It's great seeing pros that close.

 

[Golf&More]

It was a great experience indeed. They make it look so easy! Defenitly going to do that again in the future.

No too much rain, actually too dry. So preferred lies also exist at European Tour tournaments? I assumed that where local rules for us mortals not damaging the course more .

I wonder if you can look that up on the ET site, will have a look at that.

 

[Backache]

Hmm rule 7.3 states : If the player lifts his or her ball under this Rule when not reasonably necessary to identify it (except on the putting green where the player may lift under Rule 13.1b), fails to mark the spot of the ball before lifting it or cleans it when not allowed, the player gets one penalty stroke.

 

[Golf&More]

That's what I thought, my fellow scorer was confused too. I've checked the club website meanwhile and indeed, preferred lies where applicable until 31 may. I've done the walking score on 30 and 31 May. It must have been that. Never thought it counted during real professional tournaments

 

[duncan mackie]

That's what I thought, my fellow scorer was confused too. I've checked the club website meanwhile and indeed, preferred lies where applicable until 31 may. I've done the walking score on 30 and 31 May. It must have been that. Never thought it counted during real professional tournaments

Extremely common in some areas - far East for example where following torrential rain the course can be dry and playable but tee shots pick up mud on landing every time.
Tour will use it's own LR hard card plus any local conditions additions they deem appropriate.
Generally it's not so much a case of any advantage for them, as avoiding a disadvantage, because the fairways are high quality most of the time and one lie is as good as another😀

Edit - it has almost nothing to do with the new rules either; the only change in this area is that the anomally under the old rules for the preferred lies LR to require the position of the ball to be marked despite it not being replaced at the same spot has been removed. Prudently most golfers will still mark it (as they do in most relief situations) but it's not a must do.

 

[clubchamp98]

Not a sneaky clean as you are allowed to clean it under preffered lies.

 

[jim8flog]

That's what I thought, my fellow scorer was confused too. I've checked the club website meanwhile and indeed, preferred lies where applicable until 31 may. I've done the walking score on 30 and 31 May. It must have been that. Never thought it counted during real professional tournaments

It is relatively common in Professional events as they are not having to conform to handicap rules (which is the reason why it is has a limited period for amateurs) the Tour organisers decide whether or not to implement it. The pros usually get place within a club length rather than the 6 inch limit.

As to cleaning the ball we are all allowed to clean the ball when lifting it to place or drop it in another location.

 

[SteveBonners]

They were playing Preferred Lies at the Belgian event within a scorecard length.