On Course Practice?

[saxonal]

How is it that a player is not allowed to practice on the course and yet when out of shots i.e. too many shots to score points on a hole playing Stableford, although advised to pick up to help the speed of play, you are not penalised for playing the hole out? Why is this not on course practice?

Gents many thanks you for your replies. I understand that we all do this at times and, I agree rightly without penalty, but there are some strict rules about on course practice and I am interested to find out if there is an R&A rule which could be quoted if challenged.

 

[theoneandonly]

Why would finishing the hole be practice? You're entitled to play out the hole. I've seen a few misguided souls try and claim it is, even so far as trying to give a fellow player a penalty.

 

[fundy]

what do you want? -2 points for playing the hole out when cant score?

 

[Jason.H]

So in a stable ford you don’t score on a hole. Then you are penalised how do you score that on a card? There has to be some leeway. If someone is dicking around racking up a score causing you to lose hole or more on the group in front then he needs telling.

 

[Jason.H]

I know in the Mizuno organised competitions that are stable ford you are “advised“ to pick up if not scoring to speed up play. Not penalised for finishing.

 

[rulefan]

The Rules of Golf state "To help pace of play, players are encouraged to stop playing a hole when their score will result in zero points".

Penalties may be given for pace of play infringements

 

[Crazyface]

But you can continue to play out a hole as long as you are not holding up your group. If ,I loose a ball off the tee on a long par four I'll flick a wedge down to the green just for something to do and pick up before I'm about to play to the green.

 

[doublebogey7]

How is it that a player is not allowed to practice on the course and yet when out of shots i.e. too many shots to score points on a hole playing Stableford, although advised to pick up to help the speed of play, you are not penalised for playing the hole out? Why is this not on course practice?

Gents many thanks you for your replies. I understand that we all do this at times and, I agree rightly without penalty, but there are some strict rules about on course practice and I am interested to find out if there is an R&A rule which could be quoted if challenged.

In what way would you propose a player is penalised, given they are not scoring points on the hole anyway. The rules also allow players to practise on or near the green just completed and around the following tee.

See Rule 5.5a

 

[rosecott]

But you can continue to play out a hole as long as you are not holding up your group. If ,I loose a ball off the tee on a long par four I'll flick a wedge down to the green just for something to do and pick up before I'm about to play to the green.

Just to be clear - you lose a ball on your tee shot, didn't play a provisional and thus discontinued play on the hole when the ball is not found. Did you then walk the rest of the hole until you were close enough to the green to be able to "flick a wedge"?
Or have I got that wrong?