Plastic Hole-Stabilising Rings

[rosecott]

The following is from the EG winter golf checklist:

"Plastic Hole-Stabilising Rings
These plastic rings are placed above the top of the hole liner, normally covering the top inch of soil – see image below. Stabilising rings do not comply with the Rules of Golf and having discussed this with the R&A, the use of these rings would not merit an exception. Any scores returned for handicap purposes when the stabilising rings are in place would NOT be acceptable for handicap purposes."

As it happens, one of my members asked me a couple of days ago if I could approach the Course Manager to see if we could have them as he remembered a time when we did have them.

I passed the information on for all to see. The guy said they have them at lots of courses and he was backed up by a good number of other members saying the same thing..

Does your club have them?

 

[Crow]

No.

 

[Imurg]

No
Only seen these very rarely...

 

[nickjdavis]

No.

 

[D-S]

Only seen them abroad, not over here.

 

[wjemather]

Only remember ever seeing them on practice greens and poorly maintained courses.

 

[DickInShorts]

They used to use them at one of the local links courses - and they often were proud of the hole - but last time I played there they had gone

 

[rulefan]

Such a ruling has been around for some time. I reckon all well run clubs have already been aware and are conforming.

 

[rulefan]

Of course the 'ruling' has always been the Rule.

 

[jim8flog]

Only on the practice putting greens.

This may be where players have seen them on other courses.

 

[Bratty]

Yes, all year round. And often they aren't put down far enough and cause a lot of putts (not just mine!) to lip out! I hate the damm things.

 

[jim8flog]

Yes, all year round. And often they aren't put down far enough and cause a lot of putts (not just mine!) to lip out! I hate the damm things.

Hope your not confusing hole liners (the ones that go al the way to the bottom) with lip protection rings that sit on top of the hole liners.

 

[Bratty]

Hope your not confusing hole liners (the ones that go al the way to the bottom) with lip protection rings that sit on top of the hole liners.

I'm not, no. We have the white hole liners which the flag sits in and then an inch or so deep white collar, separate to the liner, which sit atop the liner.

 

[rulefan]

Hole liners should be 1" from the top

 

[DickInShorts]

Presumably they aren’t allowed as the hole diameter becomes less than the rules state?

 

[rulefan]

Presumably they aren’t allowed as the hole diameter becomes less than the rules state?

• If a lining is used, its outer diameter must not exceed 4 ¼ inches (108 mm). The lining must be sunk at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) below the putting green surface, unless the nature of the soil requires that it be closer to the surface.

 

[Backsticks]

Is there not some line about abnormal ground conditions that then permits their use ?

Are any rounds submitted on courses with them unconditionally non qualifying ?

 

[D-S]

Is there not some line about abnormal ground conditions that then permits their use ?

Are any rounds submitted on courses with them unconditionally non qualifying ?

I believe EG are saying to courses that need to use them, you need to turn your tees off in the portal so no GP scores are able to be submitted.

 

[2blue]

Yes, all year round. And often they aren't put down far enough and cause a lot of putts (not just mine!) to lip out! I hate the damm things.

This is how I remember them at our place some years ago..... no longer in use.

 

[rulefan]

Is there not some line about abnormal ground conditions that then permits their use ?

This is the condition: ......... unless the nature of the soil requires that it be closer to the surface.