Plugged ball in rough.....drop on fairway if within one club length from plugged ball?

[mikseymono]

Hi all...

Had a plugged ball in rough last week.....just off the fairway (20cm)....I know you can lift, clean and drop it within one club length in the rough.....but can you therefore drop it on the fairway if it is within one clubs length from where it was plugged?

Thanks,

M

 

[Alan Clifford]

Hi all...

Had a plugged ball in rough last week.....just off the fairway (20cm)....I know you can lift, clean and drop it within one club length in the rough.....but can you therefore drop it on the fairway if it is within one clubs length from where it was plugged?

Thanks,

M

Limits on Location of Relief Area:

Must be in the general area, and ...

 

[Colin L]

Hi all...

Had a plugged ball in rough last week.....just off the fairway (20cm)....I know you can lift, clean and drop it within one club length in the rough.....but can you therefore drop it on the fairway if it is within one clubs length from where it was plugged?

Thanks,

M

Yes. See Rule 16.3.

 

[mikseymono]

OK..thanks....didn't know that one...both my PP didn't know either....one of them said I couldn't clean it whilst the other said I could...neither of us knew we could drop it one club and certainly not on the fairway......school day toujours.............thanks!

 

[BiMGuy]

OK..thanks....didn't know that one...both my PP didn't know either....one of them said I couldn't clean it whilst the other said I could...neither of us knew we could drop it one club and certainly not on the fairway......school day toujours.............thanks!

It’s worth installing the R&A rules app on your phone. These situations can be resolved very quickly using the search function.

 

[IanM]

Had something similar recently when my ball was plugged by a tree. One guy insisted I could only place within 6 inches under "winter rules!"

I told him, if he was right , I'd pay for lunch. That cost him!

 

[rulefan]

Had something similar recently when my ball was plugged by a tree. One guy insisted I could only place within 6 inches under "winter rules!"

I told him, if he was right , I'd pay for lunch. That cost him!

Presumably this didn't apply even though you were very close to the tree?

• When playing the ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something from which the player is not allowed to take free relief (such as when a player is unable to make a stroke because of where the ball lies in a bush).

 

[IanM]

No it didn't. It was adjacent and a full swing was possible...

Good reminder though. I remember someone asking for full relief while plugged under a rhododendron

 

[rulefan]

No it didn't. It was adjacent and a full swing was possible...

Good reminder though. I remember someone asking for full relief while plugged under a rhododendron

We ran a 'Rules Evening' at a local club last night and it was (wasn't) surprising the number of people didn't know the rule.

 

[D-S]

We ran a 'Rules Evening' at a local club last night and it was (wasn't) surprising the number of people didn't know the rule.

I’m always amazed at how clubs demand a certain amount of counting scores in a given period to try to ensure that the playing field is level but are quite happy for players to play for other people’s money with little or no knowledge of the rules.
X cards in a given period and a Level 1 rules pass would be a better way to go.

 

[IanM]

I also think a level 1 Rules Pass should be compulsory.

You can whizz through it online in under 15 minutes with a basic knowledge.

I think something similar is compulsory on the Continent.

 

[Deleted member 35504]

I also think a level 1 Rules Pass should be compulsory.

For the members, the pro or the GM?

 

[D-S]

For the members, the pro or the GM?

Anyone who is playing for my money who I can't see!

 

[rulie]

For the members, the pro or the GM?

All of the above. It's amazing to me that members go to the golf shop to get a Rules answer and have no idea whether or not the person behind the counter has any Rules knowledge, but, right or wrong, they believe the answer!

 

[bobmac]

All of the above. It's amazing to me that members go to the golf shop to get a Rules answer and have no idea whether or not the person behind the counter has any Rules knowledge, but, right or wrong, they believe the answer!

There's a good chance the person in the pro shop is a PGA pro and therefor has passed their rules exam. The person will also probably have access to a rule book and a decisions book if there are any questions and if the member is still not happy, the pro will be able to call the R&A rules department directly and get an official decision.
I know there are some shop staff who may not be totally up to speed on some of the rule changes but there are bad apples in every barrel and just because you may have encountered some 'bad apples' in the past, doesn't mean they're all wrong.
As someone who has been on both sides of the counter, I have been asked some shockingly stupid rules questions from players who ought to know better so it works both ways.

 

[D-S]

There's a good chance the person in the pro shop is a PGA pro and therefor has passed their rules exam. The person will also probably have access to a rule book and a decisions book if there are any questions and if the member is still not happy, the pro will be able to call the R&A rules department directly and get an official decision.
I know there are some shop staff who may not be totally up to speed on some of the rule changes but there are bad apples in every barrel and just because you may have encountered some 'bad apples' in the past, doesn't mean they're all wrong.
As someone who has been on both sides of the counter, I have been asked some shockingly stupid rules questions from players who ought to know better so it works both ways.

I assume Pros have to do this every few years or whenever there are significant rule changes?

 

[salfordlad]

Had something similar recently when my ball was plugged by a tree. One guy insisted I could only place within 6 inches under "winter rules!"

I told him, if he was right , I'd pay for lunch. That cost him!

Sounds like the guy was living in the past. Embedded ball relief, the default, was limited to the closely-mown until the 2019 Rules kicked in.

 

[jim8flog]

There's a good chance the person in the pro shop is a PGA pro and therefor has passed their rules exam. The person will also probably have access to a rule book and a decisions book if there are any questions and if the member is still not happy, the pro will be able to call the R&A rules department directly and get an official decision.
I know there are some shop staff who may not be totally up to speed on some of the rule changes but there are bad apples in every barrel and just because you may have encountered some 'bad apples' in the past, doesn't mean they're all wrong.
As someone who has been on both sides of the counter, I have been asked some shockingly stupid rules questions from players who ought to know better so it works both ways.

As per DS

Do pros have to do continuing Professional Education when it comes to the rules?

I have had more then one disagreement with a pro who is quoting rules that went out of the book last century.

Out of curiosity phoning up who.

The R&A passed the buck to England or whoever golf and as committee member I no longer can ask the R&A for a ruling.

 

[rulie]

As per DS

Do pros have to do continuing Professional Education when it comes to the rules?

I have had more then one disagreement with a pro who is quoting rules that went out of the book last century.

Out of curiosity phoning up who.

The R&A passed the buck to England or whoever golf and as committee member I no longer can ask the R&A for a ruling.

Imo, the R&A give the ruling responsibility to the national associations, as they should do. For example, I'm in Canada, which is part of the R&A jurisdiction. If I want a ruling, I go to Golf Canada, not the R&A.
The USGA is different, they are responsible for the USA and Mexico (and I'm not sure how or if they deal with ruling requests from Mexico).

 

[jim8flog]

Imo, the R&A give the ruling responsibility to the national associations, as they should do. For example, I'm in Canada, which is part of the R&A jurisdiction. If I want a ruling, I go to Golf Canada, not the R&A.
The USGA is different, they are responsible for the USA and Mexico (and I'm not sure how or if they deal with ruling requests from Mexico).

Pre WHS we went direct to the R&A.
They had a a form which you filled in on their website and somebody from the rules department got back with the answer.

We now have to go to county.