Practice putting pre-round

[Jake O'Reilly]

So rule 7-1b states "before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke play competition, a competitor must not practise on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface."


Question - Is there any "except when" type ruling for shotgun starts, where you have to trek to the other side of the course?

I presume not so didn't, but found myself in this situation the other day where I was the second group off the 6th tee, and found myself wanting to hit a few chips to the 7th green to pass the time and regain some feel after a lengthy walk from the clubhouse where I'd warmed up.

 

[User20205]

A fella at my club got dq'd for exactly that. A shotgun start, he practiced putting on an adjacent green and one of his group reported him for practicing on the course I suppose it was correct, but it was handled the wrong way IMO.

 

[CMAC]

So rule 7-1b states "before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke play competition, a competitor must not practise on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface."


Question - Is there any "except when" type ruling for shotgun starts, where you have to trek to the other side of the course?

I presume not so didn't, but found myself in this situation the other day where I was the second group off the 6th tee, and found myself wanting to hit a few chips to the 7th green to pass the time and regain some feel after a lengthy walk from the clubhouse where I'd warmed up.

You are allowed if its a matchplay comp to play the full course beforehand if you want. Medals though, shotgun or anything else prohibit any practice on the course pre round.

 

[palindromicbob]

So rule 7-1b states "before a round or play-off on any day of a stroke play competition, a competitor must not practise on the competition course or test the surface of any putting green on the course by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface."


Question - Is there any "except when" type ruling for shotgun starts, where you have to trek to the other side of the course?

I presume not so didn't, but found myself in this situation the other day where I was the second group off the 6th tee, and found myself wanting to hit a few chips to the 7th green to pass the time and regain some feel after a lengthy walk from the clubhouse where I'd warmed up.

Stick to chipping on the tee box

The committee could allow for it if the comp isn't qualifying (yet to see a shotgun start that is) but the likelihood of moaning would probably rule that option out.

 

[rosecott]

Stick to chipping on the tee box

The committee could allow for it if the comp isn't qualifying (yet to see a shotgun start that is) but the likelihood of moaning would probably rule that option out.

Whether a comp is qualifying or not is irrelevant - it's a rule of golf not a rule of qualifiers.

 

[duncan mackie]

You are allowed if its a matchplay comp to play the full course beforehand if you want. Medals though, shotgun or anything else prohibit any practice on the course pre round.

but then again, 7-1b doesn't apply to matchplay at all...........so you wouldn't need it as an 'except when'

 

[CMAC]

but then again, 7-1b doesn't apply to matchplay at all...........so you wouldn't need it as an 'except when'

yes well spotted. I wondered who would spot my deliberate mistake *cough*

Cpt Mainwairing

 

[palindromicbob]

Whether a comp is qualifying or not is irrelevant - it's a rule of golf not a rule of qualifiers.

The thing is though the club is at liberty to do pretty much what they want for a fun comp. I've never seen a shot gun start used for anything more than an enjoyable social based round.

Hence as long as they aren't trying to pass of a comp as qualifying they could choose to waive that rule if they so wanted.

 

[rosecott]

The thing is though the club is at liberty to do pretty much what they want for a fun comp. I've never seen a shot gun start used for anything more than an enjoyable social based round.

Hence as long as they aren't trying to pass of a comp as qualifying they could choose to waive that rule if they so wanted.

And any other rules of golf they fancy waiving?

 

[backwoodsman]

The thing is though the club is at liberty to do pretty much what they want for a fun comp. I've never seen a shot gun start used for anything more than an enjoyable social based round.

Hence as long as they aren't trying to pass of a comp as qualifying they could choose to waive that rule if they so wanted.

We recently had a pro-am played as a shotgun start. Ok, it was generally a "fun" thing for the am's but it was a proper comp for the the pro's under the auspices of the PGA

 

[palindromicbob]

And any other rules of golf they fancy waiving?

They can waive what ever they want tbh. I'm not saying they should do it just that they could do it. As long as this had no impact on anything outside the bubble of the club then so be it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Our Captains Day is usually a qualifier due to the numbers taking part and always a qualifier too so I assume anyone taking a chance to chip or putt whether knowingly or not would be DQ'd. Not what I'd want to be doing to competitors on this type of day when it's about fun, raising cash for the captain's charity and enjoying the day but those are the rules. Don't know I've ever seen it done though (which I guess is a good thing)

 

[McFade]

Question - Is there any "except when" type ruling for shotgun starts, where you have to trek to the other side of the course?

I presume not so didn't, but found myself in this situation the other day where I was the second group off the 6th tee, and found myself wanting to hit a few chips to the 7th green to pass the time and regain some feel after a lengthy walk from the clubhouse where I'd warmed up.

Rule 7-1 b) prohibits practice on the day of a competition.
The reason for this prohibition is, that - different from match play, where youe have only one opponent - in a stroke play competion not all competitors have the same chance to practice.

Now imagine, you, being on the 6Th tee, with the 7th putting green nearby.
Another competitor will start on teh 12th tee - the next putting green 400yard away.
He woulnd't have the same chance for practice, would he?