Preferred Lies Appendix 1 Page 128

[3offTheTee]

The Rule staes a ball lying on a closely mown area may be lifted without penalty etc.
What do you define as a closely mown area . Is it fairway or on some courses there are perhaps 2 further cuts so if this is the case only the first cut.

Additionally sometimes round the bunkers the green keepers have not been able to ct the grass, lazy or difficult with machine. Is this classed as closely mown?

 

[CMAC]

Fairway only is closely mown.

 

[bobmac]

Fairway only is closely mown.

Really?

 

[Doh]

I always thought it was fairway and closely mown. Which is the first cut.

 

[rosecott]

The Rule staes a ball lying on a closely mown area may be lifted without penalty etc.
What do you define as a closely mown area . Is it fairway or on some courses there are perhaps 2 further cuts so if this is the case only the first cut.

Additionally sometimes round the bunkers the green keepers have not been able to ct the grass, lazy or difficult with machine. Is this classed as closely mown?

You should have read a little further:

Note: “Closely mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

 

[rosecott]

I always thought it was fairway and closely mown. Which is the first cut.

Have you been getting away with preferred lies in the first cut for all these years?

 

[CliveW]

Also worth mentioning that the position of the ball must be marked before lifting it otherwise a one stroke penalty is incurred. The ball can only placed once, and it is in play when it has been placed.

 

[CMAC]

Really?

yes! unless you know of other areas that arent fairway but mown as close as the fairway........I suppose some clubs might have a wee area around a hut or something they mow closely.......
For me I'd take relief from the fairway only and play anything else to keep in the spirit of the game

 

[duncan mackie]

yes! unless you know of other areas that arent fairway but mown as close as the fairway........I suppose some clubs might have a wee area around a hut or something they mow closely.......
For me I'd take relief from the fairway only and play anything else to keep in the spirit of the game

generally this wording is designed to cover off fringes, aprons etc that may all be at lower heights but are closely mown. It also includes paths through the rough cut at fairway height and most courses teeing areas.

the reason for wording it this way is that without using the fairway height as the reference you would use the lowest closely mown height TTG, which on most courses would be the fringe, and you wouldn't get a preferred lie on the fairway!

 

[MashieNiblick]

...and most courses teeing areas.

Like the "most". I've played one or two where it was debatable whether the tee was "closley mown"!

 

[3offTheTee]

Sorry to bring this up again however because of the wet fairways the green staff have been unable to mow inside pot bunkers, perhaps a bit lazy and they are in the middle of the fairway. What is the position here.

Additionally the same applies around the bunkers.

There is a fairway cut round the bunkers perhaps 3 metres from the bunker but round the bunkers it is not cut to fairway length possibly because the machine wil churn the grass up. Should commonsense prevail or are we expected to interpret the rule literally?

 

[rosecott]

It's quite common to have areas around bunkers not close-mown. If it isn't physically close-mown (never mind if you think it should be) preferred lies should not apply.

 

[duncan mackie]

Should commonsense prevail or are we expected to interpret the rule literally?

Common sense should prevail - in that the committee should post clear guidelines so that players know what to do!

I agree with Roescott in the absence of such guidelines, although if it's that wet in the area you may well have 25-1 relief.