Repair of the hole

[jim8flog]

Little things still being picked up

(2) Repair of Damage. A player may repair damage on the putting green without penalty by taking reasonable actions to restore the putting green as nearly as possible to its original condition,



"damage on the putting green" does not include any damage or conditions that result from:

• Natural wear of the hole.

If I am reading this correctly it looks like a nice little change there. When we go out in Seniors comps towards the end of the field there is often a lot of damage to the hole e.g. from flagstick sticks not put back in properly or the use of the ball retrievers on the putter being lent against the side of the hole.

 

[duncan mackie]

You have lost me - what's small about the change to the rules relating to the repair of the putting green?

It's even one of the listed changes (ie on most lists!) so it's hardly new, and it was/is a huge change.

 

[jim8flog]

Previously a player was not allowed to repair damage to a hole themselves unless it's dimensions had been significantly altered until the play of the hole had finished.

I was just pointing out the new rules makes this quite a big change in my opinion.

Whilst the new rule about repairing damage to the green is very well advertised it was an interpretation (by me) that I had missed.

 

[backwoodsman]

Previously a player was not allowed to repair damage to a hole themselves unless it's dimensions had been significantly altered until the play of the hole had finished.

I was just pointing out the new rules makes this quite a big change in my opinion.

Whilst the new rule about repairing damage to the green is very well advertised it was an interpretation (by me) that I had missed.

As you say, under the old rules, you could not repair damage to the hole. As far as i can tell, under the 2019 rules, you still can't. You can now repair damage to the green but the examples of what is, and what isn't, "damage" seem clear enough (to me at least) to exclude repairs to the hole. Interested to see what others think.

 

[Colin L]

I'm not sure what you are seeing that makes you think repairing damge to the hole is excluded but Interpretation 13.1c(2)/2 will explicitly reassure you that you can.

13.1c(2)/2
Damaged Hole Is Part of Damage on the Putting Green
Damage to the hole is covered by Rule 13.1c as part of damage on a putting green. The player may repair a damaged hole unless the damage is natural wear that Rule 13.1c does not allow to be repaired.

 

[jim8flog]

I'm not sure what you are seeing that makes you think repairing damge to the hole is excluded but Interpretation 13.1c(2)/2 will explicitly reassure you that you can.

13.1c(2)/2
Damaged Hole Is Part of Damage on the Putting Green
Damage to the hole is covered by Rule 13.1c as part of damage on a putting green. The player may repair a damaged hole unless the damage is natural wear that Rule 13.1c does not allow to be repaired.

Thanks for that Colin.

That was my point. It is a rule change easily missed if you fail to interpret the new rule fully. I am surprised that it was not written clearly in the new rule and requires referring to the Interpretations.

 

[rulefan]

I don't think it was ever definitive as to whether the hole was previously part of the green or not.

 

[rulie]

As you say, under the old rules, you could not repair damage to the hole. As far as i can tell, under the 2019 rules, you still can't. You can now repair damage to the green but the examples of what is, and what isn't, "damage" seem clear enough (to me at least) to exclude repairs to the hole. Interested to see what others think.

Even under the "old" Rules you could repair damage to the hole if that damage was caused by a ball, ie, repair ball marks.