Roping to protect aprons

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Over winter we have had, and still have, low level roping across the front edge of the aprons to all greens. This is to reduce the compaction of the aprons so that tining and other work to improve the aprons has best chance of being most effective. The ropes are support by 18” posts. The club has said nothing about what, if anything, we can do if our ball hits a post. Obviously when close to them we can take one or more posts out and lie them down to minimise the risk. But from a distance.

Is there any default ruling for such posts that means the club doesn’t have to state what to do, if not should the club implement a Local Ruling of some sort.

 

[Bratty]

We had the same discussion two years ago. Decision was no local rule, play it as it lies following it striking the post, which we understood to be as per the rules of golf.

Advice is aim the post and you won't hit it...!

 

[rulefan]

See this thread -

Temporary Local Rules - Winter ropes and poles

During the winter at my course white ropes and poles are immovable obstructions and relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b. That makes sense but yesterday in a friendly match my opponent's ball deflected off a rope. He stated he could play the shot again arguing it was the same as overhead cables...

forums.golfmonthly.com

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

See this thread -

Temporary Local Rules - Winter ropes and poles

During the winter at my course white ropes and poles are immovable obstructions and relief may be taken under Rule 16.1b. That makes sense but yesterday in a friendly match my opponent's ball deflected off a rope. He stated he could play the shot again arguing it was the same as overhead cables...

forums.golfmonthly.com

Ok…so having read that discussion I conclude that as my club as made no provision under a local rule for a ball hitting a post that we simply play our ball from where it ended up. And also since no LR in place we can also treat posts as moveable obstructions when in close proximity (what everyone does anyway).

And since they were mentioned in that discussion, for some greenside bunkers we have short lines of posts just outside of the bunkers to force players to walk and take their trolleys wide of the bunker - to prevent the ground General area side of the bunkers getting worn, compacted or otherwise messed up. And as no LR when a ball hits any such post..play as ball lies.

 

[pendodave]

Not an answer to the OP's question (sorry), but...
We just mark the area with a white line. I've never seen anyone transgress. If they do, certainly not in sufficient numbers to damage the apron.

 

[clubchamp98]

Not an answer to the OP's question (sorry), but...
We just mark the area with a white line. I've never seen anyone transgress. If they do, certainly not in sufficient numbers to damage the apron.

Yes we had posts but changed to lines.

 

[nickjdavis]

Not an answer to the OP's question (sorry), but...
We just mark the area with a white line. I've never seen anyone transgress. If they do, certainly not in sufficient numbers to damage the apron.

Oh christ...I've seen numerous players drive buggies and electric trolleys over white lines that were painted the same morning....when challenged they shrug and say that they didnt see it.

Following my query about our staked ropes (which i alluded to in another thread somewhere not so long ago) which have recently grown, our committee have now defined them as immovable obstructions. Will be interesting to see how often players pull the stakes out.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Oh christ...I've seen numerous players drive buggies and electric trolleys over white lines that were painted the same morning....when challenged they shrug and say that they didnt see it.

Following my query about our staked ropes (which i alluded to in another thread somewhere not so long ago) which have recently grown, our committee have now defined them as immovable obstructions. Will be interesting to see how often players pull the stakes out.

Some golfers have to be forced to do things, and even then some will still try and find a way around and do what they really know they shouldn’t, but what they want to do.

The lines of small posts we have that run for usually a couple of metres, maybe half metre apart, to make us walk wide of greenside bunkers start maybe a bit just under a metre from the bunker edge…idea being that the risk of ball deflection off the first post into the bunker is reduced. But that space between first post and bunker is just wide enough…and so some do…I have found myself asking miscreants if they realise why the posts are there. Shrugs.

 

[clubchamp98]

Oh christ...I've seen numerous players drive buggies and electric trolleys over white lines that were painted the same morning....when challenged they shrug and say that they didnt see it.

Following my query about our staked ropes (which i alluded to in another thread somewhere not so long ago) which have recently grown, our committee have now defined them as immovable obstructions. Will be interesting to see how often players pull the stakes out.

One of our members was banned from using his buggy For a month!

He used the “ I didn’t see it excuse.”

He drove over the white line so the committee said “ his eyesight wasn’t good enough to be driving on the course if he couldn’t see the white lines.” and could be a danger to other golfers.
He hasn’t done it again

 

[Slab]

One of our members was banned from using his buggy For a month!

He used the “ I didn’t see it excuse.”

He drove over the white line so the committee said “ his eyesight wasn’t good enough to be driving on the course if he couldn’t see the white lines.” and could be a danger to other golfers.
He hasn’t done it again

Our buggys have gps that'll cut forward power if player drives too close to the green (usually about 30-40 meters) I've seen a few tourists get 'stuck' and it makes me wonder how close they would've gone had the buggy not halted them

 

[Tashyboy]

At our place, if a shot hits the post or rope then the shot can re retaken without penalty. No one has a problem with that.
If the ball lands near the rope and said rope will impede with the swing the ball is taken away from the rope/ Hole and the shot played from there again without penalty.
It works well.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

At our place, if a shot hits the post or rope then the shot can re retaken without penalty. No one has a problem with that.
If the ball lands near the rope and said rope will impede with the swing the ball is taken away from the rope/ Hole and the shot played from there again without penalty.
It works well.

Does your club have anything in place that allows you to do that. Would you play your shot again if it rebounded off a post and into the hole? If you would then in equity shouldn't you play the ball that bounces to your disadvantage from where it has ended up.

 

[jim8flog]

When it come to obstructions we have a simple rule.

There are no obstructions integral to the course. If interference with one occurs Rules 15.2 and 16.1 apply.

The only problem so far is players not knowing what is an obstruction, despite a thorough guideline in the rule book, including players not knowing what the term 'integral' means.

 

[jim8flog]

At our place, if a shot hits the post or rope then the shot can re retaken without penalty. No one has a problem with that.

Except those that are conversant with the Rules of Golf

If you have that as local rule then it should be removed as it is not allowed.

What are they going to do next - give you free relief if you hit a tree.

 

[Tashyboy]

Does your club have anything in place that allows you to do that. Would you play your shot again if it rebounded off a post and into the hole? If you would then in equity shouldn't you play the ball that bounces to your disadvantage from where it has ended up.

You could but I told a
Partner his ball had hit the rope so killed it. He replaced the ball and promptly knobbed it. So it can work both ways.

 

[rulefan]

Except those that are conversant with the Rules of Golf

If you have that as local rule then it should be removed as it is not allowed.

What is not allowed? The R&A have given approval for 'must' be replayed as apposed to 'can'.

 

[jim8flog]

What is not allowed? The R&A have given approval for 'must' be replayed as apposed to 'can'.

Does this apply to ropes and posts that are temporary only, however

LR F23 does not allow the use of TIO rule anyway
"Definition of TIO: A temporary immovable obstruction (TIO) is a structure that is temporarily placed on or next to the course, usually for a particular competition, and is fixed or does not meet the definition of movable obstruction.

and where can I find the reference.

 

[rulefan]

Does this apply to ropes and posts that are temporary only, however

LR F23 does not allow the use of TIO rule anyway
"Definition of TIO: A temporary immovable obstruction (TIO) is a structure that is temporarily placed on or next to the course, usually for a particular competition, and is fixed or does not meet the definition of movable obstruction.

and where can I find the reference.

Did you follow the link in post #3 ?

 

[jim8flog]

Did you follow the link in post #3 ?

No I did not,

WOW what a tenuous link

power lines to posts on the ground for course protection, that must have taken a lot of thinking about.

I can see where they are coming from to a certain extent.

I cannot see that being used where I play because of my post #4 on that thread. We use such posts all over the course to avoid heavy wear in lots of areas not just to protect the greens.

 

[rulefan]

No I did not,

WOW what a tenuous link

power lines to posts on the ground for course protection, that must have taken a lot of thinking about.

I can see where they are coming from to a certain extent.

I cannot see that being used where I play because of my post #4 on that thread. We use such posts all over the course to avoid heavy wear in lots of areas not just to protect the greens.

Well the R&A's ruling for the circumstances was clear.
It wasn't about power lines, it was about specific obstacles in the line of play when particular strokes could be diverted, a la drivers and cables.
Probably better than treating them as sprinkler head near the green.