Snow and Ice & frost

[jim8flog]

Given the following ruling

[h=2]13-2/35[/h] [h=4]Removal of Dew or Frost[/h] Except on the teeing ground, the removal of dew or frost from the area immediately behind or to the side of a player's ball, or from a player's line of play is a breach of Rule 13-2 if such removal creates a potential advantage (see Decision 13-2/0.5).

Additionally, the removal of dew or frost from the player's line of putt is not permitted. Such action is a breach of Rule 16-1a, unless it occurs incidentally to some other action permitted under the Rules, such as in removing loose impediments, repairing ball marks on the putting green or addressing the ball.


At what point can frost be considered as ice?

e.g. When players in front have compressed the frost and it is now clearly little lumps.

A player in front not knowing the rules has swept the frost aside of his line and caused little ridges.

Frost has fallen off a players shoes and fallen in little lumps.

 

[pogle]

Given the following ruling

[h=2]13-2/35[/h] [h=4]Removal of Dew or Frost[/h] Except on the teeing ground, the removal of dew or frost from the area immediately behind or to the side of a player's ball, or from a player's line of play is a breach of Rule 13-2 if such removal creates a potential advantage (see Decision 13-2/0.5).

Additionally, the removal of dew or frost from the player's line of putt is not permitted. Such action is a breach of Rule 16-1a, unless it occurs incidentally to some other action permitted under the Rules, such as in removing loose impediments, repairing ball marks on the putting green or addressing the ball.


At what point can frost be considered as ice?

e.g. When players in front have compressed the frost and it is now clearly little lumps.

A player in front not knowing the rules has swept the frost aside of his line and caused little ridges.

Frost has fallen off a players shoes and fallen in little lumps.

I have found no guidelines in the RoG for what you are asking, but my approach at the one event I have officiated where frost was present was to ask myself "Is this obviously frost that has formed by natural forces?". If the answer is No, then I would allow players to remove it.

In your examples, I would treat lumps of frost that have formed on players shoes or become compacted due to players walking as ice and therefore allow it to be moved.

 

[backwoodsman]

I'd suggest that what you describe is no longer frost in its natural form - it has been altered by human activity - which means it is artificial and therefore meets the definition of an obstruction. And so can be moved.

Which i guess is another way of saying what pogle said