Using the rules to your advantage

[jim8flog]

This is the recommended wording for Preferred lies

“When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less , the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball " etc

I note that it says 'or another ball in the new wording' looks like a good opportunity to switch type of ball to suit the shot your about to play

 

[rulefan]

Yes, there are now plenty of such opportunities
But will it cost time with players thinking about it?

 

[rulie]

Saving time doesn't over-rule everything else. It's not a race.

 

[rulefan]

It was a joke but there might be, against the clock.

 

[jim8flog]

I had a in mind 'low spin distance ball off the tee high spin ball in to the green'.

Trouble is with the way I am playing at the moment there is a high risk that the second shot will be coming from the deep rough anyway.

 

[Imurg]

If that's really a possibility then the rulemakers have dropped one in my opinion.....

 

[jim8flog]

If that's really a possibility then the rulemakers have dropped one in my opinion.....

The rules now allow you to substitute a ball whenever you are taking relief. (please no innuendo). I was going to check that this is actually classed as taking relief when I read the wording.

 

[clubchamp98]

Going to be a lot of players with a selection of balls in their pockets.

Do you still have to inform your marker you are changing balls?

 

[duncan mackie]

Going to be a lot of players with a selection of balls in their pockets.

Do you still have to inform your marker you are changing balls?

Don't have to do it now, so you definitely wont still have to do it...🤔

As to the rest of the thread, I really don't get the underlying focus here.

If you aren't playing by the one ball rules, which serious golf is played by, you can currently change your ball hole by hole if you really feel there is an advantage to be gained - few in my experience do (more put the newer ball back in their pocket when there's a water hazard on the hole!).
If you feel there's an advantage to use a rock tee to green you are stuck with it for putting if you actually do benefit and put your approach on the green...no gain over the current situation there then. Just off the fringe and that super spiny, ultra chip ball in your pocket will stay there. Etc etc

And all this is before you get into the question of club and ball distances.....many here will need to consult a XL spreadsheet for the ball, club, swing matrix (which obviously they won't cos no one here is a slow player).

Storm/teapot

 

[woofers]

Using the rules to your advantage - had a discussion the other day about dropping the ball when playing a Texas Scramble. The point being debated was regarding the dropping of a ball within a club length if the chosen ball was in the rough. My opinion was that if a club length bought you back onto the fairway that would be OK and was a case of 'using the rules to your advantage'. Others seemed to think it was not in spirit of the game and the ball should be dropped in the rough.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Using the rules to your advantage - had a discussion the other day about dropping the ball when playing a Texas Scramble. The point being debated was regarding the dropping of a ball within a club length if the chosen ball was in the rough. My opinion was that if a club length bought you back onto the fairway that would be OK and was a case of 'using the rules to your advantage'. Others seemed to think it was not in spirit of the game and the ball should be dropped in the rough.

Not really that different from using relief from staked trees to drop your way out of a plantation. We have one such plantation on our 17th 250yds off the tee and just at the edge of the first cut. In a comp this year I was well in the plantation with no shot other than a pitch out - but the trees were staked - and with use of relief from the stakes I managed to drop myself out of the plantation into the first cut rough - and able to hit a hybrid out of the first cut and well down the fairway.

 

[jim8flog]

Using the rules to your advantage - had a discussion the other day about dropping the ball when playing a Texas Scramble. The point being debated was regarding the dropping of a ball within a club length if the chosen ball was in the rough. My opinion was that if a club length bought you back onto the fairway that would be OK and was a case of 'using the rules to your advantage'. Others seemed to think it was not in spirit of the game and the ball should be dropped in the rough.

Our club Texas scramble rules require a chosen ball in the rough to be dropped in the rough by the other partners.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Our club Texas scramble rules require a chosen ball in the rough to be dropped in the rough by the other partners.

...and if thems the rules for the scramble then thems the rules. But if such a rule is not in place and the scramble drop rule is within one club length then out of the rough drop away...I say.

 

[jim8flog]

...and if thems the rules for the scramble then thems the rules. But if such a rule is not in place and the scramble drop rule is within one club length then out of the rough drop away...I say.

I agree.

It is what I used to do until somebody wrote the rules for club scrambles.

They also added that the ball must stay in the rough or be redropped.