Wind check or alignment aid?

[BallMark]

One of my regular playing partners often tosses a clump of grass in the air near the front of the tee box. He'll use a divot clump, or a clump of mown grass, or if it's a calm day he might use a leaf. He then tees up his ball a few feet behind the clump. Conveniently, the clump is always directly on the intended line for his shot. I say that this is not allowed, since he is creating an artificial alignment aid. He says it's perfectly legal, because he is using natural material (grass) to check the direction of the wind, and it's merely a coincidence that it ends up on his intended line. Who is correct?

 

[rulie]

It does sound suspicious. The outcome is based on the intent of the player involved. In a "he said/she said" between players, the player whose ball is involved is given the right.

 

[Backsticks]

Advise him to toss the grass a little further from the ball so that it is clear there is no rule breach.

 

[rulie]

Advice him to toss the grass a little further from the ball so that it is clear there is no rule breach.

and thus avoiding the appearance of evil.

 

[BallMark]

Advice him to toss the grass a little further from the ball so that it is clear there is no rule breach.

He might just toss it at me!

 

[salfordlad]

The player prepared to demonstrate their integrity would not repeatedly undertake this action, they would undertake their wind estimation process (if they are actually interested in that, this is even being done on a calm day!) outside the area rather then dropping loose stuff in the teeing area. They also have the rules-compliant option of using any existing ground blemish, tuft, divot or loose impediment (including left behind tees) for their alignment purposes anyway.
If the player repeats their process after being warned it appears to be a lame attempt to disguise a breach of rule 10.2b(3), there would be justification to raise the issue with the Committee.

 

[Neilds]

Never really understood the whole grass tossing thing. The wind will probably be very different where you will be hitting the ball - above trees and up to a couple of hundred yards away

 

[Colin L]

That he tries to claim a frequently occurring event as a coincidence is in itself a give-away.

 

[backwoodsman]

Not sure I understand what the player in OP is doing? Is he chucking something (grass etc) in the air, letting it fall, then selecting it (or part of it) to use as a 'marker' for an alignment aid? If so, it seems a rather convoluted or random way of doing things. Why not just select on existing divot/daisy/mark etc that's already there and is perfectly legit?

Or have I not understood what he's doing?

 

[salfordlad]

Not sure I understand what the player in OP is doing? Is he chucking something (grass etc) in the air, letting it fall, then selecting it (or part of it) to use as a 'marker' for an alignment aid? If so, it seems a rather convoluted or random way of doing things. Why not just select on existing divot/daisy/mark etc that's already there and is perfectly legit?

Or have I not understood what he's doing?

Perhaps the OP can affirm, but this was the way I read it.

 

[D-S]

Maybe they are at Augusta and there aren’t any imperfections?

 

[abjectplop]

How accurate must the guy be to be able to throw a clump of mown grass in the air, take account of the wind, and get it to land on his exact target line?!

 

[BTatHome]

who the hell uses a divot to test the wind?!?!?!

 

[chrisd]

who the hell uses a divot to test the wind?!?!?!

It's obligatory in an International Farting Competition

 

[Jigger]

Why wouldn’t he just line up behind a divot mark? They’re always loads on the tee. Seem pointless creation of controversy.

 

[ExRabbit]

One of my regular playing partners often tosses a clump of grass in the air near the front of the tee box. He'll use a divot clump, or a clump of mown grass, or if it's a calm day he might use a leaf. He then tees up his ball a few feet behind the clump. Conveniently, the clump is always directly on the intended line for his shot. I say that this is not allowed, since he is creating an artificial alignment aid. He says it's perfectly legal, because he is using natural material (grass) to check the direction of the wind, and it's merely a coincidence that it ends up on his intended line. Who is correct?

If he is getting himself a mental advantage by doing this then it is wrong in my opinion.

As other people have said, he could use some other random mark to line up on, but if he gets a better feeling by lining up on his own (thrown) marker, then he is taking an unfair advantage,