Winter Rules All Year?

[Crazyface]

After a bit of a chat about the high scores in winter, despite players getting "docked" shots, I thought it maybe a good idea if we were allowed to use certain winter rules all year and how would it affect our scores and handicaps. The main one being, at my place, lift clean and place six inches anywhere on the fairway. There is also three inches anywhere in the rough, but to use that one in summer would be a bit silly as then there would be almost no penalty for a wayward shot landing in the rough. I mean, the fairway one would be great. It would keep the fairways in better condition and mean that we'd all have the super lies that the pros have when they play.

 

[sweaty sock]

Just to drag this into the same debate as every other thread. The good scores in winter are normally a direct result of the course being shorter. Lift clean and place is occasionally in place in the summer for comps... its not normally a massive influence on scores as fairway lies are normally good enough...

 

[jim8flog]

It is all about using what is allowed under the rules.

If you have 3" inches in the rough then you cannot have qualifying scores even in winter.

If you want lift clean and place outside of the dates set in the rule book you have to apply to county for it and give them a reason.

The pros still have to contend with unrepaired divot holes as much as we do.

 

[Bratty]

It is all about using what is allowed under the rules.

If you have 3" inches in the rough then you cannot have qualifying scores even in winter.

If you want lift clean and place outside of the dates set in the rule book you have to apply to county for it and give them a reason.

The pros still have to contend with unrepaired divot holes as much as we do.

I agree.
The only caveat I'd add is the divots the pros have to contend with are sometimes nothing compared with the shovel size holes some amateurs take out of the fairway as they gouge a 6 iron on it's merry way!

 

[Imurg]

I agree.
The only caveat I'd add is the divots the pros have to contend with are sometimes nothing compared with the shovel size holes some amateurs take out of the fairway as they gouge a 6 iron on it's merry way!

Here's the main man doing some landscape gardening

 

[fundy]

Previous club that didnt have the best fairways used to recommend using pick and place during the summer in friendly matches, some did some didnt

 

[D-S]

How would it keep the fairways in better condition? By moving it from a bad bit of turf onto a nice bit then obliterating the nice bit how is this improving things? Using mats maybe but LCP no.

 

[jim8flog]

I agree.
The only caveat I'd add is the divots the pros have to contend with are sometimes nothing compared with the shovel size holes some amateurs take out of the fairway as they gouge a 6 iron on it's merry way!

You should have seen the divots Ian Woosnam removed

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I consider Lift, Clean and Place during the winter months as simply being something to make golf a bit more enjoyable at the times when weather conditions and conditions underfoot may be difficult. When conditions do not merit it, then no L,C,P.

Nothing to do with such as ending up in divot scrapes/gouges in the fairway - these are just part of the variability and good/bad fortune that goes with playing our sport on and over terra firma - or not so firma as the case may well be. And it just so happens that in winter, when the ground is not so firma, such scrapes and gouges in the fairways are often more substantial - and it is our good fortune if L,C&P is in operation.

Otherwise my Rule 0 of Golf applies. I place my ball on a tee peg/the tee and I do not touch it again until I pick it out of the hole. Between times if I cannot play it, or choose to not play it, I pick it up; go back to where I last hit it; drop it and add 1 to my count; and continue. My Rule 0 makes golf an easy game to understand

 

[Alan Clifford]

1 club length https://www.handicaps.co.za/hna-newsletter-july-2022/

 

[Voyager EMH]

"After a bit of a chat about the high scores in winter..."

My scores are generally higher in the winter because of the weather, temperature, condition of the greens etc.
Same as bad weather the rest of the year tends to make my scores higher.
Or maybe I have misinterpreted something.

 

[Jason.H]

I’d of thought most would be sick to death of winter golf. I’m more concerned why people don’t repair pitch marks after hitting good shots into greenS. , not putting divots back and raking bunkers to a decent standard

 

[BiMGuy]

LC&P in summer is nonsense.

Wanting drops from divots is nonsense.

People will be wanting to tee it up everywhere, mulligans and gimmies in medals next

 

[Orikoru]

The state of some courses during last year's heatwave, pick and place might have been an idea then. I think some places actually did it. Not that it helped much - find a blade of grass and put the ball there.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Play it as it lies, it’ll make you a better golfer and you’ll know how to deal with a bad lie when you don’t have LCP

 

[Crazyface]

"After a bit of a chat about the high scores in winter..."

My scores are generally higher in the winter because of the weather, temperature, condition of the greens etc.
Same as bad weather the rest of the year tends to make my scores higher.
Or maybe I have misinterpreted something.

I've noticed that scores don't seem to dip, anymore than the odd summer bad round, but good scores are still attainable by those who are playing off lower handicaps, due to the systems in place by the group they play in. I myself had 23 points on the back nine last week having lost four shots. This week I had 19 points having lost five shots. Sure it's a shortened course, well only one hole really, but there's no run anywhere. I'm finding the lift clean and place a real bonus. (I don't usually play winter golf competitively)

 

[Voyager EMH]

I've noticed that scores don't seem to dip, anymore than the odd summer bad round, but good scores are still attainable by those who are playing off lower handicaps, due to the systems in place by the group they play in. I myself had 23 points on the back nine last week having lost four shots. This week I had 19 points having lost five shots. Sure it's a shortened course, well only one hole really, but there's no run anywhere. I'm finding the lift clean and place a real bonus. (I don't usually play winter golf competitively)

I find it is the opposite at my club.
Lower handicaps tend to struggle more to play to handicap on the muddy fairways and oddly paced greens.
But these conditions don't seem to affect those in the 14-22 handicap range quite so much.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

I find it is the opposite at my club.
Lower handicaps tend to struggle more to play to handicap on the muddy fairways and oddly paced greens.
But these conditions don't seem to affect those in the 14-22 handicap range quite so much.

Swings and roundabouts and most likely depends on course conditions …
One of our members who’s off +4 had a putt on 18 for a 59 a couple of weeks back. Talking to the scratch players they find the course easier during the winter months.

 

[Rlburnside]

We must be one of the very few clubs that have one club length pick and place permanently, ( which has been sanctioned)

Although this is a benefit I find our course really tough as we have very little run and play in poor weather most of the year.

If I played at my brothers ( Golfmmad) course for a season I’m sure I would get my h/c down by about 2/3 shots.

 

[Jason.H]

Swings and roundabouts and most likely depends on course conditions …
One of our members who’s off +4 had a putt on 18 for a 59 a couple of weeks back. Talking to the scratch players they find the course easier during the winter months.

Got to admit I find our course easier in the winter. Some holes are shorter but thats almost negated by no run on the ball. Half decent ball striking and knowing carry distances means hit the green and it sticks. In the summer hitting and holding the greens becomes a tough challenge even for low handicappers. Then there’s the putting, in the winter yes there not perfect surfaces but you can have a run at the hole whereas in the summer our course becomes 3 put territory.