Winter Rules?

[Fish]

:rant:

Just picked up an email from my club and this was amongst the content!

"Winter Rules will be posted on the notice board & will be in play from next Wednesday 1st Oct".

Why? It was like a summers day today, I was in shorts and t-shirt, it may well be October 1st but we don't need to bring in winter rules just because of a date, do we?

If the fairways are anything like they were at North Hants yesterday, and mine will be as good as its heathland, why bring in "winter rules"!

There will be no reason to pick & clean, no need for mats or temps, no need to carry a fairway mat, so what else can "winter rules" mean

Is your club adopting this "same date every year" scenario or do they, as they should IMO, react to the current weather and climate only to protect the course?

I'm gob smacked

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We're usually under winter rules from Oct 1st too but not seen anything to confirm this will be coming in. Hopefully not as the course is definitely dry and playable without the need to pick and place

 

[bladeplayer]

We're usually under winter rules from Oct 1st too but not seen anything to confirm this will be coming in. Hopefully not as the course is definitely dry and playable without the need to pick and place

Again tho Martin it seems silly to have it defined by a date rather than by the weather ..

 

[Oddsocks]

Good thing with winter rules is it allows any fairway divots to repair through the off season, I'm all for it,

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Normally in force on 1st Oct but delayed currently

 

[Fish]

Good thing with winter rules is it allows any fairway divots to repair through the off season, I'm all for it,

But were not in an "off season" going by the current weather, you cannot put this practice in place when the weather does not dictate it, surely?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Again tho Martin it seems silly to have it defined by a date rather than by the weather ..

I agree. It seems to be a historic date and in the past we've gone to winter rules regardless. However with a new GM and a decent greenkeeper and staff these days it makes sense to defer

 

[Siren]

I have this argument every year.

Clubs should really be reacting to the weather not the date.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Good thing with winter rules is it allows any fairway divots to repair through the off season, I'm all for it,

How exactly?

 

[garyinderry]

Never mind winter rules. Many clubs have finished competitions even though we still have perfect weather to play.

 

[Fish]

Never mind winter rules. Many clubs have finished competitions even though we still have perfect weather to play.

Don't they go hand-in-hand Gary? Can you have qualifiers with winter rules in place?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We still have plenty qualifiers left and yeah I think you can still have qualifiers with winter rules on Fish

 

[Oddsocks]

How exactly?

Pretty simple mate, if you land in a fairway divot during normal play it's as it lies thus making the divot deeper. By enforcing winter rules while it's a bit more humid with the recent reseeding process the fairways should recover ready for next season.

Leave them another months and you lose the better growth weather,

I actually hope they do as promised and close our white tees early this year as they is a lot of planed works that will make the. Nicer next year.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Don't they go hand-in-hand Gary? Can you have qualifiers with winter rules in place?

As long as winter rules only covers the fairway (or fairway length grass) and all the other requirements for qualifiers are met then you can have qualifiers. Many clubs do. Often, the ones that don't have no good reason not to.

 

[garyinderry]

Suppose so, but some clubs have qualifiers all year round and implement winter rules when the weather dictates. As Phil says some clubs do have comps with winter rules which I am dead against.

 

[Fish]

We still have plenty qualifiers left and yeah I think you can still have qualifiers with winter rules on Fish

Well that's OK then, I only moved because of all-year qualifiers and then I read about winter rules from tomorrow and thought, oh no

Still don't agree with calender dates being too rigid, lets have an extended golfing season with lots of comps :whoo:

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Pretty simple mate, if you land in a fairway divot during normal play it's as it lies thus making the divot deeper. By enforcing winter rules while it's a bit more humid with the recent reseeding process the fairways should recover ready for next season.

Leave them another months and you lose the better growth weather,

I actually hope they do as promised and close our white tees early this year as they is a lot of planed works that will make the. Nicer next year.

Oh I see, that's what you meant. But how many times do you land in divots (another thread)? I wouldn't think that is a huge factor to be honest but I could be wrong.

 

[Fish]

As long as winter rules only covers the fairway (or fairway length grass) and all the other requirements for qualifiers are met then you can have qualifiers. Many clubs do. Often, the ones that don't have no good reason not to.

OK cheers

Suppose so, but some clubs have qualifiers all year round and implement winter rules when the weather dictates. As Phil says some clubs do have comps with winter rules which I am dead against.

I agree, anyone using those fairway mats or pick & clean in a comp seems like cheating to me, most would never use a 3w normally or even a driver at times but as soon as they can use those mats, they do

 

[Oddsocks]

Oh I see, that's what you meant. But how many times do you land in divots (another thread)? I wouldn't think that is a huge factor to be honest but I could be wrong.

We have two fairways on our front nine that if I'm honest could actually do with a rest, I'd like to see the main part of the fairway lifted and relaid, and if that meant GUR with drop zones until next year so be it.

With moisture and heat currently on the scene it's a great time to do work on the course.

 

[Oddsocks]

I agree, anyone using those fairway mats or pick & clean in a comp seems like cheating to me, most would never use a 3w normally or even a driver at times but as soon as they can use those mats, they do

I agree with fairway matts but as a rule why is pick and place on the fairway cheating. If you expect a good lie during the summer from the short stuff is pick and place during wetter months cheating.....