Winter tees and ropes

[jdpjamesp]

Was playing at the weekend and the course was still off winter tees - understandably so: it was very wet under foot! On one of the holes space is limited as the first shot is over water. They'd put a mat in front of the normal tee area and then roped off the normal tee area. The issue being there was no way you could stick a tee in the mat so I had to tee up behind it. I assume that's ok? It was within 2 club lengths of the tee markers. The issue though is that now the rope interfered with my swing. I asked my pp to hold the rope out of the way for my swing. Got an earful from another player though. I was of the impression when an area is roped off you can do what I did assuming it doesn't slow down play and is easy to do so?

 

[full_throttle]

I would suspect if the mats are out, then that is where you are expected to tee from, not to the side or behind but actually on the mat regardless of whether a tee can be used or not

 

[rulefan]

The club may (should?)issue a local rule specifying that players must tee the ball and take their stance on the mat.

The suggested wording from the R&A is:

“Artificial Tee Mats
Where present, artificial tee mats comprise the teeing ground. When starting a hole from an artificial tee mat the player must take his stance on, and play a ball from, the mat.
Penalty for Breach of Local Rule
Match play-Loss of Hole; Stroke Play – Rule 11-4b applies.”



If it is felt that ‘artificial tee mat’ is not the most appropriate description of the area that you are requiring players to tee off from then you would be permitted to amend the description as you see fit.
Also, to confirm, it is permissible to require players to play from artificial tee mats even when this does not provide a teeing ground that is two club-lengths in depth.

Otherwise the conventional tee markers define the teeing ground.


Providing the rope is movable it may be moved by anyone.

 

[jdpjamesp]

Thanks for the clarification folks. Knew I could rely on you.
Fingers crossed for drier weather then so we can get back to summer tees! 3 wood off the deck isn't a shot I relish on that hole of I can't tee up!

 

[BTatHome]

So long as you applied the correct penalty you'll be fine .... and always have a small broken tee in your pocket

 

[Skypilot]

.... and always have a small broken tee in your pocket

That's interesting.
What are the rules regarding tees?
Could you in theory make your own. For example, to use on mats that had nowhere to insert a normal tee.
I'm thinking about maybe a tee with a base like the rubber ones you get on ranges. Or are you allowed to stick a tee into plasticine or even a lump of mud if there is nowhere on the mat to insert a tee?

 

[backwoodsman]

That's interesting.
What are the rules regarding tees?
Could you in theory make your own. For example, to use on mats that had nowhere to insert a normal tee.
I'm thinking about maybe a tee with a base like the rubber ones you get on ranges. Or are you allowed to stick a tee into plasticine or even a lump of mud if there is nowhere on the mat to insert a tee?

From Appendix 4 to the rules...

A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. A tee must not:
•be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm);
•be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate line of play;
•unduly influence the movement of the ball; or
•otherwise assist the player in making a stroke or in his play

So provided your mud or plasticine or whatever doesn't do any of the above, you're fine

 

[mikejohnchapman]

When we used to have tee mats I used the rubber conical tees which sat on the surface. Came in sets of 4 I think which were strung together so they didn't go too far. Worked a treat,

 

[rulefan]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rubber-Winter-Different-Heights/dp/B009CJV43W

But note that they are illegal in the USGA jurisdiction but OK in the R&A world !!

 

[Beedee]

Just curious - are driving range style rubber tees legal?

I always struggled getting a tee the right height for use off winter tee mats. I tried those rubber cone ones above, but couldn't get comfortable hitting my driver with them, so I bought a pack of driving range rubber tees from Amazon and cut one to the perfect height.

 

[rulefan]

Absolutely OK. They satisfy the definition.

 

[Beedee]

Absolutely OK. They satisfy the definition.

Cheers