Walking the Course Before Playing It?

[Nagah]

I can’t find any rule that states that you cannot walk the course before a competition round.

In Australia it’s not customary to hand out pin sheets before a round. The only time was once in a club championship.

Question is it permitted. 

If that’s the case can I roll a ball to a pin placement?
 

Just wanting to know if it’s permissible as I’m not practicing or playing ?
 

 

[Rulesman]

1 hour ago, Nagah said:

I can’t find any rule that states that you cannot walk the course before a competition round.

Question is it permitted. 

If that’s the case can I roll a ball to a pin placement?
 

Just wanting to know if it’s permissible as I’m not practicing or playing ?
 

 

Walking is OK but rolling the ball on a green would be practising.

See rule 5.2

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Rulesman

[Nagah]

1 hour ago, Rulesman said:

Walking is OK but rolling the ball on a green would be practising.

See rule 5.2

 

👍

[fredf]

Practice on course - which also includes rolling ball on greens - is only OK before match play. And to add - no issue with accessing the course before stroke play.

Edited April 4, 2020 by fredf
Further information

[David in FL]

Of course, the prohibition is only for the actual day of competition.

You’re welcome to do anything you like the day before.  If you’re particularly observant, you may even find that the pin positions for the tournament have been marked on the greens the day before...  

Edited April 4, 2020 by David in FL

[dennyjones]

The local courses around me don't usually have many tournaments.   That being said, walking the course is prohibited at every course at any time.   If you're on the course, you're playing and paying.  

[fredf]

5 hours ago, dennyjones said:

The local courses around me don't usually have many tournaments.   That being said, walking the course is prohibited at every course at any time.   If you're on the course, you're playing and paying.  

Sure, private property, owners can do whatever and there are diverse models out there, but such issues are outside the original golf rules question.

[NM Golf]

PGA Tour caddies are out walking the courses each morning checking pins and tee boxes.

[fredf]

25 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

PGA Tour caddies are out walking the courses each morning checking pins and tee boxes.

Yes. And time past, this was the only way to gather valuable information about a course before a hit off that mattered. Some of us recall those times of no course marking of distances other than the score card, no course booklets mapping holes and greens, no lasers, GPS devices etc, and many relied on the caddie or a practice round to identify the gremlins and to step out and note all the approach distances from an identifiable spot in or alongside the fairway. The skill challenges were different from today.

And while commercial interests have driven absolutely everything about the game to continuously change and evolve - course prep and maintenance, equipment (manufacturers tell you the drivers, wedges and putters are better every year; relax about the irons, change every second year is okay there), a large cast of teachers, trainers, physios, psychologists and equipment preparation specialists with their 400+ shafts, there is virtually no change whatsoever in the scores we all record out there on the course.

But I still love it.

At least the rules are easier today. And less impacted by my increasingly creaky physical assets.