Winter Rules

[KMP]

A follow up from another question. When playing "winter rules" what is the standard for "lift and clean"?  I generally ignore and play as it lies unless I am imbedded. We are not posting during the worst conditions so it is a learning experience IMO.  Comments??

[boogielicious]

Winter is a perfect time to see what actually happens to a ball with mud on it. It won’t affect your HC. Experiment!

[billchao]

If the score doesn’t count, you don’t have to play by the rules.

[mcanadiens]

Winter rules are whatever you and your partners decide they are.

Normally, my guys will roll the ball after the season is over. Barring something freakish, we generally keep the ball within a foot or so of where it landed.

Playing in the Ohio winter mud requires a fairly liberal approach to such things.

[cdh79]

I think the general rule is that if the ball lands on a closely mown area, you're allowed to pick it up and clean it and the place it within about a scorecard-length (no closer to the pin) of where it was..  so not when you end up in the rough or a hazard..

with embedded balls you're allowed to take them out of their own plug, and then drop them within a stick-length of where it was embedded (even when in the rough)

[Rulesman]

13 hours ago, KMP said:

A follow up from another question. When playing "winter rules" what is the standard for "lift and clean"?  I generally ignore and play as it lies unless I am imbedded. We are not posting during the worst conditions so it is a learning experience IMO.  Comments??

Model Local Rule E-2 Cleaning Ball

“When a player’s ball lies in [identify area, such as the general area, at the 6th hole, in the general area cut to fairway height or less, etc.], the ball may be lifted cleaned and replaced without penalty. The player must mark the spot before lifting the ball (see Rule 14.1) and the ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).

Winter Rules

Model Local Rule E-3 Preferred Lies 

“When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less [or identify a specific area such as ‘on the fairway of the 6th hole’], the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area:

• Reference Point: Spot of the original ball.

• Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: [Specify size of relief area, such as one club-length, one scorecard length or 6 inches] from the reference point, but with these limits:

• Limits on Location of Relief Area:

  • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and

  • Must be in the general area.

In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e.