Our Men's Business League Starts Tonight With an Interesting Local Rule.

[snapfade]

This is the first time I have played in this league but here is an interesting local rule they use. You are allowed to move your ball one score card length in either direction to improve your lie. Scorecard has to be in the folded position though. I love beachside golf. The other rule is you got to walk unless you have a handicap placard. 

[p1n9183]

53 minutes ago, snapfade said:

You are allowed to move your ball one score card length in either direction to improve your lie

Here in Argentina is pretty common, but only sideways or away from the hole. It's called "Lie mejorado" or "Improved lie".

[Elmer]

1 hour ago, snapfade said:

This is the first time I have played in this league but here is an interesting local rule they use. You are allowed to move your ball one score card length in either direction to improve your lie. Scorecard has to be in the folded position though. I love beachside golf. The other rule is you got to walk unless you have a handicap placard. 

before my home course put millions into maintenance, we had a local rule used by the league that you could improve your lie.

The course has dry spots of hard clay, no grass, unfilled divots in the fairway.

Since the bunkers filled with rocks and other stuff and never raked, we were allowed to lift and place.

The idea was going head to head in matches I want my opponent to have the best lie and shot opportunity. I dont want to win a match because my opponents fairway shot is buried in a divot.

Now that the course is well maintained we dont have to rely on that rule as much. 

[iacas]

That's just preferred lies. Hardly what I expected to see by the topic title.

[GolfLug]

5 hours ago, snapfade said:

This is the first time I have played in this league but here is an interesting local rule they use. You are allowed to move your ball one score card length in either direction to improve your lie. Scorecard has to be in the folded position though. I love beachside golf. The other rule is you got to walk unless you have a handicap placard. 

No specific comment, but just out of trivial curiosity; 'business' league?

[Big C]

Most clubs that implement preferred lies also require that the type of lie remain the same. I.E. you cannot move the ball from rough to fairway. Does your league require the same?

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Big C said:

Most clubs that implement preferred lies also require that the type of lie remain the same. I.E. you cannot move the ball from rough to fairway. Does your league require the same?

Which is actually the worse way to do it…

Model Local Rule E-3

“When any part of a player’s ball touches 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. But, for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play. 

After a ball has been placed and is in play under this Local Rule, if the player then proceeds under another Rule that provides relief, this Local Rule may be used again.

You could write it as…

“When any part of a player’s ball touches part of the general area, 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: a folded scorecard from the reference point…

If a player can move from the rough to the fairway (or vice versa, as a lot prefer to perch the ball up in the rough if they can), good for them. So the model local rule is actually often more forgiving about the lie (because the general area is the general area) is fine.

[snapfade]

3 hours ago, GolfLug said:

No specific comment, but just out of trivial curiosity; 'business' league?

Various Cocoa Beach business put together teams for the league. You don't have to work for the company just the team name/ original "manager" still plays on some of the teams or either no one in the office ever took it off the list. I belong to Cocoa Beach A.C. and no one on the team works there. 

3 hours ago, Big C said:

Most clubs that implement preferred lies also require that the type of lie remain the same. I.E. you cannot move the ball from rough to fairway. Does your league require the same?

Good question. Didn't come up in conversation this evening. I'll ask, but depending on who I ask I'm sue I'll get different answers. 

7 hours ago, iacas said:

That's just preferred lies. Hardly what I expected to see by the topic title.

Interesting to me, I've only played in Am Tour events and you had to play it as it lies. I didn't know it was a thing.

[iacas]

29 minutes ago, snapfade said:

Interesting to me, I've only played in Am Tour events and you had to play it as it lies. I didn't know it was a thing.

Preferred lies are common in slightly informal leagues, but… it's really not a "thing" that golfers really do. You won't find that except in outstanding conditions at "real" events.

[DeadMan]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

You won't find that except in outstanding conditions at "real" events.

And at PGA Tour events when they slightly over water or there’s a bit of rain or …

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

And at PGA Tour events when they slightly over water or there’s a bit of rain or …

Generally in the fairways only.

[p1n9183]

14 hours ago, iacas said:

Preferred lies are common in slightly informal leagues, but… it's really not a "thing" that golfers really do. You won't find that except in outstanding conditions at "real" events.

Are legal to compute for handicap?