Rules official resigns over ...rules issue.

[roamin]

Not sure what hole/area the penalties happened on, but below are stills of two greens from round one coverage on youtube...it's certainly difficult to see a fringe in some areas but in both shots it's clear that there is a fringe, at least in come places. It's seams reasonable for one to assume it goes all the way around the green, no matter what the surface looks like at any particular point. Again, I'd love to see the area in question, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQi9a_H_04Y

Edited October 23, 2017 by roamin

[Buckeyebowman]

When in doubt, err on the side of caution!

[joro]

Sounds ridicules, but I never saw it to make an opinion.     I have played a lot of Golf and seen many times where it was hard to determine the line though.    Could be an over mow or a double cut or whatever, but it seems a but of a mystery.      

[Groucho Valentine]

Ive played courses where closely mown areas were indistinguishable from the putting surface. Ive seen the same mistake made. But the decision to wipe out the entire round was absurd. Just realizing the situation and introducing a local rule after the round would have been more practical. 

[NM Golf]

49 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

Ive played courses where closely mown areas were indistinguishable from the putting surface. Ive seen the same mistake made. But the decision to wipe out the entire round was absurd. Just realizing the situation and introducing a local rule after the round would have been more practical. 

Not sure what local rule helps here, the "you can pick up your ball in the fringe rule" or perhaps the "feigning stupidity gets you out of a penalty" rule?

[Groucho Valentine]

Just now, NM Golf said:

Not sure what local rule helps here, the "you can pick up your ball in the fringe rule" or perhaps the "feigning stupidity gets you out of a penalty" rule?

If one can not make out the fringe, how does one know where it is? 

Mark the area with paint. Something. Obviously if several players made the same exact error there is some kind of course management fail going on. 

[ghalfaire]

Not much to add here as sometimes it is difficult to determine where the green begins and the fringe ends.  But if I'm confused I'd ask the guys in my foresome.  But I'd think a pro would ask a rules official if not certain.  I'd also think that if you're certain but it turns out you're wrong, you take the penalty and learn a lesson.