Good morning ladies, and happy new golfing year!
Here is my first Rules e mail for 2017 and, as our play days will be starting soon, and the rain doesn’t look like it will be stopping, I thought this would be the perfect time for me to remind you all about “Preferred Lies, or Winter Rules”.
( I have also attached this article to the e mail)
“Preferred Lies” and “Winter Rules”
With the rainy season here we may find ourselves golfing in wet and muddy conditions, not fun, but at least the Rules of Golf can give us relief. Our DBWGC Tournament Committee may decide on some Tuesday play days to allow us to use this Local Rule for “Preferred Lies /Winter Rules “. You cannot use this Local Rule on play days UNLESS the Committee allows it.
“Preferred lies” is the term that means that you as a golf player are allowed to improve your lie without penalty on certain parts of the golf course. A player may lift up their ball that has landed on a closely-mown area if they want to and move it to improve the ball position, but not closer to the hole. A closely-mown area is any area of the course that is cut to fairway height or less, and includes paths cut through the rough and the fringe around the green. You CANNOT use the Preferred lies Local Rule if your ball is in the rough.
How to use the Preferred Lies Local Rule.
The position of your ball must be marked first. This can be done with a tee or a ball marker.
Then you can lift your ball and clean it if you want.
The ball must then be placed on a spot, not nearer to the hole, within the area specified by the Committee, e.g. within six inches, a score card-length or perhaps even one club-length (which is for example common on the PGA tour). This distance is decided by the Committee, so make sure your know the distance you are allowed before you start your round.
The ball is in play as soon as it’s placed on the ground. If you pick it up again and move it, you incur a penalty stroke for ‘moving the ball in play’ and you must replace it where it was.
Nobody enjoys playing in the mud but this Local Rule can help us, if our Tournament Committee allows.
I hope this helps you.
Hilary
dbwgc.com 