Should You Post Scores As Course Conditions Decline?

If golf course conditions decline, most of the time you would not automatically want to turn to the use of Preferred Lies. Occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread may be defined as “ground under repair” (Rules of Golf, Rule 25 - Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green). Please check out www.usga.org under Rules for a detail of GUR.

Remember that as time goes on and the weather worsens, if an individual golfer invokes some sort of Preferred Lie when we are in season he/she still must post their score. We encourage Handicap Committees to make it part of their Handicapping Policy to be specific in describing conditions in which a local rule may be invoked when needed, to help protect the course or to promote fair and pleasant play. (USGA Handicap System Manual 2008-2011, Section 7, Preferred Lies, p.47).

The following is the official Oregon Golf Association position regarding the establishment of a Local Rule at OGA Member Courses to deal with unpleasant course conditions.

Playing the ball as it lies should be in force if at all possible though the following two Local Rules may be used when the Committee determines that extreme course conditions prevent the proper playing of the game.

Note that the Rules of Golf provide two options that are materially different from one another. If conditions require the Committee to extend relief outside of closely mown areas* only Option #1, Cleaning Ball is available – Option #2,

Preferred Lies/Winter Rules is not an option under the Rules of Golf outside of closely mown areas*.

Option #1 – Cleaning Ball Appendix I, Part B/4b
Through the green* (or a more restrictive area, e.g. on the 6th – 10th holes) a ball may be lifted, cleaned and replaced without penalty.

Note: The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted under this Local Rule – see Rule 20-1.

Option #2 – Preferred Lies/Winter Rules Appendix I, Part B/4c

A ball lying on a closely mown area* through the green* (or specify a more restrictive area, e.g. at the 6th hole) may be lifted without penalty and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, he must place it on a spot within (define distance [e.g. 6”, one club length]) of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it was placed, Rule 20-3d applies. If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it is placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.

If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke. If a player incurs the general penalty for a breach of this Local Rule, no additional penalty under the Local Rule is applied.

PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULES: MATCH PLAY – LOSS OF HOLE; STROKE PLAY – TWO STROKES

*Definitions Through the green is the whole area of the course except:
a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and,
b. All hazards on the course.

Closely mown area means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less. Should you have any questions regarding the position above, please contact the Oregon Golf Association.

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