Play the ball down or fluff your lie? Or a little bit of both?

[dduarte85]

I agree with that. I play a lot of those courses and this summer has been brutal to the ones that haven't/can't water their fairways. Many of them are baked out in spots with almost no grass. It's not terrible to play from (for me at least) when it's dry but horrific (again for me at least) when those bare spots are mud. You'll usually have a big glob of mud on the ball as well.

In order to play a lot of golf when I'm paying for 3-4 rounds at a time with the kids, we play some substandard courses. When we are on them we will generally LCP in the FW only and then only when we hit into a bare earth spot. I know it's not 100% by the rules but I don't think the rules take into full account that sometimes we play some really awful courses. When I'd rather be in the rough than on the FW, there's something wrong with that. I don't care about landing in the random divot, that stinks but it's part of the game. I'm talking about hitting into a 20'x20' patch of ground that has one usable tuft of grass every 3 feet.

Another huge factor in determining what's fair is the question "who am I cheating?" If my HC is a little bit lower because of the above, ultimately I'm only hurting myself in the event that I play a competition where HC is factored in. For anyone vehemently opposed to ever moving the ball, I'll just assume that you play nicer courses than what we do. If I could afford to play as much as we do on nicer courses where this wasn't an issue, that would be great. As it is, I'd rather golf with them 3 times a week on craptastic courses than once a week on a nice course. We still play some nicer courses too but those are usually a special event rather than the norm.

When the rules of gold were written, amended etc they were done so with real golf courses in mind. The dog tracks are just fields with flags in the ground.

 

[campilobaxter]

... Playing to down means playing it as it lies anywhere on the course. Rolling it means taking your club head and rolling the ball to a better lie.

"Playing it down" means "as it lies" no matter where it is.
"Rolling it" means moving it with your club so the ball rolls over a couple of time giving it a better lie. Most guys will roll it a couple of inches or so to make sure it is setting up which makes it easier to hit.

Thanks guys. Obviously I'm aware of playing the ball as it lies. I've never heard of rolling the ball, especially not as a standard practice or league rule. Interesting.

 

[Smiter]

When the rules of gold were written, amended etc they were done so with real golf courses in mind. The dog tracks are just fields with flags in the ground.

Agreed. I'll have to take a few pictures of the fairways of a course I play a lot. It's not just one of them too, it's most of them. It's ugly. Conditions have never been great there but it does have decent greens. A little slow but large and playable. This summer has killed the FW's there. I played one of my rounds there yesterday and I had 4-5 shots in the FW where I was on bare muddy ground. No thanks.

 

[Bus]

Fun fact, in HS golf, most states have moved to giving a grip length on all shots.

What's the reasoning?

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[Scrap Iron]

I’ll roll it from time to time in the colder conditions when courses aren’t maintained well.

 

[OITW]

90% of the time i play it down (LCP or other conditions also if i’m going to hurt myself or a club)


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[McLovin]

always down. i have a buddy who moved every ball just a bit, except in the bunker. kinda drives me crazy.


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[ArmyGolf]

Half and half for me. We play 6 months a year LCP and 6 months ball down.

 

[luvagoodshot]

For me personally, what needs to be factored in is the condition of the course. I have played courses that are in excellent condition where there is no need to roll my ball, and there are other courses where you'll want to roll your ball in order to enjoy the round.

 

[captaincaution]

Fun fact, in HS golf, most states have moved to giving a grip length on all shots.

How dare they!

Our work league plays the length of the scorecard. I rarely invoke that rule.

 

[Smiter]

Fun fact, in HS golf, most states have moved to giving a grip length on all shots.

Hmmm. I wasn't aware of this. IIRC you coach HS golf? Do you know what the reason behind that is? If everyone's allowed obviously it's fair game but it definitely goes against the rules of golf. Is it a drop then or are they allowed to fluff it up? I'd almost always rather have a fluffed up lie in the rough than a fairway lie (even a good one), but I still have enough spin to get the ball to stop from those lies. If placing is allowed then the penal part of missing FW's is taken away. I think a lot of the scores turned in are artificially low then if there is no bad lies. It could easily make a 5 shot difference for someone that's constantly in the rough, maybe even more. I'd assume that this doesn't apply in hazards?

 

[Jman]

How dare they!

Our work league plays the length of the scorecard. I rarely invoke that rule.

Hmmm. I wasn't aware of this. IIRC you coach HS golf? Do you know what the reason behind that is? If everyone's allowed obviously it's fair game but it definitely goes against the rules of golf. Is it a drop then or are they allowed to fluff it up? I'd almost always rather have a fluffed up lie in the rough than a fairway lie (even a good one), but I still have enough spin to get the ball to stop from those lies. If placing is allowed then the penal part of missing FW's is taken away. I think a lot of the scores turned in are artificially low then if there is no bad lies. It could easily make a 5 shot difference for someone that's constantly in the rough, maybe even more. I'd assume that this doesn't apply in hazards?

Yes, I do. Pace of play is the reason, and I don't disagree with it. We also play in the Spring when conditions here are not all that great, lots of still yellowed out and hardpan courses.

In practice, my boys and girls have to play it down. But, in qualifying rounds they play by the grip length rule, and when they don't use it in the tournaments I get pretty upset, its there so not taking advantage of it while others do is just silly.

 

[Molten]

Yes, I do. Pace of play is the reason, and I don't disagree with it. We also play in the Spring when conditions here are not all that great, lots of still yellowed out and hardpan courses.

In practice, my boys and girls have to play it down. But, in qualifying rounds they play by the grip length rule, and when they don't use it in the tournaments I get pretty upset, its there so not taking advantage of it while others do is just silly.

I love the strategy employed here. Play it down in practice and then almost always have better lies in tournament play. Well thought out.

 

[DataDude]

The only time I move a ball is if it is on a tree stump. I move it to s spot with the same shot but no tree stump. Like if the tree the stump belongs to was going to affect my backswing or follow through I still put the ball in a spot where that will be a factor. I'm just not banging my clubs on a tree stump.

 

[Jman]

The only time I move a ball is if it is on a tree stump. I move it to s spot with the same shot but no tree stump. Like if the tree the stump belongs to was going to affect my backswing or follow through I still put the ball in a spot where that will be a factor. I'm just not banging my clubs on a tree stump.

Yep, in my personal game, I only move/roll if there are roots or rocks. I'm not putting my clubs, nor my hands, through that damage.

 

[Smiter]

I love the strategy employed here. Play it down in practice and then almost always have better lies in tournament play. Well thought out.

Absolutely concur on that. Spring here is wet generally so 100% different, but at a lot of Courses are LCP then. Our HS season is fall though and conditions sound pretty similar to your spring season. I don't know if Ohio has the same rule, I'll have to check as I'll have at least one and probably two of my boys playing next year.

 

[Smiter]

Took me a little bit but I found it (and I'm glad I did because I learned of a new rule for OH HS Golfers)...

Ohio is a play it as it lies State.

I also found out that new in 2018 OH HS Golfers can play in up to 3 events in season that are not school events. This is big because our county tournament is during the HS season and is definitely something that I want them to play in once they're decent enough to compete.

 

[tahoebum]

I was taught to play it as it lies. Part of the skill and challenge of golf is playing the ball down. The only time I don’t is the few days after they punch the fairways when half the time your ball is sitting in a 3/8” hole.

It doesn’t bother me if guys roll it unless I’m playing them for money.

If it’s a root or rock I take an unplayable and the stroke.

 

[DucatiGirl]

When I started in the spring, I would move to a better lie, simply because I was still learning how to do this lol. Over the summer I started doing more playing it as it lies. I try not to move it unless it's absolutely nasty out, and I won't put myself or my clubs at risk near a cartpath or roots or anything.

I have started lining up my tee shots with the line on the balls. It's really, really helped my alignment. I've started "rolling" my ball to line up my shot, but it's not improving the lie - I roll it in place. It's an exercise that's helping me learn better how to aim. Probably next year I'll be able to stop this practice and be able to "eyeball" my direction more accurately.

 

[Space Bandito]

I don't understand your insistence of playing it as it lies if you move it because it lays in a punch hole. Surely that's a better lie than a deep divot, but you'll play the ball from the divot?

I was taught to play it as it lies. Part of the skill and challenge of golf is playing the ball down. The only time I don’t is the few days after they punch the fairways when half the time your ball is sitting in a 3/8” hole.

It doesn’t bother me if guys roll it unless I’m playing them for money.

If it’s a root or rock I take an unplayable and the stroke.

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[tahoebum]

I don't understand your insistence of playing it as it lies if you move it because it lays in a punch hole. Surely that's a better lie than a deep divot, but you'll play the ball from the divot?

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The punch holes are large at my home course and every few inches so IMO it’s ok to roll it the first 2-3 days since about 50% of shots would be effected.

I consider divots a rub of the green and a normal part of the game and honestly have never had much trouble hitting out of a divot. I also don’t play much public golf or hit it from parts of the fairway that have many divots. In the last 100 rounds I’ve only been in a fairway divot 3 or 4 times and none prevented me from hitting the shot the correct distance. Spike marks on greens and unrepaired ball marks have cost me thousands of strokes, hitting from divots have cost me maybe a dozen strokes since I started playing in 1978.

 

[Ottawaclo]

Whatever makes the game fun for you......if playing competitive or for anything on the line surely you play it down.....otherwise get nuts and just have fun.

Obviously if posting to a handicap play it as it lies.




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[PatsFan]

I layed with a guy

Do Tell?
Sorry couldn't help it!

I usually try to play it as it lies. Golf isn't about everything always being perfect.
I play at one course alot that there are 2 holes where your allowed to move it to grass since they have issues with keeping grass coverage on this Hill.

 

[Space Bandito]

The punch holes are large at my home course and every few inches so IMO it’s ok to roll it the first 2-3 days since about 50% of shots would be effected.

I consider divots a rub of the green and a normal part of the game and honestly have never had much trouble hitting out of a divot. I also don’t play much public golf or hit it from parts of the fairway that have many divots. In the last 100 rounds I’ve only been in a fairway divot 3 or 4 times and none prevented me from hitting the shot the correct distance. Spike marks on greens and unrepaired ball marks have cost me thousands of strokes, hitting from divots have cost me maybe a dozen strokes since I started playing in 1978.

I understand that, but the logic I'm referring to is simply if you consider a divot to be part of the game, then all course conditions should be considered the same, unless a temporary local rule is in place during the period of aeration. No?

 

[DG_1234]

Cheating is cheating.