Preferred lies

[Templet0n]

At what point do you decide it is ok to play preferred lies and play the ball up?

 

[GoldenBuff]

At what point do you decide it is ok to play preferred lies and play the ball up?

Officially: when the course I am playing proclaims winter rules. Unofficially: Spring here when the earth is slowly revealing itself from several months under snow. The surface conditions are recovering and too variable to play every shot where it lies. I also pick up my ball from snow piles and place on adjacent grass or grass-like substances. Snow piles will be a common part of playing in April.

 

[OldandStiff]

I don't really. If the course has a local rule in place we will, but it's pretty rare here despite the conditions. So I play down almost all the time, with the typical embedded and casual water situations the only real exceptions.

 

[Joshnoble01]

Depends on who I am playing with. In the skins game I have been playing they declare winter rules and clean and place. If the course has something posted I play based on these rules. Otherwise I play it as it lies unless I think I am going to total my club on a branch or if it is going to have to go through some gravel and I just don't want to ruin a club.

 

[captaincaution]

If it is cart path only, that's usually a preferred lies day.

 

[billyh]

When it comes to my game, I prefer to lie about how good I can be. In all seriousness, if the ball is caked I'll lift clean place, but for the most part, I try to play it as is.

 

[BigMac]

When we decide by group consensus to play it that way. Our course never posts "winter rules", so it's up to us to be our own "committee" and make that decision.

 

[Templet0n]

I am the same as most of you. What made me think about this was Sunday at the APC. the "preemptively" went to ball in hand because it "may" rain.. I just think that is silly.. Tour pros need to play in conditions like the rest of us..

 

[Snickerdog]

Depends on the group I'm playing with. I try not to and play it as it lies, but I won't hit close to rocks or roots. Anywhere in the rough or fairway it is down.

 

[GenErr]

When the vast majority of the lies on the fairway consist of dirt or mud.

 

[DG_1234]

The rules allow relief from embedded balls and casual water, So I don’t believe there is ever a justifiable reason to play preferred lies.

 

[Templet0n]

The rules allow relief from embedded balls and casual water, So I don’t believe there is ever a justifiable reason to play preferred lies.

I agree to an extent but I am ok with it if all agree and from the fairway. At tour events that are soo perfectly manicured. There should be no reason to ever play preferred lies. Deal with a mud ball or two..

 

[Joshnoble01]

The only time I would play preferred lie if it wasn't clearly stated prior is if I am a single and I hit a drive right in the middle of the fairway and I am in a divot and there is no money. I don't post those scores anyway and I am out to have fun. Playing out of a divot is dumb. One of the dumbest rules in golf. I don't post these and I do practice these for if I am playing with someone that is a stickler but I am out to have fun and not going to torture myself with what should have been a perfect fairway lie.

 

[DG_1234]

Playing out of a divot is dumb. One of the dumbest rules in golf.

This afternoon Katrek and Magines (Sirius Golf Radio show hosts) challenged callers to write a divot Rule. None of the callers could do so because it is impossible to write black and white language which defines a divot. For example, have a look at the fairways on any golf course and one will see divot holes ranging in age from 10 minutes old to more than a month old, each one different looking. There is no way to write a definition of a divot hole which covers the condition's full lifespan, from brand new to 99% healed and all the in between variations.

 

[Joshnoble01]

This afternoon Katrek and Magines (Sirius Golf Radio show hosts) challenged callers to write a divot Rule. None of the callers could do so because it is impossible to write black and white language which defines a divot. For example, have a look at the fairways on any golf course and one will see divot holes ranging in age from 10 minutes old to more than a month old, each one different looking. There is no way to write a definition of a divot hole which covers the condition's full lifespan, from brand new to 99% healed and all the in between variations.

Yep, totally agree. Not sure how you write it for official rules. But I know if I am playing from a fresh divot and if I am playing a casual round I am not going to torture myself hitting from a divot if I am not posting a score or my playing partners or local rules agree.

 

[DG_1234]

Yep, totally agree. Not sure how you write it for official rules. But I know if I am playing from a fresh divot and if I am playing a casual round I am not going to torture myself hitting from a divot if I am not posting a score or my playing partners or local rules agree.

The thing to remember about divot lies is that sometimes they offer an easier shot than a fairway lie. For example, if the ball lay such the one can get the club cleanly on the ball it's not a bad lie at all from which to play from, especially if it's a a wedge or short iron shot.

 

[WLG1952]

For me it's when the weather is bad enough that the guy taking my greens fee says it's ok.

A lot of times, if there is a starter, he can make that determination.

Now if Im out there, not playing for a score, just screwing around, probably playing two ball, I will do the preferred lies thing. Some might even be preferred poor lies.....