Bending the rules slightly if following them exactly would damage your equipment?

[cosine]

Just curious. I may or may not have done so, and may or may not admit to doing so later in the thread.

[jwaldrop]

I would think it would only be an issue in a tournament. I personally have agreements with my regular game guys that we won't damage equipment and adjust accordingly.

In competition...I'd say you're out of luck. Unplayable lie drop.

[cosine]

Should have clarified... I'm talking about casual, recreational play. In tournaments... yep, you're out of luck. Either play it, or, as you said, unplayable lie drop.

I know I was kind of cryptic about myself, but I'm curious if others play like jwaldrop-to be able to adjust a few things to avoid damaging equipment.

[Leaguegolf]

Originally Posted by cosine

I know I was kind of cryptic about myself, but I'm curious if others play like jwaldrop-to be able to adjust a few things to avoid damaging equipment.

"Adjust a few things"......... as in play it however you want to play it? I've found myself in numerous potentially club damaging, or injury risking, lies and I've yet to damage my most trusted and reliable "trouble" club. My foot wedge is still in great working order.

[pick-it-up]

If I my ball comes to rest on a cart path....my ball will be dropped in the rough EVERY TIME! W/ no penalty of course!

( I don't play in tourney's)

[cosine]

Originally Posted by Leaguegolf

"Adjust a few things"......... as in play it however you want to play it?

As tempting as it may be, no. As for me, no foot wedge... I pick the ball up like an honest man and drop it where I won't damage my clubs.

[Bigvivec]

For most things I take an unplayable, which covers just about everything save local rules drops (storm grates being the big culprit on my home course)...ball comes to rest in the fairway and there is a rock the size of an egg buried just in front of the ball with just a nose sticking up above the ground the ball gets a nudge backwards cause I don't get my clubs for free...

[cosine]

Originally Posted by Bigvivec

...ball comes to rest in the fairway and there is a rock the size of an egg buried just in front of the ball with just a nose sticking up above the ground the ball gets a nudge backwards cause I don't get my clubs for free...

I ran into a situation like that last year; remembering that inspired this thread. I played it in the same manner.

Actually, what's worse are the approximately 12" in diameter concrete slabs in the ground that serve as distance markers. I've had balls come to rest right next to them. I usually roll the ball just a few inches over w/no penalty so that I won't hit the marker.

BTW, I've always been kind of hazy on the concept of an unplayable lie. What do the rules say? How are you supposed to relieve yourself of the unplayable lie in accordance with the rules?

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by cosine

BTW, I've always been kind of hazy on the concept of an unplayable lie. What do the rules say? How are you supposed to relieve yourself of the unplayable lie in accordance with the rules?

You can declare any lie as unplayable.

If you do so, you must first establish your nearest point of relief and drop within one clublength of that point with a penalty of one stroke.

That does not allow you to move the ball from, say, the woods to the fairway. All it allows for is to move the ball from an unplayable position (like the base of a tree, for example) to a point where you take a proper stance and can make an unencumbered swing. In the case of being in the woods, it will allow you to move the ball from the base of the tree but only to a point where you can safely make a shot and not be nearer to the hole, which might only be a few feet away. You'd still be in the woods, but you're now not swinging at tree roots.

In the case of cart paths, yardage markers, sprinkler heads, etc., these are all immovable obstructions and you are allowed relief from them with no penalty. (Within one club length of nearest point of relief not nearer the hole).

In the case of a rock sticking up out of the fairway which interferes with your swing, that is NOT an obstruction but is a natural occurence. You may declare the lie as unplayable, but you must incur a one-stroke penalty after establishing your nearest point, etc.

That's not word-for-word, but it's the gist of it.



-JP

[cosine]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

In the case of cart paths, yardage markers, sprinkler heads, etc., these are all immovable obstructions and you are allowed relief from them with no penalty. (Within one club length of nearest point of relief not nearer the hole).
-JP

Oh. I was thinking of incidents just like those when I started this thread. I've always rolled my ball a few inches away from obstructions like those so I wouldn't damage my clubs, all while incorrectly thinking I was supposed to be assessing myself a penalty stroke (which I never did).

Nevermind. This thread wasn't really necessary. I wasn't bending the rules to avoiding damaging my clubs, I was following the rules (mostly) even though I didn't know it!

[drstroud]

For casual rounds in a bunker if rocks are visible, I'll remove what I can see with no penalty. Bunkers (not waste hazared areas) are supposed to have sand, not rocks.

Rocks in bunkers are one of my golf pet peeves.

[cosine]

Originally Posted by drstroud

For casual rounds in a bunker if rocks are visible, I'll remove what I can see with no penalty. Bunkers (not waste hazared areas) are supposed to have sand, not rocks.

Rocks in bunkers are one of my golf pet peeves.

Are finding rocks in bunkers common in courses in your area? I can't recall ever seeing rocks or stones in the bunkers at courses around here.

[pick-it-up]

Originally Posted by drstroud

Rocks in bunkers are one of my golf pet peeves.

Big time! I usually take the rocks and move them to the cart path.

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by pick-it-up

Big time! I usually take the rocks and move them to the cart path.

ROFLMAO!

[drstroud]

Originally Posted by cosine

Are finding rocks in bunkers common in courses in your area? I can't recall ever seeing rocks or stones in the bunkers at courses around here.

Not common, but when it does happen, arrgggh!

[Dormie]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

You can declare any lie as unplayable.

If you do so, you must first establish your nearest point of relief and drop within one club length of that point with a penalty of one stroke.

That does not allow you to move the ball from, say, the woods to the fairway. All it allows for is to move the ball from an unplayable position (like the base of a tree, for example) to a point where you take a proper stance and can make an unencumbered swing. In the case of being in the woods, it will allow you to move the ball from the base of the tree but only to a point where you can safely make a shot and not be nearer to the hole, which might only be a few feet away. You'd still be in the woods, but you're now not swinging at tree roots.

Careful now. You don't necessarily get relief from an unplayable lie as you would when you take relief from say, a cart path.

Two club lengths in any direction from where the ball rests unplayable and that's it. Or, back to the spot you previous hit from, or a straight line back from the unplayable ball keeping in line with the flag.

[Leaguegolf]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

You can declare any lie as unplayable.

If you do so, you must first establish your nearest point of relief and drop within one clublength of that point with a penalty of one stroke.

That does not allow you to move the ball from, say, the woods to the fairway. All it allows for is to move the ball from an unplayable position (like the base of a tree, for example) to a point where you take a proper stance and can make an unencumbered swing. In the case of being in the woods, it will allow you to move the ball from the base of the tree but only to a point where you can safely make a shot and not be nearer to the hole, which might only be a few feet away. You'd still be in the woods, but you're now not swinging at tree roots.


That's not word-for-word, but it's the gist of it.

To quote Maxwell Smart............."You missed it by thaaaat much."

You might want to read the unplayable lie options (RULE 28) before giving such advice.

[atticusfinch]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

You can declare any lie as unplayable.

If you do so, you must first establish your nearest point of relief and drop within one clublength of that point with a penalty of one stroke.

That does not allow you to move the ball from, say, the woods to the fairway. All it allows for is to move the ball from an unplayable position (like the base of a tree, for example) to a point where you take a proper stance and can make an unencumbered swing.
-JP

This is not correct. There is no nearest point of relief from an unplayable lie and getting to a point where you have an unencumbered swiing and stance is not allowed. You can drop within two clublengths of the ball, or drop anywhere on a line between the hole and the ball or take stroke and distance.

[pick-it-up]

Atticus Finch would never lie!

[ringin]

Tennessee Tuxedo will not fail!

[JPsuff]

.




Jezz Louise!

You guys are a tough audience!


I said that was the gist of it. It's what I could conjure up from memory. It wasn't a verbatim dissertation on the actual rule.


Give a Polack a break, will ya'?



-JP