Plugged Ball Local Rule?

ShriekingSheet

My club doesn't have this local rule, which can be annoying at this time of year. Interested to know if most clubs do or don't have it, and if there's any real rationale in not having it. Personally, I don't see a reason why you wouldn't.

What local rule? The general rules of golf say that when your ball plugs in it's own pitch mark on a closely mown area (usually fairway, green, fringe) you may lift, clean and drop it free of charge. If your ball plugs in the rough, it's tough sh*t, ie: hit it or drop for a stroke.
A few years ago, the R&A said clubs could put in place a local rule, that allowed a free drop, regardless of whether the ball plugged in rough or fairway. Some clubs have this in place, others don't.

Is there any reason we shouldn't all just have it in place (especially with Irish weather)? Do some people actually not know what their club have in place?

alxmorgan

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

My club doesn't have this local rule, which can be annoying at this time of year. Interested to know if most clubs do or don't have it, and if there's any real rationale in not having it. Personally, I don't see a reason why you wouldn't.

What local rule? The general rules of golf say that when your ball plugs in it's own pitch mark on a closely mown area (usually fairway, green, fringe) you may lift, clean and drop it free of charge. If your ball plugs in the rough, it's tough sh*t, ie: hit it or drop for a stroke.
A few years ago, the R&A said clubs could put in place a local rule, that allowed a free drop, regardless of whether the ball plugged in rough or fairway. Some clubs have this in place, others don't.

Is there any reason we shouldn't all just have it in place (especially with Irish weather)? Do some people actually not know what their club have in place?

Don't think my club do but they all should IMO. You've hit the rough....that's punishment enough without having to take an unplayable on top of it.
To me punishment doesn't fit the crime.

dar_cool

No

My club has it in place for both fairway and rough and i think all clubs should have it. Especially in the non summer months

For Paws

I'm not actually sure

My own Club doesn't have this Local Rule in place.

In previous years the Committee had it in place for the 'winter', but it hasn't reappeared.

Played in a Comp, on another (well known) Course last year & plugged in the grass face of a Par 3 green side bunker.
Checked the score card. No Local rule. Decided to go with 28.(c). Got up & down from the sand for bogey. Went in to sign card & mentioned this to the Pro.
He says 'Oh yeah, that Local Rule is in place, we must get around to putting something on the score cards'.

Oh how we laughed about that one.

spacecoyote

I'm not actually sure

I've seen it on scorecards in clubs, but its not there in my own.

n2o

No

We brought it in this year as part of a Local Rules rewrite. The way Irish weather is it doesn't make sense not to. In saying that, if we weren't making bigger changes I doubt it would have happened.

GreeBo

We dont have this...doesnt the PGA have it, which often causes confusion for US Tour players playing outside of the PGA events?
(I vaguely remember someone getting done for it before, maybe in the Irish Open? and Tiger was done just recently)

ssbob

GreeBo wrote: »

We dont have this...doesnt the PGA have it, which often causes confusion for US Tour players playing outside of the PGA events?
(I vaguely remember someone getting done for it before, maybe in the Irish Open? and Tiger was done just recently)

Tiger got done cause the ball was actually plugged in sand and he had assumed it was turf! The area he took the drop in happened to be a designated bunker!

GreeBo

ssbob wrote: »

Tiger got done cause the ball was actually plugged in sand and he had assumed it was turf! The area he took the drop in happened to be a designated bunker!

Even if it was turf though it was still illegal right?
He wasnt on a closely mown area (based on the bushes infront of him!)

ssbob

GreeBo wrote: »

Even if it was turf though it was still illegal right?
He wasnt on a closely mown area (based on the bushes infront of him!)

It depends on the rules of any given tournament!

n2o

No

GreeBo wrote: »

Even if it was turf though it was still illegal right?
He wasnt on a closely mown area (based on the bushes infront of him!)

Both USGA and European Tour have the local rule in place for their competitions.

USGA explanation here.... http://www.usga.org/ourexpertsexplain.aspx?id=21474853834

alxmorgan

n2o wrote: »

Both USGA and European Tour have the local rule in place for their competitions.

USGA explanation here.... http://www.usga.org/ourexpertsexplain.aspx?id=21474853834

So the pros don't get penalised when the ball plugs in the rough but most of us amateurs do :rolleyes:

Bit of a no-brainer for me....clubs sort it out !!

n2o

No

alxmorgan wrote: »

So the pros don't get penalised when the ball plugs in the rough but most of us amateurs do :rolleyes:

Bit of a no-brainer for me....clubs sort it out !!

And they're not even playing in Irish weather!!

PARlance

I'm not actually sure

alxmorgan wrote: »

So the pros don't get penalised when the ball plugs in the rough but most of us amateurs do :rolleyes:

Bit of a no-brainer for me....clubs sort it out !!

Think I've watched all the european tour events so far this year and they have had placing on quite a number of rounds... The one thing I haven't seen yet is footage of a pro lift, cleaning and placing.

I was wondering if the TV stations are under instructions not to show it?
Do they feel it lessens the event?

(Just back from lunch with Jim Corr )

n2o

No

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Think I've watched all the european tour events so far this year and they have had placing on quite a number of rounds... The one thing I haven't seen yet is footage of a pro lift, cleaning and placing.

I was wondering if the TV stations are under instructions not to show it?
Do they feel it lessens the event?

(Just back from lunch with Jim Corr )

Preferred lies on the tour also means a club length while the rest of us have to make do with 6 inches.

GreeBo

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Think I've watched all the european tour events so far this year and they have had placing on quite a number of rounds... The one thing I haven't seen yet is footage of a pro lift, cleaning and placing.

I was wondering if the TV stations are under instructions not to show it?
Do they feel it lessens the event?

(Just back from lunch with Jim Corr )

The pros often play "lift, clean and replace" rather than place.
This is to allow you to remove mud from the ball but you get the exact same lie that you had previously.

In the past the European Tour didnt employ the local rule for a ball embedded in the rough, it appears that it has changed to be aligned with the PGA now though.

SnowDrifts

I'm not actually sure

My club unfortunately does not have a local rule which can be ridiculously unfair at times. On the first hole, a par 5, there is a small bank of semi rough right in the middle of the fairway which is at an average carry distance. Have been plugged in it a few times during the "summer" and it's infuriating to say the least.

The only reason I can think of why a club might not implement it is because the rule might be taken advantage of. Paddy hits his ball into the rough and deduces that it must be plugged so takes it upon himself to take relief on a nice flattened down section of rough beside where his ball is "plugged".

alxmorgan

SnowDrifts wrote: »

My club unfortunately does not have a local rule which can be ridiculously unfair at times. On the first hole, a par 5, there is a small bank of semi rough right in the middle of the fairway which is at an average carry distance. Have been plugged in it a few times during the "summer" and it's infuriating to say the least.

The only reason I can think of why a club might not implement it is because the rule might be taken advantage of. Paddy hits his ball into the rough and deduces that it must be plugged so takes it upon himself to take relief on a nice flattened down section of rough beside where his ball is "plugged".

Cheaters gonna cheat. Don't penalise the rest of us because of it.

Boskowski

No

My own club has it in place and I think it's only fair.

SnowDrifts

I'm not actually sure

alxmorgan wrote: »

Cheaters gonna cheat. Don't penalise the rest of us because of it.

Oh I fully agree. But that is the only reason I could possibly come up with as to why some clubs would not implement the local rule.

What makes it even more ridiculous is that, as stated above, both pro tours have a hard card rule for embedded balls through the green. If pros dont have to play out of a plugged lie, why should we?

slave1

One question guys, if your ball is embedded in the rough (no local rule) and you take an unplayable lie and drop;are you entitled to clean your ball?

SnowDrifts

I'm not actually sure

slave1 wrote: »

One question guys, if your ball is embedded in the rough (no local rule) and you take an unplayable lie and drop;are you entitled to clean your ball?

Yeah, you are allowed to clean the ball alright.

Golfgraffix

No

I am pretty much sure we just brought it in for plugged lies in a bunker revetted face. I must check out the specifics.

J

Almaviva

No

SnowDrifts wrote: »

that is the only reason I could possibly come up with as to why some clubs would not implement the local rule.

I dont think its just a concern about cheaters abusing the rule. I would guess the timeless motivation was more; if you hit it in the rough, then tough.

While on fairways and in the first cut, a plugged ball is clearly so. But in the rough it is not always so. Distinguishing between a ball genuiney plugged in the ground in the rough, and one that is simply deeply embedded in some thick or matted grass, or moss, etc is not always so - even if there is no cheating motivation.

And I would tend towards a preference for the idea that if you have strayed from the prepared areas of the course then you kinda deserve having to take whatever punishment the ball finds for you.

For me, first cut or semi-rough is where no relief seems harsh, so the best IMO, and not sure how it would be defined, but would be relief in that situation, but not from longer rough, unmaintained jungle, etc.

Anyone have a local rule that makes any distinction like that ?

Wichita Lineman

No

I'm open to correction on this but I was told GUI advice is that a local rule for plugged balls in rough can only be used on a competition by competition basis and cannot be brought in on a permanent basis. I'd be interested to see if any else was told this.