‘WINTER RULES’ / PREFERRED LIES / EMBEDDED BALL RELIEF
2016.
1. GENERAL:
(a) The following ‘Winter Rules’ will operate, with immediate effect, until 30th April
2017, or until such earlier time that the Committee may determine. These ‘Winter
Rules’ supersede all previously published versions.
2. PREFERRED LIES:
(a) “A ball lying on a closely-mown area1 through the green2 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 six inches of, and not nearer
the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting
green.
(b) 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 is placed, Rule 20-3d
applies.
(c) 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.
(d) If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ballmarker prior to putting the ball back in play or moves the ball in any other manner,
such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.
(e) [PENALTY FOR BREACH OF THIS RULE: Match Play - Loss of Hole. Stroke Play - 2
Strokes.]
3. RELIEF FOR EMBEDDED BALL: [Rule25-2] & APPENDIX 1, PART A, SECTION 3a, RoG.
(a) On the putting green: “A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark, on the putting green,
may be lifted, without penalty, and cleaned if desired, and any damage caused by
the impact of the ball may be repaired [Rules 16-1b and c]. The position of the ball
must be marked before it is lifted.” The ball must then be replaced.
(b) Through the green: “‘Through the green’, a ball that is embedded in its own pitchmark may be lifted, without penalty, cleaned and dropped as near as possible to
1
‘Closely-mown area’ means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height
or less.
2
‘Through the green’ is the whole area of the course except the teeing ground and putting green of the hole
being played and all hazards on the course.
Handicaps & Competitions Committee,
October 2016
P.T.O.
where it lay but not nearer the hole. The ball when dropped must first strike a part
of the course ‘through the green’.”
(c) Exceptions: “1. A player may not take relief under R3(b) above if the ball is
embedded in sand in an area that is not closely-mown.
(d) 2. A player may not take relief under this Local Rule if interference by anything other
than the condition covered by this Local Rule makes the stroke clearly
impracticable.”
4. TEEING MATS:
(a) Where Teeing Mats are in use, Players must use them and the mats shall be the
recognised Teeing Ground.
5. ATTENDING THE FLAG:
(a) In order to reduce the risk of damaging the surfaces of the Putting Greens during the
period when ‘Winter Rules’ operate, the Flagstick is to be left unattended when
putting out; no penalty will be incurred if the Flagstick is struck by the ball.
(b) The Flagstick may be removed from the Hole, if preferred, but it shall not be
attended at any time.
(c) N.B. Rules 5a and 5b shall not apply during Competitions.
6. WHEN TEMPORARY GREENS ARE ‘IN PLAY’ - MANDATORY ‘PERMANENT GREEN’ RELIEF
PROCEDURE:
(a) When a Temporary Green is in play, any ball coming to rest on the associated
permanent Green for that hole shall be deemed to be lying on a ‘Wrong Putting
Green’3
(b) Accordingly, Relief must be taken under Rule 25-3, as follows:
(c) “A player whose ball lies on a Wrong Putting Green must not play the ball as it lies.
(d) The player must, without penalty, lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of
the nearest point of relief, but not nearer the hole of the Temporary Green.
(e) The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard nor on a putting green.
(f) When dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball
must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the wrong
putting green.
(g) Interference to a player’s stance or area of intended swing is not, of itself,
interference under this Rule.
(h) The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule.
3
A ‘Wrong Putting Green’ is any putting green other than that of the Hole being played.
Handicaps & Competitions Committee,
October 2016
P.T.O.
7. WHEN TEMPORARY GREENS ARE NOT IN PLAY, BUT ARE PREPARED FOR USE MANDATORY RELIEF PROCEDURE:
(a) A ball coming to rest on a Temporary Green which is not in use but is close-cut and
marked by a White Circle in readiness for use must be lifted and dropped off the
Temporary Green, without penalty, within one club length of and not nearer the
hole than the nearest point of relief.
CLARIFICATION:
Should you require clarification on any point at all relating to the above ‘Winter Rules’,
please just email Brian on [email protected]
Handicaps & Competitions Committee,
October 2016
P.T.O.