Global Sports: What Winter Rules On The Golf Course

Monday, March 19, 2012

What Winter Rules On The Golf Course

By Jamie Faidley


As there are many golf courses around the world that experience the winter season, plenty of local courses have implemented what are generally called" winter rules." Winter rules are typically not covered by the US Golf Association (USGA) Rules manual. There is , however , a press release that explains its position regarding the winter rules.

According to the publicity release, the USGA won't recognize the winter rules. As a matter of fact, the USGA suggests that all the rules printed in its rules manual be used exclusively. The organisation points to Rule 7 (5) in its manual, covering the conditions when a golf course is under repair. However , in a compromise with local golf courses and committees, the USGA does understand that these courses and committees can make their own rules relating to the conditions of their golf courses.

The USGA states that it does understand that winter conditions vary from normal conditions of play, and they'd affect each part of the golf course during the months of winter. The Association does , however , desire these golf courses to particularly outline the rule changes applied to these winter conditions. A golf course mustn't ever, on a whim, just place a sign stating "Winter rules in effect today." The courses and local rules committees must outline the specific rule changes made and make those rule changes available to all golfers.

The winter rules used by local golf courses customarily relate to the lie of the golf ball (also known as "preferred lies"). This suggests that a player can pick up his ball, clean it and place it close to the spot where it was originally found. There are other winter rules that will apply to certain golf courses, but what you want not to forget is that these rules aren't recognized by the USGA.

A competition that is being played in vicious conditions is usually when rules will be set by the local rules council. The rule changes are called on so as to protect the course and provide a rather more nice game and a more fair competition for each player playing in the tournament.

Some of the rules covered include when the ball is inserted, how far the ball can be moved from its original location, where on the golf course preferred lies can be applied and anything else the guidelines board or golf course deem necessary to offer protection to the golf course. An instance of this is that some courses permit golfers to only take the chosen lies when their ball lands in the fairway, although not if their ball lands in the rough.

The winter rules that are adopted by the golf course or local rules panel must be very specific to stop golfers from exploiting the guidelines. The winter rules that are applied during the winter months are sometimes listed on the scorecards and are printed in detail so that each golfer playing during that time of the year can go over them prior to starting play.

As quickly as the winter months are over, a golf course always reverts to the rules released in the USGA Rules manual.




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