Every month former MGA Senior Director of Rules and Competitions Gene Westmoreland will answer one question posed by the readers of the MGA e-Revision Newsletter (click here to sign up). Gene recently received the following Rules question from a reader:

Q: In the early morning before a competition, there was standing water present and soggy fairway conditions. It was determined at that time that we should lift, clean and place, but conditions improved and those who teed off later did not approve of the decision. Some participants were convinced that it wasn’t permissible under the Rules. Is lift, clean and place permissible and, if so, under what circumstances should it be applied?

Gene responds:

Winter Rules or “preferred lies” are a Local Rule put into effect if conditions are so prevalent that playing under the Rules of Golf would not be practical. It is up to the Committee in charge of a competition to determine if conditions are such that the use of this Local Rule is warranted. In truth, too many clubs use Winter Rules far too often, but their use is permitted under Rules.

Before resorting to “Winter Rules,” a Committee should remember that the Rules cover casual water and embedded balls, and there is a Local Rule that a Committee could choose to use that would allow players to lift, clean and replace their balls if the concern is balls ending up with mud on them after virtually every shot. This Local Rule is not the same as Winter Rules because the ball must be returned to the exact same position it is lifted from – you do not get to “improve” your lie.

 

Bottom line: “Winter Rules” are permitted under the Rules of Golf, but it should be a “Last Resort,” not your first choice.

 

 

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