Rounds played under "winter rules" Count

Up here in the Northeast, we are not so lucky when it comes to golfing in nice conditions year round. To compensate for frozen grounds, wet conditions, leaves all over the place and just plain old crappy weather, we have what is called winter rules.

What are winter rules? Basically you get a preferred lie everywhere on the golf course with no penalty but does this mean you can hockey puck the ball around till you feel justice is served? To some of you, I am sure short of teeing it up everywhere is considered winter rules, right? Um no.

And when you play winter rules, I don’t post a score either right? Um wrong again.

I received this Handicap FAQ of the month and would like to share it with everyone to clarify all the homemade rules that go on in every clubhouse.

Scores made when a local rule for preferred lies and/or winter rules is in effect must be posted for handicap purposes unless the committee (preferably the Handicap Committee in consultation with the committee in charge of the course) determines that conditions are so poor that such scores should not be posted. Individual players playing the course do not independently decide whether scores are acceptable because of this condition. If an individual decides to apply some form of this local rule and the committee has not invoked such a rule, the player’s score is acceptable and must be posted for handicap purposes.

Adverse conditions, including the poor condition of the course or the existence of mud, are sometimes so general, particularly during winter months that the committee may decide to grant relief by temporary local rule either to protect the course or to promote fair and pleasant
play. The local rule should be withdrawn as soon as the conditions warrant.

If the committee decides to adopt such a Local Rule, it should publish Specimen Local Rule 4c in “The Rules of Golf,” Rule 33-8a and in Appendix I of “The Rule of Golf.” However, Specimen Local Rule 4c may not be printed or referred to on a scorecard as it is of limited duration. (“The Rules of Golf,” Appendix I, Part B, 4c.)

Preferred Lies and Winter Rules
Occasional local abnormal conditions that might interfere with fair play and are not widespread may be defined as ground under repair (“The Rules of Golf,” Rule 25).

However, adverse conditions, such as heavy snows, spring thaws, prolonged rains, or extreme heat can make fairways unsatisfactory and sometimes prevent use of heavy mowing equipment. When these conditions are so general throughout a course that the committee believes preferred lies or winter rules would promote fair play or help protect the course, the following Local Rule is recommended:

“A ball lying on a closely mown area through the green [or specify a more restricted area, e.g., at the 6th hole] 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 [specify area, e.g., six inches, one club-length, etc.] of and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

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 was placed, Rule 20-3d applies. 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.

If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

Note: “Closely mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

*PENALTY FOR BREACH OF LOCAL RULE:

Match play – Loss of hole; Stroke play – Two strokes

*If a player incurs the general penalty for a breach of this Local Rule, no additional penalty under the Local Rule is applied.”

For example, in stroke play, a player who incurs a two stroke penalty for incorrectly invoking the local rule when it was not declared in effect will not also receive a one-stroke penalty for failing to mark the position of the ball before lifting it.

Do yourself a favor, print this rule and post it in your clubhouse. It is very important to stay consistent with all your golfers to keep the integrity of this game going.