Monday, December 4, 2017

Ask Linda #1656-Rolling the ball

Ask Linda #1656-Rolling the ball        

Linda,
Our course had a rough summer so we are playing lift clean and place in our own fairway. All was OK until some of the "snow birds" returned to Florida. We were marking our balls, lifting to clean and then placing the ball. Some of the girls from other courses insisted that it was permissible to "roll the ball." I feel, first of all, the ball before being moved should be marked. Also, the ball should not be moved by the club. We voted and the majority voted not to roll. However, I cannot find anything to back this up. Some insisted that there is no rule that states you cannot roll the ball with your club. Is there anything stating the correct procedure of Lift, Clean, and Place? This is our league day not a casual round of golf.
Lulu from Sarasota, Florida

Dear Lulu,

Would that we could all decide our own golf rules by majority vote…

Look at Appendix I, Part A (Local Rules) in the back of your rulebook. Read #3b, “Preferred Lies” and “Winter Rules.” You will learn that the ball must be marked before the player lifts it. The last paragraph of this Local Rule will tell you that if the player fails to mark the ball before lifting it, or moves the ball by rolling it with a club, she incurs a one-stroke penalty.

Your league committee may allow the players to vote on whether to adopt the Local Rule for “preferred lies” (lift, clean, and place), but the procedure for lift, clean, and place is not open to discussion.

Linda
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