Adverse/Extreme Weather Conditions

Preferred Lies

What this means for Royal Eastbourne Golf Club members & visitors when in play

When your ball is in the fairway you can lift, clean and replace. You must mark the position of your golf ball before lifting. You can then clean the ball and replace within one club length or the original position no nearer to the hole. This includes between the black posts on the 3rd hole and within 2 club lengths of temporary greens if in play. If your ball is on the fringe of the green then Cleaning the Ball will be used.

The Rule

"When any part of a player's ball touches part of the general area cut to fairway height, the player may take free relief once by placing the original ball or another ball in and playing it from this relief area: • Reference Point: Spot of the original ball. • Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: one club-length from the reference point, but with these limits: • Limits on Location of Relief Area: o Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and o Must be in the general area. In proceeding under this Local Rule, the player must choose a spot to place the ball and use the procedures for replacing a ball under Rules 14.2b(2) and 14.2e. But, for the purposes of applying Rule 14.2e, the player has only chosen the spot on which to place the ball once the ball has been set down, and the player has let the ball go with the intent for that ball to be in play.After a ball has been placed and is in play under this Local Rule, if the player then proceeds under another Rule that provides relief, this Local Rule may be used again.

  Cleaning the ball

What this means for Royal Eastbourne Golf Club members & visitors

This will be in play for fringes of greens only unless specified on the course status. You can lift, clean and replace as preferred lies but your ball must go back in the exact same position and lie it was lifted from.

The rule

"When a player's ball lies in [identify area, such as the general area, at the 6th hole, in the general area cut to fairway height or less, etc.], the ball may be lifted, cleaned and replaced without penalty. The player must mark the spot of the ball before lifting it (see Rule 14.1) and the ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Local Rule: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a."

Some other reminders for during these periods

1. A ball in a plugged lie General Area (i.e. anywhere except in a hazard or on the green) maybe marked, lifted, cleaned and dropped at no penalty.

2. All hoops, temporary fences, ropes etc. placed by the Green staff CAN be removed and should be treated as ‘movable obstructions’ (Rule 16.1). This includes the black fairway marker posts used on the 3 rd hole. On completion of their shot the player MUST replace the obstruction in its previous location.

3. Where abnormal ground conditions (Rule: 16.1)) are caused by heavy traffic or footfall as a direct result of hoops, ropes etc. placed by Green staff, relief in General Area may be taken – the player may lift the ball clean and drop it within one club length of the nearest point of relief and not nearer the hole on a part of the course that avoids interference with the immovable obstruction under NO penalty.

4. Whenever possible, all competitions will be ‘qualifying’. This will not be possible if more than two temporary greens are used or if the length of the course is shortened by 100 yards or more.

5. Winter Tee Mats: where present, winter tee mats comprise the teeing ground. When starting a hole from a winter tee the player must take his stance on, and play a ball from, the mat. Failure to do so results in loss of hole in match play, or a two-stroke penalty and replaying of the stroke-on-stroke play (Rule 6.1b). The ‘two club length’ rule does NOT apply and all shots must be played off the mat – the tee markers should always be considered to be at the front edge of the mat.

6. If your ball rests on the main green whilst a separate temporary green is in play - you must take relief under the Rules of Golf (GUR). However, if the pin has been placed in the fringe/ collar area of the main green, as occurs sometimes on the 14th , 15th & 18th holes and your ball rests on the main green – you must putt the ball from where it lies.