My friend had this out the pines earlier and claims because it’s not live he can dig a moat around it if the ball doesn’t move, is it allowed?
by mrkenjisan
FUN
My friend had this out the pines earlier and claims because it’s not live he can dig a moat around it if the ball doesn’t move, is it allowed?
by mrkenjisan
45 Comments
No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No
You can move loose impediments. You can’t dig though, so he could move the straw and the loose wood chips.
Does he also carry scissors in his cuffed shorts and cut the grass around his ball in the rough?
Tell him to just stick a tee in the ground
**Rule 8.1a** of the Rules of Golf specifies actions that a player is **not allowed** to take in order to **improve the conditions affecting their stroke.** The conditions that are protected under this rule include:
1. The **lie of the ball** (where the ball is resting).
2. The **area of the player’s intended stance** or swing.
3. The **line of play** (the direction in which the player intends for the ball to travel).
4. The **relief area** where the ball will be dropped or placed.
# Actions Prohibited by Rule 8.1a:
* Moving, bending, or breaking anything growing or fixed, such as **trees, grass, bushes, or objects**.
* **Pressing down** the ground, including by placing objects, such as clubs or feet, on it.
* Creating or eliminating irregularities in the ground (e.g., digging a moat around the ball).
* Removing dew, frost, or water from the ground around the ball.
# Exceptions:
* Actions taken **in the normal course of play** (such as fairly taking a stance or making a practice swing) are typically allowed, as long as they do not improve conditions deliberately.
If a player breaches Rule 8.1a, the penalty is usually **two strokes** in stroke play or **loss of hole** in match play.
2 stroke penalty for improving lie, and an additional 1 stroke penalty for wearing yellow shorts
How do you know it wasn’t like that?
How this dude thought he looked when he was explaining his analysis of the rules
Better question how much are you guys being paid to play?
If the answer is zero then who gives a shit just have fun
Patrick Reed?
Whilst this is illegal, in this instance I doubt he actually made the ball easier to hit, I mean it looks better, but his lie is still the same.
Thats assuming the ground was flat around the ball, and there wasnt some 3 inch high junks behind his ball.
Dont really see the point in taking the time to do this.
What a dork
You can move loose impediments, but this seems a little obsessive but as long as there is no digging or breaking of the ground he’s ok. I don’t get making a moat all the way around cuz you only need to get to the back of the ball to make a shot.
Ah, a fellow [CPG enthusiast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9g5jQXgSsM). A man of culture.
I’d say it’s fine yall aren’t in the pro leagues. That shit sucks.
Nerd shit
You can’t change the ground around the ball. You can clear out anything that’s loose and not attached.
100% legal as long as they were all loose
If you’re playing for fun, let it go.
If you’re playing for money…..tell him not to do it again and hit the fuckin ball.
Only a lefty golfer would do something like this
I genuinely can’t figure out how this would make the lie better? In what way does this help him. Just hit the ball and hope it comes out right. It’s sitting up pretty good imo!
How does that even improve the shot he has to make?
You can move loose impediments no problem. It’s hard to tell how much of what he did is legal or not. You can’t dig in the dirt to give your club a better path to impact, but if he just cleared the loose wood chips and pine straw, I think it is ok. I don’t know that it’s making it easier to hit anyway.
Slightly off topic, Had something similar a few weeks ago but it was the mulch plus gravel mix. Hit it as I didn’t want to take a drop. Afterwards we decided we should just drop it back onto the grass without taking a stroke off, no need to damage clubs paid for.
Left handed with cuffed shorts? I’m suspicious.
Legal or not. Dude is a bitch 😂
Does it matter at the end of the day? He probably shanked it out of that stuff and into some trees anyway. Lol
If your not competing for the tour why do you take it so seriously? WTF it’s your friend, enjoy the round the day, the beers!! Jesus Christ I see so many posts like this and wouldn’t want to play with any of your guys/girls. If someone called me out on something like this I’d probably bury them in the wood pile. Sincerely everyone’s crazy uncle/Marine.
This is a gentleman’s sport, might your friend be gently reminded?
Might as well just tee it up…😆
I can’t believe I spent four mins reading response to this.
How long have you and Patrick Reed been friends?
Friend is not good enough to quibble over the rules. Let him do what he wants just as long as he doesn’t slow down the pace of play. Also, gift him lessons for Christmas.
Assuming you aren’t playing for money, who cares?
Your friend is an idiot
I carry a spray bottle of roundup in my bag. A couple of squirts, a couple of minutes selecting the right club, and presto, a perfect lie.
Just toss him a tee and tell him to use that
Move the efing ball, yall ain’t playing for millions. Ridiculous!
The way I see it unless it’s a tournament setting or playing for money than just do it. Golf is supposed to be fun u don’t have to make the game any harder than it is
Party behind you is watching your friend fuck around in the dirt while you guys have a spirited debate about rules…
I’d hit into you guys if I had to watch that
But wait.. ultimately when striking the ball he’s still picking it off the same shit it’s sitting on. Why on earth would you need 6” clear in every direction?
Reed approves
No. But who cares. He still needs to hit the shot
Minus 2 strokes for letting his Mom dress him