Guys i like most dont drive it stright all the time an some times i hit on to a other fairway is there any pentelys for doing so The other day i hit the ball an it went 3 fairways over. just wanted to know i am geting a rules book soon to lean some more rules but there is so many.

There nopenalty for hitting the ball to another fairway (unless the other fairway is out of bounds).

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the fairway a non-entity in as far as the Rules go?

There is the teeing ground, the course, hazards, and the green (and maybe the odd obstruction or two).
You hit the ball by a succession of strokes from the nominated teeing ground to the nominated hole.

The idea of a ‘fairway’ is a purely notional one, where there is a closely mown, cleared area from where strokes can be made without interference by natural things (trees, bushes, heath, etc).

There is the rule about embedded ball – free relief from a ball in its own pitch mark on any closely mown area (fairway height or less) (Rule 25-2). That’s the only one I can find that refers to ‘fairway’.

We had a local rule about not intentionally playing a particular neighboring fairway (as there is some advantage if you have the distance off the tee), but that local rule has gone, as I suspect there was no basis for it in the Rules. Short of declaring internal OOB from particular locations, you can play any part of the course in getting from the tee to the hole.

peter

Also along a similar line to the original question, if a course is playing preferred lies on the fairways only, does it still apply if you’re on the next fairway over to the hole you’re currently playing. I had a playing partner last week telling me this wasn’t the case (also happened to be a time when i landed in a sand filled divot on the adjacent fairway.

Preferred lies can only be the subject of a Local Rule.
The relevant Specimen LR (Appendix 1, Part B, 4c) says

“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.”

If the ‘course’ is playing preferred lies, then you get preferred lies anywhere on any closely-mown area.

peter

“just wanted to know i am geting a rules book soon to lean some more rules but there is so many.”
Sandy_Otto
Only 34 Rules…but there is a lot to learn!
Keep looking here..you will learn a lot.
When you get your Rule Book have a good look at the new section in the early part of the Book, A Quick Guide To The Rules Of Golf
It is really good. It even has a diagram on finding a Nearest Point of Relief!
I envy you hitting three fairways wide…you must be able to smash it!

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the fairway a non-entity in as far as the Rules go?

I’d say not because ‘fairway height’ is used in the definition of ‘closely mown’, so it’s meaning must be unambiguous to require no further definition.

Can a Local Rule specify preferred lies on the fairway only? I’d like to hear what the other here think but the specimen Local Rule does allow a more restrictive area than ‘closely mown’ to be specified. Maybe ‘fairways’ isn’t specific enough?

So our preferred lies ‘local rule’ is a sign on the pro shop counter saying “30cm preferred lies on fairways”. Non-approved of course. Whether or not it can be called a Local Rule, the whole field will be taking it and I’d be crazy not to.

Of course it only took me 4 holes to land on a tee-box requiring a preferred lie for the delicate flop required, just wishing it had said ‘closely mown’.

More than 80% of Club players don’t understand the meaning of “closely mown areas, through the green”.
Some will then take this as “through the green”.
It is pathetic.
I was at NSW country town’s 36 hole amateur open championship about five years ago. I was there as a competitor (B grade).
It had been very wet and preferred lies closely mown areas through the green was in place on the noticeboard.
There were players infringing the Local Rule all over the course.
It was a shambles.
I think the top contenders (the guns), were OK but I really don’t know.
I decided to not discuss this with the Committee.
Steb,
A Committee can do as you suggest but the non-conforming Local Rule will not be interpreted by the authorites (eg NSWGA) in the event of some problem being referred.

At our club local rules are printed on cards no.2 states…

A ball lying on the fairway of the hole being played, including the fairway mark may be lifted cleaned and placed once only, within one club length and not nearer the hole, without penalty.

I’ve never been any where that you can take a prefered lie anywhere other than the fairway being played ,with the exception of some ambrose events in an attempt to keep play moving.

A permanent Local Rule on preferred lies?
I keep on getting surprised here!

Does the Local Rule say, that the player only can take relief on the fairway on the hole being played?

A ball lying on the fairway of the hole being played, including the fairway mark may be lifted cleaned and placed once only, ...

Maybe I’m not thinking straight at the moment but what is ‘the fairway mark’? Have you got lines sprayed along the edges of your fairways?

i wished i smashed it but have problems swining my driver on plane an have a real bad slice when itsa nowere near plane but i am working on it i tape out at 180 ish with the big slice an can strech it to 200 210 wit a little fade

A permanent Local Rule on preferred lies?
I keep on getting surprised here!

We’re the wide, brown land RD, not the green and pleasant one :-)

Used to play a course where you could prefer the nearest bit of grass, no distance limit.

On some courses in OZ you actually have to carry the fairway (mat) with you!

Used to play a course where you could prefer the nearest bit of grass, no distance limit.

It’s surprisingly easy to hole a 50-foot putt when you lie 10.

I hope still no closer to the green though!

A ball lying on the fairway of the hole being played, including the fairway mark may be lifted cleaned and placed once only, ...

Maybe I’m not thinking straight at the moment but what is ‘the fairway mark’? Have you got lines sprayed along the edges of your fairways?

Yeah Steb a small furrow actually fn hard to tell whats what sometimes , our watering system is in the lap of the gods mate .
Nothing grows as you want it to ,no grow no mow.

No Doc we piss on any tree we like not on the fairways

A ball lying on the fairway of the hole being played, including the fairway mark may be lifted cleaned and placed once only, ...

Maybe I’m not thinking straight at the moment but what is ‘the fairway mark’? Have you got lines sprayed along the edges of your fairways?

---

Yeah Steb a small furrow actually fn hard to tell whats what sometimes , our watering system is in the lap of the gods mate .
Nothing grows as you want it to ,no grow no mow.

No Doc we piss on any tree we like not on the fairways

Do you have sand scrapes too? Course I grew up on has fairway furrows and a pretty much permanent (never been off in the last 10 years) preferred lie within a club length on the fairway being played rule. Then again, only open 6 months of the year and rainfall is the irrigation system.

A ball lying on the fairway of the hole being played, including the fairway mark may be lifted cleaned and placed once only, ...

Maybe I’m not thinking straight at the moment but what is ‘the fairway mark’? Have you got lines sprayed along the edges of your fairways?

---

Yeah Steb a small furrow actually fn hard to tell whats what sometimes , our watering system is in the lap of the gods mate .
Nothing grows as you want it to ,no grow no mow.

No Doc we piss on any tree we like not on the fairways

Do you have sand scrapes too? Course I grew up on has fairway furrows and a pretty much permanent (never been off in the last 10 years) preferred lie within a club length on the fairway being played rule. Then again, only open 6 months of the year and rainfall is the irrigation system.

down and out…did ya get that?

All of the above Toolish dont know about other states but in S.A. theres a lot of clubs that do all this , we manage to stay open more than 6 months . Scrapes are great some of these fancy courses will be awsome once they upgrade to scrapes mate:-)))

Stop mowing at a certain point to allow natural seeding etc.

Its a shame not having water but what do you do.
Still good rains at present course is the best its been for a long time so they say (only been playing here 2years). so hopfully will get good seed for next year and make it better again.

Sorry gettin off track. Any way thats why have local rules permanent i guess because conditions ar basicly permanent.

I’d like to hear what the other here think but the specimen Local Rule does allow a more restrictive area than ‘closely mown’ to be specified. Maybe ‘fairways’ isn’t specific enough?

It may well be that the club wishes to restrict the ‘preferred lies’ to a particular fairway (or fairways) or even a particular area of a fairway if the conditions (mus etc) are in a confined area or part of the course. Often the nature of the ground is quite different when a course has extended from 9 to 18 holes say.