Rules Question

[Schoen-hopper]

It seems like I should know this and that some other golfer probably do.

Question: Can players alter their stance by using objects to stand on?


I've heard that it is legal to put down a towell to tee off of. What allows for this in the rules?

Another situation is casual water. Say you have 1-2 inches of water. I think the rule is play it where it lies or backwards on the line of play to nearest relief. Is that correct for casual water?

If a player throws a rock down to stand on, is that legal? What if the player marks his lie with a mini, doesn't remove his disc from the playing surface, and then stands on his disc. Is that legal?

[Anita]

It seems like I should know this and that some other golfer probably do.

Question: Can players alter their stance by using objects to stand on?


I've heard that it is legal to put down a towel to tee off of. What allows for this in the rules?


There is no rule that says you can't. Some argue that using a towel is "improving your lie" which I hear is true in ball golf. I use a towel if I have to kneel in mud or on pine needles. The pine needles give me a rash. So in a way, I'm taking relief from loose leaves and debris as stated in 803.05C

Another situation is casual water. Say you have 1-2 inches of water. I think the rule is play it where it lies or backwards on the line of play to nearest relief. Is that correct for casual water?

It says in 803.05C2 that you can move your disc back along the line of play up to 5 M with no penalty for casual water.

If a player throws a rock down to stand on, is that legal? What if the player marks his lie with a mini, doesn't remove his disc from the playing surface, and then stands on his disc. Is that legal?

I don't see a problem with standing on your disc if there is a mini in front of it. Again, there is no rule stating you can't. There is nothing in the rule book about "improving your lie" in such a way. So in my book, it's legal.

[Schoen-hopper]

Looks like the rules aren't extremely clear on this. I was sent this link to a similar PDGA forum discussion.

http://www.pdga.com/msgboard/showflat.p ... w=1#UNREAD


It seems that the consensus is that you can improve your stance with objects you bring with you, but that objects part of the course, such as rocks, may not be moved.

These answers aren't really clear just from reading the rules, but I hope enough consensus in these interpretations can be made so that its not an issue every time something like this comes up.

[Anita]

Just remember that "discussion board" consensus isn't the same as actual rules committee consensus.

IMO, you can move things that are not in front of your lie. You can move a stick or rock that is behind your disc. If you want to toss a rock down to use as a wedge for footing, fine.

The rules shouldn't be so detailed to cover any possible situation. That would make them practically unuseable. Keep it simple, stupid.

[Schoen-hopper]

Your right.

I'm just thinking that if I had thought these actions were illegal, how many other players think the same way?

You can't exactly prove the reason why this is legal if someone wanted to call you on it, so I can see this sort of thing being a group decision.