2 Rule Issues
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:31 am
There were a couple of thinks that came up in Beloit that I've seen over and over again. I thought some discussion would be good for infoming everyone.
*The first is the drop zone. When you have a drop zone for a hole, you DO NOT have to play from it, unless the TD states that it is MANDATORY to play from it. When you have a drop zone, you can play from it, re-tee, or play from where the disc was last in bounds.
The purpose of the drop zone is not to over-punish the player. Take #18 long at Oak Park, for example. If a player had to retee over that pond over and over, and they end up getting a 15 on the hole and losing all their discs, how fair would that be to the player who can't get over the pond? Sometimes however, the drop zone gives a much worse shot than where the shot went OB. This is the players choice. However, there have been a few tournaments where I have wondered if the TD intended for the drop zone to be mandatory and just didn't say it.
*The other issue is OB creeks. Take #13 or #14 in Beloit, for example. When a player throws into the creek, they are punished in a number of ways...
-Their throw went OB far away from the basket, so they are left with a difficult shot.
-They get a penalty stroke.
-They lose a disc.
Now by the rules, they need to play their next shot within 1 meter perpendicular to the location it was last inbounds. This area is often on the side of a bank (not safe) and covered with tall vegetation. This is a far tougher lie than taking it to the top of the bank and taking the 1 meter up there. Sure the player can take lateral relief by calling the lie unsafe, but that is another 2 stroke penalty on top of everything else.
I've always seen players play it from the top, though technically, this is illegal. I'm wondering if there are players out there who are playing this correctly? I don't think honest players should be punished. In these type of situations, I think the TD should inform everyone that lies can be taken from the top. I know TD's have a lot to think of, so this kind of thing can be easily over-looked.
*The first is the drop zone. When you have a drop zone for a hole, you DO NOT have to play from it, unless the TD states that it is MANDATORY to play from it. When you have a drop zone, you can play from it, re-tee, or play from where the disc was last in bounds.
The purpose of the drop zone is not to over-punish the player. Take #18 long at Oak Park, for example. If a player had to retee over that pond over and over, and they end up getting a 15 on the hole and losing all their discs, how fair would that be to the player who can't get over the pond? Sometimes however, the drop zone gives a much worse shot than where the shot went OB. This is the players choice. However, there have been a few tournaments where I have wondered if the TD intended for the drop zone to be mandatory and just didn't say it.
*The other issue is OB creeks. Take #13 or #14 in Beloit, for example. When a player throws into the creek, they are punished in a number of ways...
-Their throw went OB far away from the basket, so they are left with a difficult shot.
-They get a penalty stroke.
-They lose a disc.
Now by the rules, they need to play their next shot within 1 meter perpendicular to the location it was last inbounds. This area is often on the side of a bank (not safe) and covered with tall vegetation. This is a far tougher lie than taking it to the top of the bank and taking the 1 meter up there. Sure the player can take lateral relief by calling the lie unsafe, but that is another 2 stroke penalty on top of everything else.
I've always seen players play it from the top, though technically, this is illegal. I'm wondering if there are players out there who are playing this correctly? I don't think honest players should be punished. In these type of situations, I think the TD should inform everyone that lies can be taken from the top. I know TD's have a lot to think of, so this kind of thing can be easily over-looked.