Winter Rules Preferred Lies – A ball lying ’Through the Green/General Area’ may be lifted, without penalty, and cleaned. Before lifting the ball, the player must mark its position. Having lifted the ball, the player may place it on a spot within One Club Length of, and not nearer the hole than where it originally lay, that is not in a hazard and not on the putting green. NB ‘Through the Green/General Area’ means any area of the course except hazards and bunkers. If a player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, the player incurs a penalty of One Stroke. A player may place his ball only once, and it is in play when it has been placed (Rule 20-4). If the ball fails to come to rest on the spot on which it is placed, it must be placed at the nearest where it can come to rest, not nearer the hole, not in a hazard or bunker (Rule 20-3d). If the ball when placed comes to rest on the spot on which it was placed and it subsequently moves, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.
IN ADDITION - If the ball lies on a tractor rut, or the player’s stance is on a tractor rut, the nearest point of relief must then be determined, and the ball may then be placed within ‘One Club Length’ of that point, not nearer the hole. The ball when placed is then in play.
PENALTY FOR BREACH OF RULE
Matchplay – Loss of Hole; Strokeplay – Two Strokes
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