Cleaning your ball

Think this might be an interesting question to ask... expert please share your knowledge....

Sometimes fairway are soft and when your ball land, picks up soil...

What do you normally do?

Mark your ball on the fairway/rough and cleans it?

Or

Just play through?

By the way is it legal to clean your ball up while approaching green (second or third shot)?

No mate. Mud is considered "rub of the green"...which is a scottish way of saying "tough luck"...or "those are the breaks be it good or bad".

Some experts say that they play the ball depending on where the mud is stuck to...like if its on the right side of the ball, it might curve towards that direction after impact. Personally, I dun care and just hit it to where I aim since no one can prove that the mud will still stick after impact.

no, you cannot mark and pick up your ball to clean it unless it is on the green...
even if there is mud/sand/grass, u have to play it.

but if its plugged into the fairway, or greenside, u can pick it up.
but question is:
i) can clean the ball?
ii) must drop or can place?

If all your playing agree, all can play "preferred lies". After every shot, mark the ball, clean it, put it back and play from there. It is ok if everyone does the same. Even in competition. I think the only exception is when it is in the hazard, ie bunker and long grass.

At least this is what I was taught.

lennylim wrote:

but if its plugged into the fairway, or greenside, u can pick it up.
but question is:
i) can clean the ball?
ii) must drop or can place?

If the ball is plugged on the fairway or greenside, you may lift & clean, then drop as near as possible to where it was plugged (Rule 25-2).

the plugged hole must be made by your ball and not a plug hole that is already there... wonder how to determine.....

correct me if i'm wrong...

weesern wrote:

the plugged hole must be made by your ball and not a plug hole that is already there... wonder how to determine.....

correct me if i'm wrong...

U r right! As to how to determine, if it is created by ur own hole, the ball will sit pretty tight in the hole, versus when ur ball roll into another ball mark, it will be very lose. But when in doubt, confer with ur other flight mates or opponents, & assume it is ur own ball mark!

Where did you guys get all the rules and chapters from ah?? Very curious. DO you guys memorise them all??

get it from the rule book

rocky wrote:

If all your playing agree, all can play "preferred lies". After every shot, mark the ball, clean it, put it back and play from there. It is ok if everyone does the same. Even in competition. I think the only exception is when it is in the hazard, ie bunker and long grass.

At least this is what I was taught.

Not totally correct.

rocky wrote:

If all your playing agree, all can play "preferred lies". After every shot, mark the ball, clean it, put it back and play from there. It is ok if everyone does the same. Even in competition. I think the only exception is when it is in the hazard, ie bunker and long grass.

At least this is what I was taught.

The committe has to endorse this your flight cannot just say "we are playing preffered lies today", for a competition anyway, if you are just playing socially it does not matter.

shorthitter wrote:

rocky wrote:

If all your playing agree, all can play "preferred lies". After every shot, mark the ball, clean it, put it back and play from there. It is ok if everyone does the same. Even in competition. I think the only exception is when it is in the hazard, ie bunker and long grass.

At least this is what I was taught.

The committe has to endorse this your flight cannot just say "we are playing preffered lies today", for a competition anyway, if you are just playing socially it does not matter.

In competition, the Committee MUST made the Preferred Lies is in effect. Only applicable in closely mowned area.

In social game, if there isn't any Local Rules of this nature, they should play the ball as it lies. Or otherwise, it would defeat the spirit of the game.

novicegolfer wrote:

Only applicable in closely mowned area..

Actually they can declare "through the green" which is everywhere except hazards. Even rough...

Doh... in my flite, you can even clean your ball and put it on tee, yes, even on sand bunker. The spirit of the game is to have an enjoyable round of golf

shorthitter wrote:

novicegolfer wrote:

Only applicable in closely mowned area..

Actually they can declare "through the green" which is everywhere except hazards. Even rough...

Agreed. Even "illegal" rules are applicable.

However, the Ruling Bodies will not adopt "extended through the green" for preferred lies for major events.

I won't clean the ball. I just change it. kidding.

but can i just clean the ball in order to identify my own ball?

mUAr_cHEe wrote:

but can i just clean the ball in order to identify my own ball?

You are not allowed to do so.

HHmmmmm....Uncle Donald like now raining season, if his ball is plugged or struck with muds and wet dirts, he lift and shouted to us ... " WINTER RULES ! " Cleaned his ball and place it on the fairway no nearer the hole.

He said he wintness Ernie Els in Singapore during Barclay that he lifted the ball as it was raining before and his ball was full of wet mud !

So now if my ball is wet and covered with mud and condom....oops i mean weirds things i also follow Donald and shouted at my playing mate ... " Winter Rules ! "

I think his was plugged and not cos of mud.

Thanks bro ! I will tell Uncle Donald that...only if it is plugged in wet condition than can lift, clean, changed to a ProV ball !

Actually if the ball is plugged in the fairway, in any condition (wet or dry), it can be lifted, cleaned & dropped not nearer to the hole.

If the ball has mud stuck to it, but no winter rules or preferred lies in place, then cannot touch the ball. If winter rules or preferred lies is declared by the club (normally only during tournaments), it also only applies to ball on the fairway, not in the rough.

Additional note, if the ball is embedded or plugged in the rough, & no local rule in Appendix 1 of Rule Book is adopted, tough luck! Just have to play as it lies.

Thanks everyone for sharing !

guess this is a good topic since it rains so often recently....

hopefully not tmr afternoon....