Dear Linda,
Many thanks for many hours of enjoyment.
With a considerable amount of rainy weather in Ireland this
year, many clubs permitted “preferred lies” on the Fairways.
Now, an issue arises when a Ball lies on the defining line
of the Fairway and Rough, as, if it is said, (a) the Ball is lying on the
Fairway and touching the Rough, the player may/may not be entitled to avail of
the “preferred lie” or (b) the Ball is Lying in the Rough and touching the
Fairway, the Player may not/may be entitled to the preferred lie.
As is the case in many Rules, if a Ball is “Touching”, say,
a Green, a Bunker etc., the Ball is deemed to be on the Green or in the Bunker
etc.
In relation to the above issue, where the Ball lies on the
defining line, (1) is the Ball deemed to be on the Fairway but touching the
Rough and therefore in the Rough, preventing the Player from availing of the
“preferred lie,” or is the Ball deemed to be on the Fairway, or (2) is the Ball
deemed to be in the Rough but touching the Fairway and therefore on the
Fairway, thus, permitting the Player to avail of the “preferred lie,” or is the
Ball in the Rough?
I would be more than interested in your view on this matter
and any reference in the Rules or Decisions which may assist my understanding
of the issue.
Kind regards,
Lou from Dublin, Ireland
Dear Lou,
The Local Rule regarding preferred lies [Appendix I, Part B,
4c] refers to relief for a ball lying on a closely mown area. If any part of
the ball is touching the closely mown area (fairway, fringe around the green, dew
path, or paths through the rough mowed to fairway height), it is considered to
be lying on the closely mown area. So if your ball is lying where the fairway
abuts the rough, and any part of the ball is touching the fairway, it is on the
fairway and you are entitled to a preferred lie.
There is no Rule that specifies when a ball is deemed to be
lying on the fairway, so I referred your question to the USGA. A consensus of
three rules officials agreed on the answer above. Here is the logic:
When the Rules define where a ball is, it is generally in that
area if it touches that area. So a ball is deemed to be on the putting green
when any part of it touches the green, is in a bunker when any part of it
touches the bunker, is in a water hazard when any part of it touches the
hazard, and is in casual water when any part of it touches the water. By
extension, since the Local Rule for preferred lies refers to a ball lying on a
closely mown area, it follows that a ball is deemed to be lying on the closely
mown area if any part of it touches that area.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
