COVID rule inconsistencies

[mrshinsa]

Since Covid, all rakes have been removed from bunkers.

 

If the ball lands in a bunker, some tournaments allows players to mark, lift, smooth out the sand with your feet before placing the ball.

This past weekend, our son played at a different tournament where players are not allowed to smooth out the sand before placing the ball, as it is deemed improving ones lie. 

 

What has the rule been for others?  

Edited March 22, 2021 by mrshinsa

[BC33]

Depends if rakes are allowed is the only variable we've had.  If rakes are not out, we have been allowed to smooth and place in the bunker.  If rakes are present, play as it lies.

[mrshinsa]

10 minutes ago, BC33 said:

Depends if rakes are allowed is the only variable we've had.  If rakes are not out, we have been allowed to smooth and place in the bunker.  If rakes are present, play as it lies.

I've edited my original post. 

Since Covid, all rakes have been removed AFAIK.  I didn't know there are courses that still had rakes in place.

Edited March 22, 2021 by mrshinsa

[BC33]

1 minute ago, mrshinsa said:

Since covid, all rakes have been removed AFAIK.  I didn't know there are courses that still had rakes in place.

We've had a few events where rakes were out.

[br61]

What state are you in? In Missouri at my home club, the rakes has been in the bunkers the whole time.

 

If no rakes, I would assume to smooth it by foot would be more prudent.

Edited March 22, 2021 by br61

[RmoorePE]

In WA rakes are back in almost all courses now. Although they have been giving each foursome a bag of sanitizing wipes for flag sticks and rakes in some of the tournaments I have played lately. Have yet to see anyone sanitize a flag stick however.

[PoolPond]

No rakes at our course.  Lift and place.  No rakes so therefor no smoothing, at least by a rake.  We just find a smooth spot within a club length and place it. I think I can always find a better existing spot to place it rather than trying to smooth a place with my foot before placing. I think every course is going to be different and soon enough all the rakes will be back, especially when everyone realizes that keeping the rakes out of bunkers is doing nothing as far as slowing or stopping the spread of Covid. 

[mrshinsa]

17 minutes ago, PoolPond said:

No rakes at our course.  Lift and place.  No rakes so therefor no smoothing, at least by a rake.  We just find a smooth spot within a club length and place it. I think I can always find a better existing spot to place it rather than trying to smooth a place with my foot before placing. I think every course is going to be different and soon enough all the rakes will be back, especially when everyone realizes that keeping the rakes out of bunkers is doing nothing as far as slowing or stopping the spread of Covid. 

Edited my post again to "smooth out the sand with your feet ".   

 

  

1 hour ago, br61 said:

What state are you in? In Missouri at my home club, the rakes has been in the bunkers the whole time.

 

If no rakes, I would assume to smooth it by foot would be more prudent.

If there have been rakes the whole time, are you guys allowed to pull the flag?  

 

We haven't touched the flag in over a year. 

 

I thought it was the norm across the country to not have rakes in during the covid.  Surprising to hear otherwise.  

Edited March 22, 2021 by mrshinsa

[TwistedSister]

CDC has stated that Covid is most likely only spread through airborne particulates such as moisture from breathing , speaking etc.  That transmission through surfaces is highly unlikely.   I guess it would depend on who is in the governor's mansion. 

[br61]

23 minutes ago, mrshinsa said:

Edited my post again to "smooth out the sand with your feet ".   

 

  

If there have been rakes the whole time, are you guys allowed to pull the flag?  

 

We haven't touched the flag in over a year. 

 

I thought it was the norm across the country to not have rakes in during the covid.  Surprising to hear otherwise.  

We were told to leave the flagstick alone for 2-3 months, with pool noodles in cups.

 

2 minutes ago, dhacker56 said:

CDC has stated that Covid is most likely only spread through airborne particulates such as moisture from breathing , speaking etc.  That transmission through surfaces is highly unlikely.   I guess it would depend on who is in the governor's mansion. 

Yep, the rules varies due to states and their governor, some states are stricter than others. Missouri's governor is a Republican, happens to be a local friend of mine's and one of the founders of my home club. My home club does have some COVID rules that they ask us to abide by.

[Abh159]

It varies a ton state to state, course to course, and tour to tour. In my area, really the only protocols still in place are no water coolers and no rakes. Everything else (flagstick touching, pool noodle cups, etc.) is back to the way it was before and really only lasted a few months at most. 

 

Regarding the bunkers.... We've been placing the ball in the nearest spot in the bunker (no closer to the hole). Although I'm ready for the rakes to be back, I can't really complain about getting pristine lies in the bunkers for the time being. 

 

I don't really understand the "play it as it lies" way of thinking as it just penalizes players who play later in the day and gives a big advantage to those teeing off early. 

Edited March 22, 2021 by Abh159

[heavy_hitter]

You have to know the rules of the host organization for sure.  All are different.

 

SFPGA is lift clean and place.  No smoothing out lie.  They are allowed to remove Flag Stick.

 

FJT is lift clean and drop.  They are allowed to remove Flag Stick.

 

I don't have to pay much attention anymore.  I let Junior worry about the rules.  If courses have rakes out, there is no lift.  

 

Florida is about 9 months ahead of everywhere else with Covid rules in regards to golf or not.  We have had rakes on course and pool noodles gone since November at our course.   Haven't seen pool noodles in cups in a lot of months.

Edited March 22, 2021 by heavy_hitter

[TwistedSister]

1 hour ago, br61 said:

We were told to leave the flagstick alone for 2-3 months, with pool noodles in cups.

 

Yep, the rules varies due to states and their governor, some states are stricter than others. Missouri's governor is a Republican, happens to be a local friend of mine's and one of the founders of my home club. My home club does have some COVID rules that they ask us to abide by.

What bothers me is those that said "we all must follow the CDC guidelines"  then when they don't like the new guidelines  say the CDC doesn't know what we should really do..  The old "you can do whatever you want " as long as "we agree with you".  We all know who those people are.  Don't We?

Edited March 22, 2021 by dhacker56

[mrshinsa]

10 hours ago, br61 said:

We were told to leave the flagstick alone for 2-3 months, with pool noodles in cups.

 

So they said don't touch the flags, but touching the rakes is ok?  Sounds inconsistent with whatever safety rules the course was trying to implement, no?  

 

Anyhow, I find it strange that rules are different depending on where you're playing. 

Golf rules are baffling as is.  There shouldn't be inconsistencies amongst different organizations.

Edited March 23, 2021 by mrshinsa

[tiger1873]

All over the place it like everyone has said it depends on the tournament and even then it can vary because of local regulations on courses.  For instance playing in Orlando you can remove the flag stick but in Miami you have to have masks on the practice putting green and can't touch flags still on most courses.

 

I just come to the conclusion to be prepared to play it as it lies and if there is a change just adapt to it. Placing in bunkers lowers scores anyways for the vast majority.

 

What is a bigger deal is access to nice courses. Many courses do  not allow guest but that is slowly changing.  The USGA should also be giving guidance and push for everyone to play the same rules.

Edited March 23, 2021 by tiger1873

[sui generis]

3 hours ago, tiger1873 said:

The USGA should also be giving guidance and push for everyone to play the same rules.

 

The USGA already gives guidance.

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2020/03/covid-19-rules-guidance-statement.html

With regard to covid, the USGA knows better than to "push for everyone to play the same rules."

[tiger1873]

7 hours ago, sui generis said:

 

The USGA already gives guidance.

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2020/03/covid-19-rules-guidance-statement.html

With regard to covid, the USGA knows better than to "push for everyone to play the same rules."

when I say help push what I meant is there are stupid cities like Miami Beach that tell the courses how they need to be run.  It is just plain stupid.
 

Most the problems are not courses or tours . The government has no business  in deciding how to play golf.
 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by tiger1873

[sui generis]

10 minutes ago, tiger1873 said:

when I say help push what I meant is there are stupid cities like Miami Beach that tell the courses how they need to be run.  It is just plain stupid.
 

Most the problems are not courses or tours or the government that is deciding for them.
 

 

 

 

I didn't realize that you were an expert in public health. 🙄

[tiger1873]

4 hours ago, sui generis said:

 

I didn't realize that you were an expert in public health. 🙄

I am not but one thing I do know the government has no business telling a golf course how people can play.

 

I think most people can decide for themselves.

[sui generis]

1 minute ago, tiger1873 said:

I am not but one thing I do know the government has no business telling a golf course how people can play.

 

I think most people can decide for themselves.

 

Hmmm, the government has no role in public health? Stick to checkers. 🙄

[leezer99]

2 hours ago, tiger1873 said:

I am not but one thing I do know the government has no business telling a golf course how people can play.

 

I think most people can decide for themselves.

Wait until you figure out why we have speed limits on freeways. 

[Noles]

19 hours ago, tiger1873 said:

I am not but one thing I do know the government has no business telling a golf course how people can play.

 

I think most people can decide for themselves.

Are you ok with the course telling people how to play?

[GSDriver]

We got our rakes back and no more pool noodles in the cups a couple weeks back, thanks Gov. Abbott!

 

Prior to then, we played rub of green (bunkers are hazards after all).  Some chose to take drops, we offered them a tee.

[LeoLeo99]

3 hours ago, GSDriver said:

We got our rakes back and no more pool noodles in the cups a couple weeks back, thanks Gov. Abbott!

 

Prior to then, we played rub of green (bunkers are hazards after all).  Some chose to take drops, we offered them a tee.

It's been a year since any of the courses I play in NJ have done any maintenance or raked the bunkers.  They're just packed hard sand with a little grass growing in them.  I chip or putt out whenever possible.