Golfers sure do enjoy their slang. Do you ever listen to golfers at a party and think they are speaking a different language?
What are your favorite golf terms? Shank, chilly dip, and fat are some of our favorites, but today, we are going to discuss the winter rules of golf.
Are there really different rules based on the season? Is Spring golf different from Fall golf?
Don’t worry – we have answers to all of your questions.
In this article, we will cover the following;
- How Do You Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf”?
- Where Does the Term “Winter Rules Of Golf” Come From?
- If You Don’t Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf,” What Are You Playing?
- When Should You Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf”?
- If You Don’t Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf,” What Are You Playing?
- 3 Strategies To Use When Playing The “Winter Rules Of Golf.”
The next time you reach the first tee and someone says, “Let’s play the winter rules of golf,” you won’t be thinking, “But it’s July?”.
How Do You Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf”?
The first thing you need to know is that the winter golf rules are only focused on one rule: When you can lift, clean, and place your golf ball.
If you are playing on the PGA Tour, you can’t touch your golf ball until you reach the green. This is referred to as “playing it down.”
The winter rules of golf are effectively the opposite of “playing it down.” You are allowed to pick up your ball, clean it, and place it back on the ground after every shot.
The standard rule is that you have to place your ball within one club length of its original location, and you cannot move it closer to the hole.
If done correctly, this can make the game of golf much easier. It allows you to make almost every shot easier. Let’s talk about some examples.
You hit a perfect drive down the fairway, but it ends up in an old divot. If you are playing it down, you have to hit it from the divot, but in the winter rules of golf, you can move it.
Your ball ends up in the deep rough, and your lie is terrible. No problem, you can pick it up and find a better spot within one club length.
All golfers fear the fried egg – when your ball plugs in a sand trap. If you are playing the winter rules of golf, it’s not a problem. You can remove it from the plug.
It is that simple – when playing the winter rules of golf, you can clean your ball after every shot and improve your lie.
Where Does the Term “Winter Rules Of Golf” Come From?
Most golf courses are not in pristine shape during the winter months.
The fairways and rough may be spotty due to cold temperatures and frost. The maintenance crew is typically smaller in the winter, meaning the course may not be as well maintained.
Due to course conditions, it makes sense that you should improve your lie before each shot when you play in the winter.
This is the origination of the term “winter rules of golf.”
If You Don’t Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf,” What Are You Playing?
This is a great question. Do you ever play “summer rules,” “spring rules,” or “fall rules”?
Other rules are used related to when you can lift, clean, and place your golf ball, but they aren’t named for the seasons.
Here are some of the rules you might encounter:
- Play It Down – You cannot touch the ball until you reach the green. This is the most common rule played in competition and in professional events.
- Roll It In The Fairway – You can lift, clean, and place your ball in the fairway only – you must play it down in the rough and sand traps.
- Roll It Through The Green – The same thing as “Play the winter rules of golf” – you can lift, clean, and place your ball everywhere.
You need to pay attention to one additional thing if you are playing the winter rules of golf or “rolling it in the fairway.” How far can you move it?
This can vary, but the most common distance is one club length from the original location of your ball. You can never move it closer to the hole.
The other distance you might see is “one scorecard length.” Knowing the rules you are playing before you tee off is important.
When Should You Play The “Winter Rules Of Golf”?
Don’t let the name fool you – it isn’t about the time of year (the season). It is more about the conditions of the golf course.
You should play the winter rules of golf when course conditions are poor. This could be because of too much rain or because the maintenance has not been able to mow the course.
Professional events will sometimes play the winter rules of golf if the course has become saturated by rain.
Mud on a golf ball will make it curve in strange ways and is an unfair element – if you see a bunch of dirt on your golf ball, you may want to play lift, clean, and place.
3 Strategies To Use When Playing The “Winter Rules Of Golf.”
Playing the winter rules of golf can be a huge help – use the below strategies to take full advantage of this rule.
#1: Always Clean Your Ball
This may sound obvious, but players often think, “My lie looks pretty good,” and don’t take the time to lift and clean their ball.
If the rules allow it, you should always clean your golf ball. The smallest amount of dirt or moisture can make your ball do something crazy.
Be aware of your pace of play, but always take 5 seconds to lift your ball, clean it, and place it back down in a good spot.
#2: Be Aggressive Off The Tee
If you are playing the winter rules of golf, there is less value in hitting the fairway. Even if your ball finds the rough, you can improve your lie.
You need to be aggressive and try to hit your driver as far as possible. As long as you don’t go out of bounds, you can improve your situation once you find your ball.
We hear winter rules, and we think, “Bombs Away”! Grip it and Rip It.
#3: Give Yourself A Good Lie, But Not Too Good
This may sound like strange advice, but it is important. It applies when your ball is in the rough.
You lift and clean your golf ball – now it is time to place it back on the ground. You want to put it on top of the grass but don’t want it sitting too high off the ground.
Here is the problem – if you place it too high off the ground, you will catch it with the top of the face of your club.
The top of an iron is not as solid as the sweet spot, and your shot will come up short. This is why you want to give yourself a good lie, but not too good.
This is something you can practice at the driving range. Find some grass that is rough length and hit some irons shots out of different lies.
You will quickly learn the type of lie that works best from higher grass. You are now prepared to take advantage the next time you play the winter rules of golf!
