Rules question

[zenbot]

There are places on courses where people will not play from, but are not out of play. Without this rule, a player would have to DNF to not play from one of those spots. Say there's a fallen tree hung up that may fall near your lie at any time: there's not an obstacle or hazard to avoid, so the re-throw is the only way to play from a different spot.

Related to this: Some TDs don't feel that poisonous plants should provide optional relief as not everybody is allergic. I think its silly and you're a poor host if you can't make that exception. I would certainly take an optional rethrow instead of suffering for a few weeks if I landed deep in poison oak.

 

[araytx]

Another rule I think is ridiculous :/ Takes away the "play it where it lies" mentality.

^This.

Can anyone explain the reasoning for this rule?

Whitey, Juke, no one thinks it is a "stupid" or "ridiculous" rule when the player doesn't like his tee shot or long approach and elects to throw from the previous lie or re-tee with a one stroke penalty (as others said, similar to an OB or lost disc); they just seem to not like it when it's a putt that rolls away.

Think of it this way. Let's have two throwers in the OP's situation. One putts, hits the cage and rolls 175 feet down the hill into the briar thicket (in bounds); and the next guy putts hits the cage and rolls 178 feet down the hill, missing the briar thicket and into the OB water. Without this rule, the OB player would have the option of the previous lie (by the OB rules) but not the inbounds one! As someone else stated, it just doesn't feel right to re-throw (or re-putt in this case) with the one-stroke penalty when the disc ends up behind you. But that's the rule and a very good one.

 

[gwillim]

This rule is used at DeLa a lot. Miss a putt or throw a poor upshot on some of those holes and your disc can roll literally 200'+ into a ravine of poison oak and brambles. I'll take the penalty and re-throw any day.

 

[mashnut]

I've used the rule many times when I throw into big patches of poison oak or ivy. I'm terribly allergic to the stuff, so it's easily worth a stroke to stay out of it and send my (non-allergic) wife in after it later.

 

[zenbot]

I've used the rule many times when I throw into big patches of poison oak or ivy. I'm terribly allergic to the stuff, so it's easily worth a stroke to stay out of it and send my (non-allergic) wife in after it later.

Why wouldn't you just grant yourself optional relief or make that request prior to a sanctioned round?

 

[mashnut]

The times I had to use it were when playing a course I wasn't familiar with in a tournament where the TD didn't specify any relief from it. In a casual round I definitely take relief, not worth weeks of itching.