Autumn Leaves

While much different from spring, the fall season can be very beautiful with the striking fall colors radiating from the various hardwood species growing here in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.  For some, especially kids, it can even create fun and memorable moments.  But for a lot of us, homeowners and golf course managers alike, the beauty comes with a price.  The price being all the hard work spent blowing leaves and collecting them for removal.  As most golfers know keeping up with leaf removal on a golf course this time of the year is all but impossible at times, so I thought I would share a few thoughts on how leaves can play out in certain situations with the rules of golf.

I am certain that if you play enough golf over the next many weeks you will lose more golf balls than any other time of the year, some of them even on the fairways, because they are hidden under leaves. When playing a casual round of golf with a group of friends, one option to clarify on the first tee is enacting the local leaf rule.  If a ball is seen to go into an area that is heavy with fallen leaves and cannot be found and is deemed to be find-able under normal playing conditions your group may take the option of allowing a free drop to speed up the pace of play.  Other rules that may apply to a round of fall golf may include some of the illustrations below:

 
First of all, leaves are loose impediments, providing they are not fixed or growing, solidly embedded, or adhering to the ball (Definition of Loose Impediments).

Photo a): Except when both the leaf and the ball lie in or touch the same hazard, any leaf or leaves may be removed by any means, without penalty, Rule 23-1.

Photo b): A leaf that is resting against a ball may be removed, as above. 

Photo c): A leaf that is adhering to a ball is not a loose impediment and may not be removed, Definition of Loose Impediment.

Photo d): A leaf that is lying under a ball should be left as it is. It is unlikely that the leaf could be removed without causing the ball to move, which would incur a penalty of one stroke, even if it only moved one dimple from its spot.

Note that if a player’s ball lies on the putting green they do not incur a penalty if they cause their ball to move while they are removing a leaf (or any loose impediment) and the ball must be replaced. However, if they cause their ball to move while removing a leaf when their ball is not on a putting green they incur a penalty of one stroke and the ball must be replaced, Rule 18-2a.

While I hope the staff does an extraordinary job this fall and you never run into any of the situations illustrated above, if you do, I hope these explanations prove helpful.  And don't let a few falling leaves prevent you from taking advantage of this great time of the year to get out and play not just a little but rather a lot of golf!