Rule - Definitions pg 10 - "Hole"

[Willie_Dow]

 
The "hole" must be 4 1/2 inches in dia., and at least 4 inches deep.  If a lining is used, it must be sunk at least 1 inch below the putting green surface.
As I mentioned on the other Honda thread there seemed to be several spin out putts, that seemed to almost carom out of the hole.
Could this be the effort to make the cup more visible on TV by painting the lip white, or were the linings too close to the surface ?

[JohnV]

Usually they paint the the edge of the hole down to the liner.  There are pros who never believe that they miss a putt due to a poor stroke who will claim that the paint stopped their ball from going in the hole.

If the lips are really crisp I think that balls will lip out more easily than if they are broken down a little.

[BCrosby]

John -

How do the rules define a "hole", as in the phrase "the second hole at ANGC is a downhill par 5"?

Bob

[Ray Richard]

Johnny Miller mentioned  his opinion that the paint used to highlight the cup was firming up the soil from the top of the metal cup to the sod, causing the ball to skip out I think he may have a legitimate point, if the soil is not painted, the friction is increased and the ball be inclined to go in.

[James Bennett]

Willie

four and a quarter inches I think - not four and a half inches.

James B

[Kyle Harris]

The paint does nothing adverse. I use it weekly.

[James Bennett]

The paint does nothing adverse. I use it weekly.

Kyle

does this take longer than shifting your tee blocks?

James B

[Brad Huff]

Johnny Miller mentioned  his opinion that the paint used to highlight the cup was firming up the soil from the top of the metal cup to the sod, causing the ball to skip out I think he may have a legitimate point, if the soil is not painted, the friction is increased and the ball be inclined to go in.

As a physics teacher I can tell you that is true but you're talking about a VERY small percentage change.  I would be willing to bet the grain of the green has 10x more effect.  Here's an idea for those guys...don't hit the ball so damned hard and it will fall.

[Willie_Dow]

Thanks, JB - That is why I got the lowest score on the rules test, I guess !

[BCrosby]

John -

How do the rules define a "hole", as in the phrase "the second hole at ANGC is a downhill par 5"?

Bob

They don't.  Think of a line segment.  It has two ends and a line in the middle.  One end is the teeing ground.  The other is the hole.  Everything else, which is what you're describing as the "hole" (as in golf hole) is tantamount to the line portion of a line segment, and is described as either through the green or on the green.

That's what I had guessed. I've always understood that there also no definition of a "course" or a "golf course"? No?

What an odd sport golf is. There is nothing in the rules that specifies - even indirectly -physical dimensions, boundaries, features, etc. of where it can be played.

That is, there is nothing in the rules of golf that limit in any respect what golf architects do. I guess in some semi-conscious way I always understood that. It just struck me this morning as remarkable.   

Bob

[JohnV]

That's what I had guessed. I've always understood that there also no definition of a "course" or a "golf course"? No?

There is a definition of "course":

The "course" is the whole area within the boundaries established by the Committeee.

[JohnV]

While the "hole" in the larger meaning of the word is not defined.  Rule 1-1 says:

"The game of golf consists of playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules."

Also there is the definition of a stipulated round:

"The stipulated round consists of playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence, unless otherwise authorized by the Committee.  The number of holes in a stipulated round is 18 unless a smaller number is authorized by the Committee. ..."

[BCrosby]

Thanks John.

So what golf is, is a stool with three legs - (a) using balls and implements that conform to the rules of golf, (b) keeping score in a way to conforms to the rules of golf, and (c) doing (a) and (b) literally anywhere that has 18 tees and 18 holes cut in the ground.

Good stuff.

Bob

[Willie_Dow]

Kyle

Why would you paint the 1 inch area above the lining weekly ?  What is the "paint", a lime mixture ?

Just interested .

[Kyle Harris]

The paint does nothing adverse. I use it weekly.

Kyle

does this take longer than shifting your tee blocks?

James B

No, but it adds time to do it cleanly. Probably half hour total over 18 holes.

Willie,

We do it because the members like to play to painted holes on weekends. I guess it makes them feel like it's a tournament. It does make the hole slightly more visible when reading putts, so any time it may take to tend a flag or walk up to see the hole does speed up play negligibly.

[Joe Bausch]

Kyle, what takes more time overall, painting the top of the hole or using one of those plastic inserts (I think those are sold by Dave Pelz, no?)?