5/17/2026 - Torrey Pines North

I've played two rounds in a row on aerated greens.  I've heard people say that it's an automatic 2-putt, but that's just not true.  Also, aeration holes do not qualify as Ground Under Repair.  And you're not allowed to repair them on the green, like you would be allowed to repair a pitch mark.  So what are my options?

The first rule that came into my head was Rule #14.2-e - If you can't place your ball where you marked it, then you must place it as close as you can to the original spot.  But this doesn't really help.  If your ball rolls into an aeration hole that it wasn't in previously, then you can place it where it was originally (or as close as you can get).  But if your ball was in an aeration hole, then you have to place it back in that aeration hole after you mark it.  Not within a couple of inches between the aeration holes, but back in the aeration hole.  Sorry.

There's a model local rule for this, but it's not going to help as much as you like.  If your course or club puts in a local rule modeled on Model Local Rule E-4.  This allows you to treat aeration holes as GUR, except you don't get relief for swing, stance, or (on the green) line of play.  So if your ball is in an aeration hole, you can take it out, but you're still going to have aeration holes in the line of your putt.  So slightly better, but not really that helpful.  But you should still ask your committee to put this local rule in play if the greens have been aerated.

 

 

 

 

 

5/14/2026 - Encinitas Ranch

The fairway on #5 is in a deep valley.  I was down there trying to figure out what the wind was doing.  I remember the wind was from the SW on #2, but I couldn't figure out which way that was from deep in the valley.

So am I allowed to use a compass?

Rule #4.3a-1 specifically indicates that the use of a compass is allowed.  But I would but an asterisk on that in 2026.

Like most of you, the only compass I have is on my phone.  Using the compass app on your phone is probably okay, but using the compass in your mapping application is probably illegal.   The same rule noted above also explicitly indicates that you can't use an electronic device that would indicate line of play.

Similarly, if your GPS app gives distance only, then it's allowed.  If it does any sorts of calculations on that distance, such as slope, temperature, or pressure, then it's not allowed.  It also cannot be used to make club recommendations.

 

 

5/11/2026 - Oaks North

My tee shot on #6 East went into a cypress tree and did not come out.  What happens next?

You can always try to climb the tree and play the ball out of the tree a la Bernhard Langer.  I didn't like that option. 

If you can see the ball, and you can positively identify it as your ball, then you can take an unplayable lie and play the ball within 2 club lengths of the spot on the ground below where the ball is nestled in the tree.  Interesting that they don't restrict the vertical distance.

You can try to climb the tree to identify the ball, and if you dislodge it, there is no penalty for accidentally moving the ball while trying to identify it.  If this were to happen, then you could either replace the ball in the tree to try to play it, or, now that you can identify it, you can take the unplayable lie option above.

This also applies to trying to shake the ball out of the tree.  In this case, you must declare beforehand that your intention is to take an unplayable lie penalty. 

Alas, I could not see the ball, let alone identify it.  So even though I knew it was in the tree, it is still a lost ball (stroke and distance penalty).  My club plays a local rule that allows you to take a two stroke penalty and drop where you believe the ball is.  This is great for pace of play, and I think all clubs should put this local rule in place.