Preferred Lies

As far as I know, the R & A does not make allowance for this rule. It is acknowledged in an appendix though and the rule is usually applied locally. This means that golf courses can apply it as they wish. On the better golf courses it's usually only applied in winter where players are allowed relief if the ball ends up on the fairway. The generally acceptable allowance is one scorecard length.

I've played at some golf courses where the rule is applied throughout the year and the allowance is usually a club length. This, in my opinion, is abuse and it's also testament to the poor conditioning of those courses.

I have to emphasise though that it is a local rule and it's applied differently at different courses. Don't always assume that you can just place the ball whenever you're on the fairway. Also, you MUST mark your ball before you lift it. So often you see guys just moving the ball freely with their golf club.

If you happen to land on the fairway, and after applying the local rules you're able to place your ball in the rough, then this is also allowed unless specifically prohibited in the local rule. Why would anyone want to place the ball in the rough I hear you asking. Well, for me anyway, I hit my 3 and 5 woods much better when the ball's sitting up a bit. This rule allows you to "place" the ball and sometimes the 1st cut acts like a short golf tee - so it can work to your advantage.

I may not be a great golfer just yet, but one of the appeals for me was the rules of golf and the discipline that's required. I therefore try to stay in tune with the rules and apply it as stringently as possible - often to the disapproval of my fellow golfers.