Rule Change - Mandos

[Troy Dietrich]

I haven't seen this discussed, but this appears to be the only significant rule change this year.

"You can no longer throw back across a mandatory line after having made the mandatory. There's no longer a default drop zone. If the Director has not designated a drop zone, go to the previous lie."

So it's now a re-throw from the previous lie if you miss a Mando and choose not to play your shot from where it lies, rather than getting to play it from the imaginary line at the Mando (default drop zone).

We're now penalized stroke and distance...which is worse than going OB.

[Josh Connell]

I haven't seen this discussed, but this appears to be the only significant rule change this year.

"You can no longer throw back across a mandatory line after having made the mandatory. There's no longer a default drop zone. If the Director has not designated a drop zone, go to the previous lie."

So it's now a re-throw from the previous lie if you miss a Mando and choose not to play your shot from where it lies, rather than getting to play it from the imaginary line at the Mando (default drop zone).

We're now penalized stroke and distance...which is worse than going OB.

First, there are no changes to the rule book for this year. The 2013 edition of the book is still the current one.

Second, this isn't a new change to the mandatory rule, at least not how you've described it. You haven't been allowed to "unwind" a missed mandatory shot (i.e. choose to play the shot where it lies) in 10+ years. Since 2002, the rule on mandatories has been to proceed directly to a drop zone.

The change (instituted last year with the 2013 update) is only to what the default "drop zone" is if one is not specifically provided. The old rule was that the default drop zone was a perpendicular line 1-meter in length extending from the mandatory target perpendicular to the line between the mandatory object and the target. The new rule is that default drop zone is the previous lie. Really, it's supposed to put the impetus on course designers and tournament directors to designate a drop zone for a mando every time one is implemented rather than rely on the rule book to provide an easy default.

Also, the first line in your quote "You can no longer throw back across a mandatory line after having made the mandatory" has to do with subsequent shots after making the mandatory. Under the old rule, all you had to do was break the plane of the mandatory with one throw. If subsequent throws put you back behind the mandatory line, you could ignore the mandatory. That is no longer the case. Now, whenever the mandatory object/line is between your lie and the target, you must pass the mandatory on the correct side even if it means doing it more than once in the process of playing the hole.

[Troy Dietrich]

The old rule was that the default drop zone was a perpendicular line 1-meter in length extending from the mandatory target perpendicular to the line between the mandatory object and the target. The new rule is that default drop zone is the previous lie.

I took the quote right from the PDGA rules section for rules changes. I missed that this was a 2013 change.

I also stand corrected on being able to throw back around them from your lie, but I'm sure I've seen people do this before with cut rollers and such. With the prior rule being that you could throw from the imaginary 1 meter line at the Mando, I never saw the need to try to throw back around one anyway.

Regardless, it still seems harsh for the penalty to be worse than going OB....unless there's a designated drop zone. I can't recall ever seeing a drop zone established or a missed Mando before, other than making it a mandatory re-tee for missing it from the tee box.

[Titan_Bariloni]

werd

I have heard so many descriptions of the mando rule...

I played an event with 3 other pros in VA all seasoned and well rated..and we all unwinded the mando...well except the one that crushed it

I have seen drop zones..seems the best way to go..

have heard also you get 5 meters relief...someone reading from the rule book another pro
well adapt to the rules

basically mandos sux IMO esp for "safety purposes"

[Josh Connell]

Regardless, it still seems harsh for the penalty to be worse than going OB....unless there's a designated drop zone. I can't recall ever seeing a drop zone established or a missed Mando before, other than making it a mandatory re-tee for missing it from the tee box.

In my experience, the lack of a mando drop zone has been the exception rather than the rule. Most courses I've played that have mandatories have a drop zone identified...if not permanently, then at least for tournaments. For some, it was the tee (so the rule doesn't change anything for those holes regardless). For most, it's a marked place on the fairway somewhere...either a stake or a stone or a mini tee pad or a painted line. The courses I've seen without drop zones marked mostly date back to when unwinding was the rule and DZs weren't required. Those are the ones that defaulted to the rule book defined drop when the rule originally changed and now should probably add a drop zone if re-teeing is undesirable.

[Josh Connell]

have heard also you get 5 meters relief...someone reading from the rule book another pro
well adapt to the rules

There's no 5-meter relief associated with mandatories. Never has been. Whoever that pro was isn't really all that adept with the rules.

[Michael Morin]

this explains the mando rule per the 2013 changes (804.02) and gives some good pix to support the wording.

http://www.pdga.com/rules-school-mandatory-update-80402

- m

[Joe Yaskis]

SOoooooo. I was at webstah fish and game this past Friday and we had an interesting conversation about the mandatory on hole 18. It is a double mando where the thrower has to basically throw it straight for 3oo ft. Heenan missed the mando to the right. There is no drop zone. Did he have to re tee or can he play where he missed the mando from and throw 3 from there?

Thanks to all the stats people -

[Jeff Prendergast]

According to part D "If no drop zone has been designated, the player shall play from the previous lie"

Looks like it's a retee.

[Chuck Kennedy]

Yep, retee.

[Eric Kretschmar]

have heard also you get 5 meters relief...someone reading from the rule book another pro
well adapt to the rules

There's no 5-meter relief associated with mandatories. Never has been. Whoever that pro was isn't really all that adept with the rules.

The old mando rule described the size and location of the drop area if a drop zone wasn't marked for a missed mando. That drop area was 1M by 5M, and its location relative to the mando was clearly laid out in the rules. I think this might be what Titan is referring to here.

[Titan_Bariloni]

yes