Winter Rules

Winter rules are a temporary local rule that lets a golfer lift, clean, and reposition their ball when wet or damaged ground would otherwise force a shot from a poor lie. The Rules of Golf call them preferred lies.

What are winter rules in golf?

Winter rules are not part of the official Rules of Golf. They are a Local Rule that a golf course can switch on when conditions get rough, which the governing bodies formally call preferred lies. In the United States, this falls under USGA Model Local Rule E-3, and the R&A uses the same wording for golf elsewhere in the world.

The idea is simple. When fairways turn muddy, frozen, or patchy in the colder months, a well struck shot can still end up in a lie no golfer would face in summer. Preferred lies let the player nudge the ball to a fairer spot nearby so the round stays enjoyable and the score reflects skill rather than the state of the turf.

There is a second reason clubs reach for this rule, and it has nothing to do with the golfer. Wet winter ground is fragile. Letting players reposition the ball instead of taking big divots from soft fairways helps protect the course while the grass is barely growing. The name “winter rules” is just golfer shorthand. The conditions that trigger it, heavy rain, a spring thaw, or even drought, can show up well outside winter.

How winter rules work

Once a course has preferred lies in effect, the procedure is short. A player marks the spot, lifts the ball, and places it again within a set relief area no nearer the hole. The ball can be cleaned while it is in hand, which matters when mud is the whole problem.

The size of that relief area is set by the club, not the player. The USGA notes that courses commonly allow six inches, a scorecard length, or one club-length from the ball’s original spot. Whatever the limit, the reference point is where the ball first came to rest, and the new position can never be closer to the hole.

Winter rules apply only on what the Rules call closely mown areas, meaning grass cut to fairway height or shorter. According to the USGA, that covers fairways and can include the apron around a green or a path mowed through the rough, but it leaves out the rough itself, bunkers, and the putting green. In practice, most committees keep preferred lies to the fairway of the hole being played, since giving relief from a bush or deep rough would hand out an unfair advantage.

One detail trips people up. A player gets to prefer the lie once. The R&A confirms that if the ball is placed and then rolls away on its own, in the wind, for example, it stays where it ends up and is played from there.

Winter rules vs preferred lies

Few things in cold-weather golf cause more confusion than the overlapping names for this rule, and the simplest answer is that they describe the same thing. “Winter rules” is just the everyday nickname golfers use. The official name in the Rules of Golf is preferred lies, while a third phrase, “lift, clean and place,” describes the action the rule allows. All of them point to Model Local Rule E-3.

What sometimes gets mixed in is a separate rule that looks similar. The R&A’s cleaning-ball Local Rule, Model Local Rule E-2, is used when mud keeps sticking to balls but the ground is otherwise fine. It lets a player mark, lift, clean, and replace the ball on its exact original spot, with no repositioning at all. The table below sets the two apart.

	Preferred lies (MLR E-3)	Cleaning-ball rule (MLR E-2)
Also called	Winter rules, lift clean and place	Mud rule
Can you move the ball?	Yes, within a set relief area, no nearer the hole	No, it goes back on the exact spot
Can you clean the ball?	Yes	Yes
When it is used	Poor or damaged lies from wet, frozen, or bare ground	Ground is fine but mud keeps sticking to the ball
Where it applies	Closely mown areas, usually the fairway	Often the fairway, or the general area if the committee allows

A common myth is that you cannot clean the ball under preferred lies. The R&A’s own guidance says the opposite: Model Local Rule E-3 specifically allows the ball to be lifted, cleaned, and placed within the relief area.

When winter rules apply, and who decides

A golfer cannot simply declare winter rules because the course looks soggy. The committee in charge has to put preferred lies into effect through a published, suitably worded temporary Local Rule, and only then can players use it. The safest move is to check the pro shop or the first tee before teeing off.

Timing follows the weather rather than the calendar. The USGA and R&A link the rule to adverse conditions such as heavy snow, a spring thaw, prolonged rain, or extreme heat, any of which can leave fairways unfit for normal play. Many clubs run preferred lies across the wetter half of the year, and some national bodies now let courses apply it year-round where the climate demands it.

Scores can still count for handicap purposes while the rule is active. Under the World Handicap System, rounds played with the preferred lies Local Rule (E-3) in place remain acceptable scores, so a winter medal still posts to a player’s record. Clubs often pair preferred lies with other protective measures during this period, including temporary greens, winter tees, and mats that the ball is placed on for fairway shots.

Related Golf Terms

Wedge — A high-lofted iron used for short approach shots, chips, and bunker play.
Water hazard — Any lake, pond, river, stream, or ditch on the course marked by yellow or red stakes.
Weekend warrior — A casual golfer who primarily plays on weekends.
Waste bunker — A large sandy area that is not officially classified as a bunker under the rules.
Whiff — A complete miss — swinging and not making contact with the ball.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are winter rules an official rule of golf?

No. They are a Model Local Rule (preferred lies, E-3) that a course chooses to adopt. The committee must publish it before players can use it.

Can you clean your ball under winter rules?

Yes. Preferred lies allow the ball to be lifted, cleaned, and placed within the relief area, which is one of the main reasons the rule exists in muddy conditions.

How far can you move the ball under winter rules?

Only as far as the club specifies. Common limits are six inches, a scorecard length, or one club-length from the original spot, never nearer the hole.

Do winter rules apply in the rough?

Usually not. Preferred lies are limited to closely mown areas, and most committees restrict them to the fairway of the hole being played.

Can you use winter rules in a competition?

Yes, when the committee has the preferred lies Local Rule in effect for that competition. Scores still count under the World Handicap System.

Sources

United States Golf Association. “Do ‘Winter Rules’ Really Exist in the Rules of Golf?” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2025/01/winter-rules-exist-golf.html
The R&A. “The R&A 2025/2026 Winter Rules FAQ’s.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.randa.org/en/articles/the-r-a-2025-2026-winter-rules-faq-s
United States Golf Association. “Handy Rules Reminders for Spring Course Conditions.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2023/03/Spring_Golf_Rules.html
Golf Monthly. “Golf’s Winter Rules Explained: What And Why.” Accessed June 2026.
https://www.golfmonthly.com/videos/rules/golfs-winter-rules
Women & Golf. “Golf’s Winter Rules: A Love-hate Relationship.” Accessed June 2026.
https://womenandgolf.com/instruction/rules/golfs-winter-rules-a-love-hate-relationship