The 2M rule is an old rule that used to be in effect all the time. The rule reads that if your disc is stuck up in the air 2 meters (6' 6 3/4") you get a one stroke penalty. The purpose of the rule was to prevent you from throwing high into a tree by the basket, then bringing the disc down for a drop-in.

The problem with the rule is that if you are not around the basket, it is a double penalty. You have already hit a tree, lost distance and probably have a bad lie behind a tree. To tack on another stroke seems excessive. It is also arbitrary since one disc can hit a tree and fall down to the ground with no penalty, then the next disc can hit the same tree and hang up. Getting hit with the penalty has more to do with bad luck than anything.

Because of the problems with the rule, it became optional several years back. So far, we have not used it.

The problem with not using the rule is the very scenario that the rule was designed to address in the first place. A couple of years ago we had a playoff in the Ice Bowl. On hole # 1 Allen Hooper threw a terrible approach shot that was way high and would have sailed 60-70' past the basket except it wedged in the branches over the basket. The other guy threw a better shot but was left 25'. Because the 2M rule was not in effect, Allen had a drop-in. The other guy missed his putt and the playoff was over. Allen basically won a playoff with a terrible shot that (luckily for him) got stuck above the basket.

On a course like LC, there are a lot of holes where you could potentially take advantage of the lack of the 2M rule.

A potential fix for this is declaring a ground rule that says that any disc stuck 2M up in the circle is taken out to the edge of the circle (32' out) or to a designated drop zone. To use the Ice Bowl example, Allen would have had to move back and make a longer putt when his disc was stuck. Using the circle is easier; if you use a drop zone somebody has to mark the drop zone.

Another approach is to keep the old rule in effect inside the circle. In that case Allen would have been allowed to keep the lie by the basket but would have received a one-stroke penalty. To do this you run into the possibility of an argument over a disc 2M up at around 30' out because if you call it in the circle there is a penalty stroke. Using the "Back to the circle, no penalty" option takes away the argument since the result is a putt from more or less the same place.

The other thing some places do is put the rule in effect for certain holes like #1, #10 and #15 where there is very little chance that it will effect a shot in the fairway. That doesn't really do a very good job of addressing the problem as it could come into play on basically any hole other than #9 and #18. It would be better than nothing, which is what we have right now.

I would just like us to be prepared for tournaments down the road, and having some good ground rules helps.

Comments?

I like the 2M rule, at least in some form...there should be risk in electing to cut a corner over trees versus playing an existing fairway. Some may have to reconsider shot selection on a number of holes with 2M in effect. On another note, I also like holes where par is a good score, someone obviously doesn't given the recent tree trimming on LC#15.

And while ground rules are being considered, in my opinion I think creeks are treated too subjectively. People often use "if an ant can get to your disc" sort of criteria to determine if a disc is OB. I think if OB exists it should be OB, period. For holes like LC#16, LC#18, BerJuan #1,7,8; I think the OB line(s) should be defined by the junction between the "regular playing/fairway surface elevation" and the inclined bank of the creek. Some, maybe most, would disagree but thats just my opinion. I also think anything right of the creek on LC#18 should be OB....there are acres of fair fairway left of the creek.

I considered making anything over the creek on #7 at Ber Juan O.B., but the hole is too gimmicky IMO and there would be tons and tons of O.B. on what should be the fun ace run hole. If I could do anything I wanted to I'd move the basket up by the trees to the left away from the creek and then make over the creek O.B. as a safety ruling to keep the #7 and #8 fairways separate, but I can't do anything I want.

Where the fairway stops and the inclined bank starts can be subjective. You would almost have to have a permanent line marked, which would take a lot of time and money. Using the actual water line reduces the "is it in or out" arguments. I don't disagree with you, but I don't know of a practical way to make it happen.