Revised: March 19, 2025

When the Tournament Chairman invokes Winter Rules for an STMGC tournament, the following conditions apply:

Winter Rules / Preferred Lies 

Also known as winter rules, these guidelines allow golfers to lift, clean, and replace their ball in certain situations:
When the ball lands in a closely mown area, such as a fairway, green, green apron, tee boxes or fringe.

The rough is not a closely mown area.
No Lift, Clean or Place in a bunker.
  Exceptions If your ball lies in a bunker with an abnormal course condition (like a drain or steps or in a water puddle), you can take relief, but you must drop the ball back in the bunker. 

Procedure:
The size of the relief area, which can be:
     6 inches  /  Length of the scorecard
    The player may mark the spot of the ball and lift and clean the ball and then replace the ball in the same cut of grass