Kneeling on Towels and Discs

[chiggins]

So I just saw, in the High Socks thread, Chuck K. post a link to an updated opinion on the "kneeling on a towel" question, and this was updated as of 4/2008.

In 2005, during a casual round, one of my buddies told me I couldn't kneel on a disc on some scraggly ground because it was "improving my lie". I pulled out my rules book, showed him that there was no rule saying anything of the sort, and that the only rule pertaining was the one about allowing devices that prevented abrasion. "Besides," I argued, "it's not much of a rule if I can get around it by wearing one of those neoprene knee braces, or a towel, or a mousepad for that matter."

So clearly I was mistaken? Or was I? When was this ruled illegal, and on what grounds? What was the reason for changing that decision? Is it now limited to a towel or pad, and not a disc, and what's the reason for the distinction?

[Chuck Kennedy]

Putting down a towel on the teepad is expressly allowed in the rulebook but nothing was stated about behind the lie once off the teepad, leaving that interpretation open ended. Players were reported putting flat rocks in shallow casual water behind their lies to keep their plant foot dry. The RC initially banned anything behind the lie via Q&A. Then after further discussion came up with the compromise in the 4/2008 Q&A that anything can be placed behind the lie, primarily a pad or towel (disc is also legal) as long as it's less than 1cm (~3/8 inch) thick when compressed.

[chiggins]

Thankya kindly!