Hi Linda
I have a question about when “out of bounds” is “out of bounds!”
On my course in Bahrain in the Middle East, we have an "internal" out of bounds running down the left side of the 5th fairway. This out of bounds also applies on the right side of the parallel 9th fairway (which runs in the same direction as the 5th fairway ). Our local rules on the scorecard states the following:
"The following areas are out of bounds:
a) To the left of the 5th and right of the 9th defined by white posts."
It says nothing about applying the out of bounds rule only when playing those holes.
My question now is the following. If someone is teeing off on our 6th hole, which runs parallel to the 5th fairway but further from the OB stakes, and he hooks his ball very badly and the ball ends up to the left of the white stakes defining out of bounds on the 5th fairway, are they in fact out of bounds even though they are playing the 6th hole?
My way of thinking is that the ball must still be out of bounds. Several golfers from my club have said that the OB area only applies to the 5th hole and therefore the ball played from the 6th tee-box is not OB. My argument is that, if I end up in a water hazard or bunker on a different hole to that which I am playing I don't ignore that hazard but have to play it as a hazard, so why should I ignore the out of bounds stakes on a different hole? Also this out of bounds area to the left of the 5th fairway used to be a lateral water hazard so surely in those days you still regarded your ball being in the lateral water hazard even if you hit the ball from a different fairway to that of the 5th.
Hope you can help. Should our local rules card then not state “out of bounds to the left of the 5th and right of the 9th hole only when playing those respective holes?”
Many thanks
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
Your assessment is correct. Any ball that settles in the area between the 5th and 9th fairways that is marked as out of bounds is, indeed, out of bounds. It is not where you hit your ball from–but rather where your ball ends up–that determines its status. The area is properly marked with white stakes, and your scorecard thoughtfully warns golfers of an internal out of bounds area.
You may be interested to know that a Committee may write a Local Rule declaring a certain area on the golf course out of bounds on one hole, but in play for all other holes. Let me give you an example of a situation where a Committee might write such a Local Rule:
Let’s say your course has a hole that is a dogleg, and that players could aim their drives at an adjacent fairway to “cut” the dogleg. If such drives would pose a danger for players on that adjacent fairway, the Committee might decide to place out of bounds markers as a safety measure. The Local Rule would state that those out of bounds markers are in effect only for play on the dogleg hole. The rule should further state that players on the other hole should treat those markers as immovable obstructions.
In the case of the internal out of bounds at your course, there doesn’t seem to be a clear justification for designating the area out of bounds only during play of the 5th and 9th holes. I can’t imagine why a golfer hitting a wildly errant shot that lands in that area should be less penalized than a player whose shot strayed more understandably off course.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Ask Linda #267-Relief outside hazard, ball in hazard
Hi
My ball was in a hazard but playable. When addressing the ball, my feet were outside the hazard and standing on an exposed drainage pipe. Do I get relief from the pipe even though my ball is in a hazard?
Thank you
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
The preface to the explanation of how to take relief from an immovable obstruction begins by stating: “Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard” [Rule 24-2, b]. This is your first hint that you will not be entitled to relief from the drainage pipe outside the hazard. The clincher comes along in Note 1 to the same rule, which states unequivocally that a player is not entitled to relief from an immovable obstruction if his ball lies in a water hazard. It is the location of the ball, in this case, that dictates procedure. When your ball is in a water hazard, you may choose to play it as it lies or take relief under the water hazard rule (26-1). There is no relief from an immovable obstruction outside the hazard when your ball lies in the hazard.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
My ball was in a hazard but playable. When addressing the ball, my feet were outside the hazard and standing on an exposed drainage pipe. Do I get relief from the pipe even though my ball is in a hazard?
Thank you
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
The preface to the explanation of how to take relief from an immovable obstruction begins by stating: “Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard” [Rule 24-2, b]. This is your first hint that you will not be entitled to relief from the drainage pipe outside the hazard. The clincher comes along in Note 1 to the same rule, which states unequivocally that a player is not entitled to relief from an immovable obstruction if his ball lies in a water hazard. It is the location of the ball, in this case, that dictates procedure. When your ball is in a water hazard, you may choose to play it as it lies or take relief under the water hazard rule (26-1). There is no relief from an immovable obstruction outside the hazard when your ball lies in the hazard.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Ask Linda 266-Ball marker sticks to putter
Linda, I have often seen people use their putter to tap down their marker after marking a ball on the green. I've also seen cases where the marker stuck to the sole of the putter and was accidentally lifted from its original spot. In view of the recent ruling in the Dubai championship, I am now wondering if the person who accidentally moved his marker while tapping it down should have been penalized.
Thank you,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
When a ball or ball marker is accidentally moved in the process of marking and lifting a ball, there is no penalty as long as the movement is directly attributable to that specific act. The key to this rule is the meaning of the words “directly attributable.”
When a player marks and lifts a ball and then taps down the marker with the sole of his putter, that tapping down is considered to be part of the process of marking the ball. Therefore, there is no penalty if the marker is moved by the putter [Decision 20-1/6]. The player must replace the marker. If he cannot determine the exact spot, he must use his best judgment to place the marker at the closest spot to where it originally lay, taking care to place it no closer to the hole.
Any accidental movement of the ball or ball marker, which may occur, for example, if a player drops a ball on his marker (your Dubai reference), is not considered to be “directly attributable” and results in a penalty [Decision 20-1/15]. I suspect Ian Poulter was more chagrined at his carelessness than surprised by his penalty.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Thank you,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
When a ball or ball marker is accidentally moved in the process of marking and lifting a ball, there is no penalty as long as the movement is directly attributable to that specific act. The key to this rule is the meaning of the words “directly attributable.”
When a player marks and lifts a ball and then taps down the marker with the sole of his putter, that tapping down is considered to be part of the process of marking the ball. Therefore, there is no penalty if the marker is moved by the putter [Decision 20-1/6]. The player must replace the marker. If he cannot determine the exact spot, he must use his best judgment to place the marker at the closest spot to where it originally lay, taking care to place it no closer to the hole.
Any accidental movement of the ball or ball marker, which may occur, for example, if a player drops a ball on his marker (your Dubai reference), is not considered to be “directly attributable” and results in a penalty [Decision 20-1/15]. I suspect Ian Poulter was more chagrined at his carelessness than surprised by his penalty.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Ask Linda #265-Unfair double penalty?
Linda,
Can you answer this question for me? In reading the Decisions book (I know..."get a life"), I came across a decision that I don't understand.
13-4/16 Removal of Loose Impediment in Water Hazard Covering Wrong Ball
Q. A player plays his ball into a water hazard. He finds a ball in the hazard and removes a loose impediment partially covering it. He discovers that the ball is not his ball. He searches for his ball but does not find it. He proceeds under Rule 26-1. Is the player subject to penalty under Rule 13-4 for removing the loose impediment?
A. Yes.
This seems entirely unfair to me. If a player is virtually certain that his ball is in a water hazard, he is permitted to search in the hazard and remove a loose impediment in order to identify his ball (otherwise the player incurs a 2-stroke penalty for striking a wrong ball). However, if the ball is not his and he is not able to locate his ball in the hazard, then he is subject to a 2-stroke penalty for touching the loose impediment? And then, he is subject to that penalty AND an additional stroke penalty for taking relief outside the hazard?
I don't see how a player can be penalized for searching in a hazard and not finding his ball.
Lou Lou
Dear readers,
I wrote the following response to “Lou Lou:”
Lou, I am going to run this by a USGA rules official early next week. On the surface, the double penalty seems unfair. I'll get back to you as soon as I get an explanation. Thanks for a very thought-provoking question.
In the interim, Lou responded:
Linda,
Thanks. Please let me know what you find out.
I did get an email back from someone who has a contact at the R&A [Royal & Ancient, the governing body for golf rules outside the U.S.]. Their explanation was that there is a subtle difference between identifying your ball and searching for your ball. If you are going to identify your ball you must mark it first. But who does this while you are searching? More importantly, they said that they are aware that identifying while searching creates an unfair situation and they are considering addressing it in the next decisions/rules revision.
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
Decision 13-4/16 is one of those subtle decisions that can make grown men (and women) cry. It explains an infraction that you are more likely to read about or witness in reference to a complicated ruling in a professional golf tournament than have to deal with in your personal day-to-day golfing experience. I presented this question to a senior rules official at the USGA, and even he had to take time to research the problem before he was able to provide an answer.
The key to the answer is in the wording of the question. In Decision 13-4/16, the loose impediment is partially covering the ball in the hazard. Rule 12-1 permits the golfer to search for a ball in a hazard that is believed to be covered by loose impediments. This is a ball that you cannot see until the impediments are removed. In Decision 13-4/16, the ball was partially visible; it was not necessary to remove the loose impediments to see that a ball was there.
Once a ball is found, the golfer must follow the correct procedure to identify it. Rule 12-2 explains that the golfer must tell a fellow golfer that he plans to identify the ball. Under the watchful eye of this fellow golfer, he must mark, lift, identify, and then replace the ball.
In Decision 13-6/16, the golfer is penalized for removing the loose impediments because it was not necessary to do so to discover the presence of the ball. Had the ball been completely covered and not visible until the impediments were removed, then there would be no penalty for doing so and the impediments would have to be replaced, leaving only part of the ball visible.
The ball in Decision 13-4/6 was not hidden. The player is penalized for touching loose impediments in a hazard when it was not necessary to do so to find the ball. The rule permitting players to remove loose impediments in a hazard is designed to facilitate finding a ball that is completely hidden from view.
Lou, the USGA rules guru I consulted also mentioned (as did your R&A source) that the rules mavens are looking at the possibility of changing this rule in 2012 to allow players to lift a leaf to ID a ball. Until then, if your ball is in a hazard, and you can see a ball in the hazard, don’t touch anything. If you are unable to ID the ball without lifting it or moving a loose impediment, make sure you get a witness and follow the procedures outlined in Rule 12-2.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Can you answer this question for me? In reading the Decisions book (I know..."get a life"), I came across a decision that I don't understand.
13-4/16 Removal of Loose Impediment in Water Hazard Covering Wrong Ball
Q. A player plays his ball into a water hazard. He finds a ball in the hazard and removes a loose impediment partially covering it. He discovers that the ball is not his ball. He searches for his ball but does not find it. He proceeds under Rule 26-1. Is the player subject to penalty under Rule 13-4 for removing the loose impediment?
A. Yes.
This seems entirely unfair to me. If a player is virtually certain that his ball is in a water hazard, he is permitted to search in the hazard and remove a loose impediment in order to identify his ball (otherwise the player incurs a 2-stroke penalty for striking a wrong ball). However, if the ball is not his and he is not able to locate his ball in the hazard, then he is subject to a 2-stroke penalty for touching the loose impediment? And then, he is subject to that penalty AND an additional stroke penalty for taking relief outside the hazard?
I don't see how a player can be penalized for searching in a hazard and not finding his ball.
Lou Lou
Dear readers,
I wrote the following response to “Lou Lou:”
Lou, I am going to run this by a USGA rules official early next week. On the surface, the double penalty seems unfair. I'll get back to you as soon as I get an explanation. Thanks for a very thought-provoking question.
In the interim, Lou responded:
Linda,
Thanks. Please let me know what you find out.
I did get an email back from someone who has a contact at the R&A [Royal & Ancient, the governing body for golf rules outside the U.S.]. Their explanation was that there is a subtle difference between identifying your ball and searching for your ball. If you are going to identify your ball you must mark it first. But who does this while you are searching? More importantly, they said that they are aware that identifying while searching creates an unfair situation and they are considering addressing it in the next decisions/rules revision.
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
Decision 13-4/16 is one of those subtle decisions that can make grown men (and women) cry. It explains an infraction that you are more likely to read about or witness in reference to a complicated ruling in a professional golf tournament than have to deal with in your personal day-to-day golfing experience. I presented this question to a senior rules official at the USGA, and even he had to take time to research the problem before he was able to provide an answer.
The key to the answer is in the wording of the question. In Decision 13-4/16, the loose impediment is partially covering the ball in the hazard. Rule 12-1 permits the golfer to search for a ball in a hazard that is believed to be covered by loose impediments. This is a ball that you cannot see until the impediments are removed. In Decision 13-4/16, the ball was partially visible; it was not necessary to remove the loose impediments to see that a ball was there.
Once a ball is found, the golfer must follow the correct procedure to identify it. Rule 12-2 explains that the golfer must tell a fellow golfer that he plans to identify the ball. Under the watchful eye of this fellow golfer, he must mark, lift, identify, and then replace the ball.
In Decision 13-6/16, the golfer is penalized for removing the loose impediments because it was not necessary to do so to discover the presence of the ball. Had the ball been completely covered and not visible until the impediments were removed, then there would be no penalty for doing so and the impediments would have to be replaced, leaving only part of the ball visible.
The ball in Decision 13-4/6 was not hidden. The player is penalized for touching loose impediments in a hazard when it was not necessary to do so to find the ball. The rule permitting players to remove loose impediments in a hazard is designed to facilitate finding a ball that is completely hidden from view.
Lou, the USGA rules guru I consulted also mentioned (as did your R&A source) that the rules mavens are looking at the possibility of changing this rule in 2012 to allow players to lift a leaf to ID a ball. Until then, if your ball is in a hazard, and you can see a ball in the hazard, don’t touch anything. If you are unable to ID the ball without lifting it or moving a loose impediment, make sure you get a witness and follow the procedures outlined in Rule 12-2.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Ask Linda #264-Tossed ball lands in lake
Linda, Decision 15-2/1 reads as follows:
Q. A player, whose ball was on the putting green, marked the
ball's position, lifted it and threw it to his caddie for cleaning. The
caddie failed to catch the ball and it went into a lake and could not be
retrieved. The player holed out with another ball. Should he be
penalized under Rule 15-2?
A. Yes
The question is what if that ball is retrievable? Is it a penalty stroke?
Does the golfer play from the point of nearest relief?
Thank you for your response,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
There is no penalty if the original ball is retrieved. The player has marked and lifted his ball on the putting green, and he will place that same ball behind his marker when it is his turn to putt. The fact that the ball has taken an unexpected journey into and out of a lake in between being lifted and replaced has no effect on the player’s score or subsequent procedure. The ball is out of play when it is marked and lifted, and is not back in play until it has been replaced. The player in Decision 15-2/1 was penalized two strokes because he was not permitted to substitute another ball.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Q. A player, whose ball was on the putting green, marked the
ball's position, lifted it and threw it to his caddie for cleaning. The
caddie failed to catch the ball and it went into a lake and could not be
retrieved. The player holed out with another ball. Should he be
penalized under Rule 15-2?
A. Yes
The question is what if that ball is retrievable? Is it a penalty stroke?
Does the golfer play from the point of nearest relief?
Thank you for your response,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
There is no penalty if the original ball is retrieved. The player has marked and lifted his ball on the putting green, and he will place that same ball behind his marker when it is his turn to putt. The fact that the ball has taken an unexpected journey into and out of a lake in between being lifted and replaced has no effect on the player’s score or subsequent procedure. The ball is out of play when it is marked and lifted, and is not back in play until it has been replaced. The player in Decision 15-2/1 was penalized two strokes because he was not permitted to substitute another ball.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Ask Linda #263-Raking before hitting
Hi Linda----If your ball is in a large bunker near one end, and the rake is near the other end of the bunker, when you enter the bunker to retrieve the rake are you allowed to rake the sand over from where you entered to retrieve the rake, as long as it is nowhere near your ball at the other end? This would save returning to where you got the rake from. I believe it is allowed. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Kind regards,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
A player is not permitted to smooth the sand in a hazard with a rake prior to hitting his ball that lies in the hazard, regardless of how big or small the hazard may be. This would constitute testing the condition of the hazard [Rule 13-4a; Decision 13-4/0.5]. The penalty is two strokes (loss of hole in match play).
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Kind regards,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
A player is not permitted to smooth the sand in a hazard with a rake prior to hitting his ball that lies in the hazard, regardless of how big or small the hazard may be. This would constitute testing the condition of the hazard [Rule 13-4a; Decision 13-4/0.5]. The penalty is two strokes (loss of hole in match play).
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Ask Linda #262-Ball hits teammate
Hi Linda,
I was playing in a two-person better ball match play interclub competition when unfortunately I hit into the group on the green in front of us. My ball landed, and grazed the bum of another player from our club. It deflected my ball 2 inches from the cup, and after I got to the green and apologized profusely, I tapped the ball in for an eagle. The ruling I was given was that I had hit my partner (because the lady I hit played for our club and it was a team competition) and I was assessed a two-stroke penalty. I parred the hole and our opponents bogeyed so we took the hole anyway. Just curious if that ruling was correct.
Thanks,
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The golfer playing with you in your better ball match was your partner. The player you hit may have been your teammate, but she was not your partner. As such, she was, by definition, an “outside agency.” When a player’s ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency, it is what is known as a “rub of the green.” There is no penalty, and the ball is played as it lies [Rule 19-1]. You should not have been assessed a penalty. Fortunately, the misunderstanding did not affect the outcome of the hole.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
I was playing in a two-person better ball match play interclub competition when unfortunately I hit into the group on the green in front of us. My ball landed, and grazed the bum of another player from our club. It deflected my ball 2 inches from the cup, and after I got to the green and apologized profusely, I tapped the ball in for an eagle. The ruling I was given was that I had hit my partner (because the lady I hit played for our club and it was a team competition) and I was assessed a two-stroke penalty. I parred the hole and our opponents bogeyed so we took the hole anyway. Just curious if that ruling was correct.
Thanks,
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The golfer playing with you in your better ball match was your partner. The player you hit may have been your teammate, but she was not your partner. As such, she was, by definition, an “outside agency.” When a player’s ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency, it is what is known as a “rub of the green.” There is no penalty, and the ball is played as it lies [Rule 19-1]. You should not have been assessed a penalty. Fortunately, the misunderstanding did not affect the outcome of the hole.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Ask Linda #261-Practice round illegal?
My golf group and I work hard to follow and know all the rules of golf.
One question came to mind that we could not find.
Question: When the pros play what's called a practice round during a tournament week, is that score counted or can they play different shots, different balls, etc.? I played a round of golf the other day and I worked on my irons, so I would hit two, sometimes three shots to the hole in order to
figure out how or what I was doing wrong. My playing partner said that it
was illegal to play a round of golf on the course for practice purposes…
Please shed some light on this.
Thank you,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
What a scary concept! To think that there are people who think you are never allowed to practice golf on a golf course! Of course you are, but let’s look at the big picture and discuss some related issues.
1. If you hit extra shots during your practice round, do not post a score. Your score is unacceptable for posting purposes “when a majority of the holes are not played in accordance with the principles of the rules of Golf” [The USGA Handicap System, Section 5-f, iii].
2. Some courses frown on players hitting extra balls. You should check the club’s policy before embarking on a multi-shot practice round.
3. Etiquette-wise, you don’t want to be hitting extra shots if you are delaying the play of your friends (who may not also be practicing) or those playing behind you. Pick a quiet time when the course is fairly empty to fine-tune your game.
4. Here is where your friend’s confusion may lie: You are not permitted to practice on the course prior to your round on the day of a tournament. So if you think it’s a good idea to get out early on tournament day and practice some shots and putts on the course, think again. Such practice on the day of the competition will get you disqualified [Rule 7-1, b].
I was fortunate enough to play in the USGA Women’s Senior Amateur Championship in 2004 at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California. Every player was permitted two practice rounds prior to the tournament. All of us took the opportunity to try extra shots, and consequently no one had a score to post.
It is perfectly acceptable to practice golf on a golf course.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
One question came to mind that we could not find.
Question: When the pros play what's called a practice round during a tournament week, is that score counted or can they play different shots, different balls, etc.? I played a round of golf the other day and I worked on my irons, so I would hit two, sometimes three shots to the hole in order to
figure out how or what I was doing wrong. My playing partner said that it
was illegal to play a round of golf on the course for practice purposes…
Please shed some light on this.
Thank you,
Lou Lou
Dear Lou Lou,
What a scary concept! To think that there are people who think you are never allowed to practice golf on a golf course! Of course you are, but let’s look at the big picture and discuss some related issues.
1. If you hit extra shots during your practice round, do not post a score. Your score is unacceptable for posting purposes “when a majority of the holes are not played in accordance with the principles of the rules of Golf” [The USGA Handicap System, Section 5-f, iii].
2. Some courses frown on players hitting extra balls. You should check the club’s policy before embarking on a multi-shot practice round.
3. Etiquette-wise, you don’t want to be hitting extra shots if you are delaying the play of your friends (who may not also be practicing) or those playing behind you. Pick a quiet time when the course is fairly empty to fine-tune your game.
4. Here is where your friend’s confusion may lie: You are not permitted to practice on the course prior to your round on the day of a tournament. So if you think it’s a good idea to get out early on tournament day and practice some shots and putts on the course, think again. Such practice on the day of the competition will get you disqualified [Rule 7-1, b].
I was fortunate enough to play in the USGA Women’s Senior Amateur Championship in 2004 at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, California. Every player was permitted two practice rounds prior to the tournament. All of us took the opportunity to try extra shots, and consequently no one had a score to post.
It is perfectly acceptable to practice golf on a golf course.
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Ask Linda #260-Bunker next to water hazard
Hi Linda,
We have a couple of bunkers that end at a lake. If you go in one of these bunkers and your ball rolls into the water, do you have to drop in the bunker or do you go to the nearest point of relief out from either hazard?
Have a good winter, Linda.
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The answer depends on whether the lake is a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, and on which relief option you choose. Let’s look at both situations.
1. Water hazard (yellow stakes)
You have two relief options. You may return to where you last played to hit your next shot, or you may drop a ball behind the hazard on the line-of-sight to the hole. If you choose the line-of-sight option, you may drop your ball on that line as far back as you want. That drop may be taken in or out of the bunker – the choice is yours. Either way, you will add one penalty stroke to your score.
2. Lateral water hazard (red stakes)
You have three relief options for a ball in a lateral hazard. The first two are the same as those listed above for a water hazard, and the same explanation holds true. The third relief option for a ball in a lateral hazard is to drop a ball within two-club-lengths of the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the hazard. You may also drop a ball on the other side of the hazard that is the same distance from the hole. In either case, you must drop the ball no closer to the hole, and don’t forget to tack on that one-stroke penalty.
If you choose the two-club-length option, then it is entirely possible that you will be dropping a ball in the bunker. Two club-lengths is two club-lengths; there is no getting around that. If you prefer not to drop in the bunker, then choose one of the other two relief options (go back to where you hit your last shot, or drop behind the hazard on the line-of-sight to the hole).
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
We have a couple of bunkers that end at a lake. If you go in one of these bunkers and your ball rolls into the water, do you have to drop in the bunker or do you go to the nearest point of relief out from either hazard?
Have a good winter, Linda.
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
The answer depends on whether the lake is a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, and on which relief option you choose. Let’s look at both situations.
1. Water hazard (yellow stakes)
You have two relief options. You may return to where you last played to hit your next shot, or you may drop a ball behind the hazard on the line-of-sight to the hole. If you choose the line-of-sight option, you may drop your ball on that line as far back as you want. That drop may be taken in or out of the bunker – the choice is yours. Either way, you will add one penalty stroke to your score.
2. Lateral water hazard (red stakes)
You have three relief options for a ball in a lateral hazard. The first two are the same as those listed above for a water hazard, and the same explanation holds true. The third relief option for a ball in a lateral hazard is to drop a ball within two-club-lengths of the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the hazard. You may also drop a ball on the other side of the hazard that is the same distance from the hole. In either case, you must drop the ball no closer to the hole, and don’t forget to tack on that one-stroke penalty.
If you choose the two-club-length option, then it is entirely possible that you will be dropping a ball in the bunker. Two club-lengths is two club-lengths; there is no getting around that. If you prefer not to drop in the bunker, then choose one of the other two relief options (go back to where you hit your last shot, or drop behind the hazard on the line-of-sight to the hole).
Linda
Copyright © 2010 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
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