Hi Linda,
I have a question involving where to drop the ball. We have a par-4 hole with a large pond in front of it defined by yellow stakes. Usually the ladies are hitting to the green in two, but the second shot may overshoot the green. Depending on where the ball lands, the green is sloped toward the water. When we chip back to the green, an aggressive chip (or putt) will send the ball back into the water.
The green is surrounded by a bulkhead with a two-foot drop. Rules indicate you cannot drop the ball closer to the hole, which with the bulkhead we would be. There is a designated drop area to the left of the green. In this situation do we (1) take the shot from the designated drop area, (2) drop from where the ball went in two club-lengths left or right of the entry, or (3) go back to the yellow stakes defining the hazard and hit the ball to the green (over the water) again? Or is there another ruling we should be following? Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Lulu from Texas
Dear Lulu,
I will explain the Rule, and then offer you a solution.
The pond is marked by yellow stakes. It is, therefore, a water hazard. There is no two-club-length relief option from a water hazard – that is a lateral water hazard relief option (red stakes). Whether your ball enters the hazard from the tee side or the green side, the bottom line is that your ball is in the water hazard. Your relief options, under penalty of one stroke, are to return to where you hit your previous shot or drop a ball behind the hazard (on the tee side) on the line-of-sight to the hole. You must choose between trying that dangerous chip once again or hitting over the water.
I suspect the reason the drop area is provided is to speed up play. Unfortunately, it is not a legal drop area under the Rules. Here is my suggestion to make the drop area legal and speed up play: Ask your course management to mark the green side of the hazard with red stakes. If your ball enters the hazard from the green side, you would have the additional options of using the drop area or dropping a ball within two club-lengths of where it last crossed the margin of the hazard, no closer to the hole.
Linda
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