Ask Linda #854-Hazard boundary
Linda…the course I play has a lateral hazard on the left
side of a par five. The hole is a sweeping dogleg, and while the hazard
has red stakes, there is no visible red line on the ground. Because of the
dogleg and the distance between the red stakes, drawing a straight line between
stakes to define the hazard line gives a far different answer than assuming an
equal distance between the water edge and the red stake. Question…to determine
the hazard line in the absence of a red line on the ground, do you always
draw a straight line between the stakes or do you assume the red line would
follow a logical path around a curve in the hazard?
Thanks,
Lou from Texas
Dear Lou,
When there is no line on the ground, the margin of a hazard
is defined by the stakes. If the Committee has placed a sufficient number of
stakes to properly mark the hazard, you should be able to determine the margin
of the hazard by drawing an imaginary line from one stake to the next.
However, not all Committees are diligent about staking
hazards, and hazard stakes often disappear for various reasons. If the margin
of the hazard is not properly marked, the player may not take advantage of or
be penalized by the error. Therefore, if the ball clearly lies in the hazard,
the player must proceed under the Rules for a ball in a water hazard [Decision
26/2]. The same holds true if the ball clearly lies outside the hazard.
In determining the margin of an unmarked or improperly
marked hazard, the player should follow the same guidelines that a Committee
would. The margin of the hazard is where the ground breaks down to form the
depression that holds the water [Decision 33-2a/4]. When the area adjacent to
the margin is covered with dense undergrowth, you may use the cut line as your
hazard margin.
Linda
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