Dear readers,
I received a response
from yesterday’s Lou after I sent him the answer to his question about what
relief options a player has after he hits a ball from a water hazard and fails
to get it out. I would like to share it with you:
Thanks, Linda, for that very clear and comprehensive
response – a reminder once again that it pays to read the rules carefully. Rule
28 states very clearly that you can’t declare a ball in a water hazard unplayable,
yet I’m sure many experienced golfers (including, in this case, myself) are
unaware of that rule. I’ll be sure and spend some time with the rules book
before the next tournament. It’s surprising how often a rules question occurs,
and I’m sure your advice over the years has done a great deal to alleviate the
level of rules ignorance among the golfing masses (and thereby speed the pace
of play).
Speaking of pace of play, the only unfortunate outcome of
abiding by the rules in this instance is that, given the yellow stakes, in
order to take relief, the player would have needed to return to the tee box,
thus adding a good five minutes to the time required to play the hole, it being
a large pond. But the rules are the rules.
Lou from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
