Linda,
One
of our par 3's has a lateral water hazard crossing in front of the Tee box and
then running all along the left side of the par 3 past the green. It then runs
directly behind the green from left to right.
During
stroke play, a player hits over the green and the ball lands in the lateral
water behind the green and to the left (see picture below). Where is the
nearest point of relief?
…and
another question: If a player takes two practice swings hitting the ground
inside a water hazard (no water is present), is she penalized two strokes for
grounding her club or four strokes for doing it twice?
Thanks,
Lulu
from Brockville, Ontario
Dear Lulu,
Relief from a lateral water hazard is not governed by
“nearest point of relief.” This player has three options, all of which include
one penalty stroke [Rule 26-1]:
1. Play a ball under stroke and distance.
2. Drop a ball on the flagline, which in this case would
appear to be on the opposite side of the hazard.
3. Drop a ball on the green side of the hazard, within two
club-lengths of the point where it last crossed the margin of the hazard, no
closer to the hole. (The player may also drop within two club-lengths of a
point on the opposite side of the hazard that is equidistant from the hole.)
Looking at your diagram, it is possible there is no place to
drop under Option 3 on the green side of the hazard that would not be closer to
the hole. In instances such as this, the Committee might want to establish a
Dropping Zone for the section of the hazard where there would be no place to
drop that would not result in the player dropping closer to the hole.
Regarding your second question, the player would be
penalized two strokes for breaching the same Rule more than once [Decision
1-4/12, #3]. A single penalty is applied when related acts result in one Rule
being breached more than once.
Linda
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