Hi Linda,
The first hole at my club has a water hazard that's in play
from the tee. It's about 250 yards out and maybe ten yards left of the fairway.
It's not a very big pond, but it's there.
The problem is that it's not visible from the tee and there
are some trees and a little bit of high grass around it. During tournament
play, what is the proper procedure if you hit a tee shot that appears likely to
end up in the water? You can't be certain that it's in.
Thank you,
Lou from Rye, NY
Dear Lou,
Since there is no knowledge or virtual certainty that the
ball entered the hazard, and it is possible that it may be lost outside the
hazard in the high grass, the player should hit a provisional ball [Rule
27-2a]. If he does not find the original ball, he must continue with the
provisional, which would be fourth stroke on the hole.
If the area adjacent to the pond were closely mowed, such
that you could be virtually certain that a ball not found was in the hazard,
the player could choose any of the relief options in Rule 26-1.
Linda
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