October - 2015

As we begin to enter the winter months (Wait! Winter? It's been hotter than heck, and I'm starting to really believe in global warming!)
But, we are supposed to get a lot of rain this coming winter, so be prepared.

I was asked by Frank Schneider what do you do when your ball is in casual water inside the bunker? It's not a simple rule, but basically to take relief from casual water in a bunker, you need to take a drop at the nearest point of complete relief- that's important because when you are taking relief, you must not drop in the same condition that you are taking relief from.

You then drop your ball IN THE BUNKER, in an area of complete relief, and there is no penalty.

If the entire bunker is filled with water and you can not find any area in the bunker to drop (you are screwed now) your options are to play it as it lies, or to take a stroke penalty, and drop outside the bunker.

25-1. Abnormal Ground Conditions

a. Interference

Interference by an abnormal ground condition occurs when a ball lies in or touches the condition or when the condition interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing. If the player's ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an abnormal ground condition on the putting green intervenes on his line of putt. Otherwise, intervention on the line of play is not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

Note: The Committee may make a Local Rule stating that interference by an abnormal ground condition with a player's stance is deemed not to be, of itself, interference under this Rule.

b. Relief

Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an abnormal ground condition as follows:

(i)
Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club- length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief., the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the condition and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

(ii)
In a Bunker: If the ball is in a bunker, the player must lift the ball and drop it either:

(a) Without penalty, in accordance with Clause (i) above, except that the nearest point of relief must be in the bunker and the ball must be dropped in the bunker or, if complete relief is impossible, as near as possible to the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole, on a part of the course in the bunker that affords maximum available relief from the condition; or

(b)
Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.

(iii) On the Putting Green: If the ball lies on the putting green, the player must lift the ball and place it, without penalty, at the nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard or, if complete relief is impossible, at the nearest position to where it lay that affords maximum available relief from the condition, but not nearer the hole and not in a hazard. The nearest point of relief or maximum available relief may be off the putting green.

(iv)
On the Teeing Ground: If the ball lies on the teeing ground, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, in accordance with Clause (i) above.

The ball may be cleaned when lifted under Rule 25-1b.

      Derek Duesler