Tourney Ruling

[Bug Bunny]

Went and watched a friend play in a tourney Sunday. The course is pretty nice but the hazards were not after a Saturday rain. Anyway a player hit his ball in the sand trap right off the green. After the rain the night before, his ball was sitting in 8 inches of water. What's the official thing to do??

[Franco!]

Drop in a dry spot in the bunker, no penalty.
Call it unplayable, use that rule.
Play it out.
I'm sure Erik will come by with the numbers for the rule.

[Bug Bunny]

Good deal. THANKS!!!

[Gilles]

Rule 25-1 Abnormal Ground Conditions

[...]

(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) [= nearest point of relief] 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.


Nice thing to know : you can clean the ball before you drop it.


G.

[Bug Bunny]

The entire bunker had standing water. He removed the ball, cleaned it and dropped it in line with his shot at the closest point, no closer to the hole and did not incur a penalty stroke. Looks like that was the correct ruling.

[Fat Slice]

Not how I read it :(

It seems like, drop in bunker, no penalty.

Drop outside of bunker, penalty.

?

[Bug Bunny]

Maybe I'm reading it wrong. With the entire bunker having standing water, it doesn't seem fair that he incur a penalty stroke.

[David in FL]

Not how I read it :(

You're correct, the player in the OP played improperly. Decision 33-8/27: Local Rule Providing Relief Without Penalty from Bunker Filled with Casual Water Q. May a Committee make a Local Rule allowing a player to drop out of any bunker filled with casual water, without penalty, contrary to Rule 25-1b(ii)? A. No. The Committee may not make a Local Rule providing generally that flooded bunkers are ground under repair through the green as such a Local Rule waives a penalty imposed by the Rules of Golf, contrary to Rule 33-8b. However, in conditions of extreme wetness, where certain specific bunkers are completely flooded prior to the competition commencing and there is no reasonable likelihood of the bunkers drying up during the competition, the Committee may, in such exceptional circumstances, introduce a Local Rule providing that specific bunkers, which are known to be flooded prior to the competition commencing, are deemed to be ground under repair and classified as through the green. Therefore relief may be taken outside these bunkers without penalty in accordance with Rule 25-1b(i). In a competition played over more than one round, such a Local Rule may be introduced or rescinded between rounds Unless the Committee had designated certain specific bunkers as "ground under repair", if the ball is removed from the bunker, even if it's completely flooded, it is done so under penalty of one stroke. It's a tough rule.

[Gilles]

Found this ruling on the usga site :

25-1b/5 Explanation of "Maximum Available Relief" from Casual Water in Bunker

Q. In a bunker completely covered by casual water, is the place providing "maximum available relief" the spot which will provide the most relief for both lie and stance or just lie?

A. The term applies to both lie and stance. The spot providing "maximum available relief" might be such that the ball will be in shallower water than the player's feet after he takes his stance, or vice versa.

and

5-1b/6 Ball Dropped from Casual Water in Bunker at Point of Maximum Relief Rolls Elsewhere

Q. A player whose ball lies in a bunker completely covered by casual water drops his ball under Rule 25-1b(ii) at a spot where there is 1⁄4 inch of casual water. This spot is the nearest spot providing maximum available relief. The ball rolls into a spot where there is about 1⁄2 inch of casual water. What is the ruling?

A. In equity (Rule 1-4), and under the principle of Rule 20-2c(v), the player may re-drop and, if the ball so rolls again, place the ball where it first struck a part of the course when re-dropped.

and also

Q. If a player's ball lies in a bunker completely covered by casual water, what are his options?

A. The player may play the ball as it lies or:

(1) drop the ball in the bunker without penalty at the nearest point, not nearer the hole, where the depth of the casual water is least — Rule 25-1b(ii)(a); or

(2) drop the ball behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke — Rule 25-1b(ii)(b); or

(3) deem the ball unplayable and proceed in accordance with Rule 28.




From which I deduct that if you want to avoid a penalty stroke, you have to drop it in the bunker, no matter what. As soon as you drop it outside the bunker, you have a penalty stroke.


G.

[Bug Bunny]

David, I stand corrected sir. Well, then he should have incured a penalty. Oh well, good info. Thanks.

So according to that, the committee could have ruled that before play began and specified which bunkers but once play began, it's a penaltl??? Correct??

[David in FL]

David, I stand corrected sir. Well, then he should have incured a penalty. Oh well, good info. Thanks.

Correct. Doesn't seem fair, but then, it's golf ........ 99% of the time you're simply going to take relief from the water and drop within the bunker. Of course, when you drop in a bunker, the ball will usually bury a bit too......sometimes you just can't win for losing in this silly game!

[saltman]

I believe you can always request GUR. In fact, I believe Michelle Wie benefit from this ruling over the weekend.