drop zone

[greek12]

If on a par 3 you hit your tee shot and it rolls10 yards and into a water hazard do you get to advance your ball 70 yards forward to the  drop area. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[Yukari]

It depends on local rules.  There are some courses that if you hit into a particular hazard you can drop in a designated drop area.

In your case, it seems that is the case.

It doesn't matter how the ball got into the water hazard.  As long as it goes in, you get to go to the drop area.

[Fourputt]

If the local rue says you can then you can.  Personally I would re-tee, but that's just me.  The rules are written in such a way that you are never allowed to advance the ball without making a stroke.  Even in penalty situations, you are always required to drop no closer to the hole.  The only situation I've ever seen that allows it is in the case of a dropping area.  Such a dropping zone is usually only used as a last resort when other equitable options are exhausted.  In your case, since you haven't left the tee yet, and in all fairness, you really didn't hit much of a shot, I would just tee up another ball and try again, hitting 3.  It may not be required by the local rule, but it's just how I choose to play the game.

I try not to impose my personal restrictions on others in a casual round though, so do what you think right for the situation.

[onesome]

Local rules in a lot of instances are there to just speed up play, I would be very careful if you plan on posting scores that you used local rules or you can adjust your score later to what you think would be more realistic.At my course we have a lot of deep "native grasses" and local rules allow you to take a drop at entry with a 1 stroke penalty, if I take this direction I just count my next shot as my fourth but I usually try to hit a provisional if time allows.

[rustyredcab]

I play the course in front of me. If there is a drop area, and you were my partner, you would not be re-teeing. (If you insisted, you'd better not let it cost us the point. :))  Take advantage of the drop area and move on.

[Dave2512]

  rustyredcab said:

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

I play the course in front of me. If there is a drop area, and you were my partner, you would not be re-teeing. (If you insisted, you'd better not let it cost us the point. :))  Take advantage of the drop area and move on.

Lol, yep. So many times I've watched someone trying to salvage their pride on a par 3 and hit the same shot into the hazard. Hole in one for a 5? Not likely, it's time to move on. These days it's not common to encounter courses with vague rules. Drops are well marked, signs and plaques everywhere on the grounds, scorecards have specific instructions and starters send you on your way with the law of the land. The exception would be some of the older private clubs I've been to. Though the members always know what's up.

[Fourputt]

  Dave2512 said:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Lol, yep. So many times I've watched someone trying to salvage their pride on a par 3 and hit the same shot into the hazard. Hole in one for a 5? Not likely, it's time to move on. These days it's not common to encounter courses with vague rules. Drops are well marked, signs and plaques everywhere on the grounds, scorecards have specific instructions and starters send you on your way with the law of the land. The exception would be some of the older private clubs I've been to. Though the members always know what's up.

A properly designed and managed course doesn't need questionable dropping zones.  The law of the land should require players to be aware of pace of play policies and understand the rules, not trick up the course and defy the rules.

[Dave2512]

  Fourputt said:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

A properly designed and managed course doesn't need questionable dropping zones.  The law of the land should require players to be aware of pace of play policies and understand the rules, not trick up the course and defy the rules.

Ah yeah, that's what I said.

These days it's not common to encounter courses with vague rules. Drops are well marked, signs and plaques everywhere on the grounds, scorecards have specific instructions and starters send you on your way with the law of the land.

[newtogolf]

This is how my home course wrote the rule as well.  You re-tee, hitting 3 if the ball does not cross the half way point of the water hazard.

  Fourputt said:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

If the local rue says you can then you can.  Personally I would re-tee, but that's just me.  The rules are written in such a way that you are never allowed to advance the ball without making a stroke.  Even in penalty situations, you are always required to drop no closer to the hole.  The only situation I've ever seen that allows it is in the case of a dropping area.  Such a dropping zone is usually only used as a last resort when other equitable options are exhausted.  In your case, since you haven't left the tee yet, and in all fairness, you really didn't hit much of a shot, I would just tee up another ball and try again, hitting 3.  It may not be required by the local rule, but it's just how I choose to play the game.

I try not to impose my personal restrictions on others in a casual round though, so do what you think right for the situation.

[Dormie1360]

  newtogolf said:

Originally Posted by newtogolf

This is how my home course wrote the rule as well.  You re-tee, hitting 3 if the ball does not cross the half way point of the water hazard.

Jeez, I'd hate to be a rules official trying to administer that one.  I don't suppose you have something floating out in the hazard at the halfway mark.

[Dave2512]

That's why courses have drop zones, to eliminate the need to make your own judgment. It's been a long, long time since I've been to a course that didn't have their own rules regarding zones and hazards. It's usually itemized on the back of scorecard and USGA rules don't trump local rules and course regulations. IMO it's important to adhere to whatever rules the course specifies. If they say drop you drop. Just like when they say "no coolers" it's not cool to sneak one in. I don't assume the rules don't apply to me.

[Fourputt]

  Dave2512 said:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

That's why courses have drop zones, to eliminate the need to make your own judgment. It's been a long, long time since I've been to a course that didn't have their own rules regarding zones and hazards. It's usually itemized on the back of scorecard and USGA rules don't trump local rules and course regulations. IMO it's important to adhere to whatever rules the course specifies. If they say drop you drop. Just like when they say "no coolers" it's not cool to sneak one in. I don't assume the rules don't apply to me.

You are so wrong I can't believe that you even said this.  For one thing, local rules have to approved by the USGA in order to be valid.  There is a list of approved local rules in the appendix to the Rules of Golf, along with recommended wording.  If what a course wants to do is not listed there, they must apply to the USGA for approval in order for the rule to be valid.

You are correct in that a course may make any policy requirements they want, but that doesn't make them local rules.  They can't enforce such policies in a tournament setting. If you only play such courses then they must be some real gems.  I can't remember ever playing a course which enforced a policy which was contrary to the Rules of Golf, and I've been playing for 40 years.

[greek12]

this is what i thought should be done (newtogolf) but the person i was playing with makes up rules as he goes to his favor needless to say i am not playing golf with person any longer.

thank you for all the help guys and i look forward to being  a part of the sand trap.

[newtogolf]

There's a white buoy in the hazard to use for reference.

  Dormie1360 said:

Originally Posted by Dormie1360

Jeez, I'd hate to be a rules official trying to administer that one.  I don't suppose you have something floating out in the hazard at the halfway mark.

[Dave2512]

  Fourputt said:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

You are so wrong I can't believe that you even said this.  For one thing, local rules have to approved by the USGA in order to be valid.  There is a list of approved local rules in the appendix to the Rules of Golf, along with recommended wording.  If what a course wants to do is not listed there, they must apply to the USGA for approval in order for the rule to be valid.

You are correct in that a course may make any policy requirements they want, but that doesn't make them local rules.  They can't enforce such policies in a tournament setting. If you only play such courses then they must be some real gems.  I can't remember ever playing a course which enforced a policy which was contrary to the Rules of Golf, and I've been playing for 40 years.

Come on now you know that's not what I implied. I never said local rules didn't have to be approved by the USGA just that some courses have local rules specific to their situation, hazards, ESA, how to take relief etc. The committee determines whether or not abnormal conditions justify modifying the ROG and it doesn't have to be contrary to the rules. Different courses have different policies. Surely you've seen a scorecard or sign at a course that states play is governed by the USGA except where local rules apply. That's my point with drop zones. If the course says to use the drop zones it's important that people observe that. On the course we have to assume local rules have been approved and I've never enountered any that were so zany there was a need to question them .

[Fourputt]

  Dave2512 said:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Come on now you know that's not what I implied. I never said local rules didn't have to be approved by the USGA just that some courses have local rules specific to their situation, hazards, ESA, how to take relief etc. The committee determines whether or not abnormal conditions justify modifying the ROG and it doesn't have to be contrary to the rules. Different courses have different policies. Surely you've seen a scorecard or sign at a course that states play is governed by the USGA except where local rules apply. That's my point with drop zones. If the course says to use the drop zones it's important that people observe that. On the course we have to assume local rules have been approved and I've never enountered any that were so zany there was a need to question them .

I've never encountered a course where it was supposed to be mandatory to use a drop zone as opposed to playing again from the previous spot.  I've played course were drop zones existed as a convenience, but never where it was required to use it, and especially never where you gained a distance advantage over where the ball entered the hazard.  I know that such do exist, but I've never played a course with one.  In the cases where I've used a drop zone, it only allowed you to move forward to some point near the edge of the hazard, but not beyond the point where the ball would have crossed the margin.

[Dave2512]

  Fourputt said:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

I've never encountered a course where it was supposed to be mandatory to use a drop zone as opposed to playing again from the previous spot.  I've played course were drop zones existed as a convenience, but never where it was required to use it, and especially never where you gained a distance advantage over where the ball entered the hazard.  I know that such do exist, but I've never played a course with one.  In the cases where I've used a drop zone, it only allowed you to move forward to some point near the edge of the hazard, but not beyond the point where the ball would have crossed the margin.

I don't doubt that considering your location. I don't think it's unreal to assume it varies due to regional differences. For example I recently played a course with ESA on every hole, no exaggeration. Much of it blind from the tee. It was my first time out on that course and the starter and rangers I encountered on the course were explicit. OB there, as instructed, means use best judgment to drop and move on without penalty of distance because they restrict those on the course from stomping on the habitat of the local wildlife and to do otherwise would slow play.  It was a spectacular course and we didn't mind. Drops and relief there were not a suggestion.

Read the ROG concerning drops. It's not vague. Local Rules are exactly that.

[kathybhylton]

  Yukari said:

In your case, it seems that is the case.

It doesn't matter how the ball got into the water hazard.  As long as it goes in, you get to go to the drop area.

Agree :D