Drop Area Torn Up - What To Do?

[Golfingdad]

I tried to find an old thread where this might already be covered but no luck.  2 questions ...

1)  I played a course yesterday with a par 3 hole that has a pond short of the green, AND a canyon area to the right of the hole that is a hazard.  There is a designated drop area up near-ish the green and I am wondering if it is intended solely for the use of those who hit their balls in the water, or can I use it when I hit into the other hazard?

2)  The drop area obviously has not been moved in weeks because the 12' or so diameter circle was littered in divots.  It was almost impossible to drop in that circle and not end up in a divot.  So what options do I have there?  I'm assuming that if the drop area is clearly marked (this one was - with a painted line) then I HAVE to drop inside of it, but does the ball have to remain in the area?  I mean, if I dropped my ball right on the line on the low side (it wasn't perfectly flat) it probably would have bounced out a little bit into the rough but at least it wouldn't have been in a divot.

For the record, since I was playing in a casual round, I dropped it (in a divot) but then illegally nudged it onto some green grass.

Thanks!

[Dormie1360]

The drop area was probably just for the canyon, but I'm guessing.

Your ball must hit the ground in the drop circle, but I'm pretty sure it does not have to come to rest in the circle.   What the drop "rules" are when dropping in a drop circle is a good question.  I'm assuming 20-2c still applies, but I'm not sure.

You can't do anything about all the divots, that's up to the course.

[Rulesman]

The canyon probably shouldn't be a hazard unless it has water in it from time to time so I'll ignore that.

Somewhere there should be a Local Rule saying exactly when the DZ should be used. The DZ should be an additional option the the normal water hazard relief rules specified in Rule 26. However the committee may make it compulsory to use the DZ

When using a dropping zone the following provisions apply regarding the dropping and re-dropping of the ball:

(a) The player does not have to stand within the dropping zone when dropping the ball.

(b) The dropped ball must first strike a part of the course within the dropping zone.

(c) If the dropping zone is defined by a line, the line is within the dropping zone.

(d) The dropped ball does not have to come to rest within the dropping zone.

(e) The dropped ball must be re-dropped if it rolls and comes to rest in a position covered by Rule 20-2c (i-vi).

(f) The dropped ball may roll nearer the hole than the spot where it first struck a part of the course , provided it comes to rest within two clublengths of that spot and not into any of the positions covered by (e).

(g) Subject to the provisions of (e) and (f), the dropped ball may roll and come to rest nearer the hole than:

• its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b );

• the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2 , 25-1 or 25-3 ); or

• the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1 ).

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Rulesman

The canyon probably shouldn't be a hazard unless it has water in it from time to time so I'll ignore that.

Somewhere there should be a Local Rule saying exactly when the DZ should be used. The DZ should be an additional option the the normal water hazard relief rules specified in Rule 26. However the committee may make it compulsory to use the DZ

When using a dropping zone the following provisions apply regarding the dropping and re-dropping of the ball:

(a) The player does not have to stand within the dropping zone when dropping the ball.

(b) The dropped ball must first strike a part of the course within the dropping zone.

(c) If the dropping zone is defined by a line, the line is within the dropping zone.

(d) The dropped ball does not have to come to rest within the dropping zone.

(e) The dropped ball must be re-dropped if it rolls and comes to rest in a position covered by Rule 20-2c(i-vi).

(f) The dropped ball may roll nearer the hole than the spot where it first struck a part of the course, provided it comes to rest within two clublengths of that spot and not into any of the positions covered by (e).

(g) Subject to the provisions of (e) and (f), the dropped ball may roll and come to rest nearer the hole than:

• its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b);

• the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or

• the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1).

Interesting ... thank you.

OK, follow up question ... If the canyon area is not considered a hazard, then how do you play it?  It's inaccessible, so any ball in there is lost.  Does it then play as a de facto OB area?

[Rulesman]

If the committee have marked it with red stakes, then however wrong they are (qv), you should play it as a lateral water hazard.

If it is not marked you have two choices. If you can see the ball and consider it unplayable, take a penalty and drop under rule 28, otherwise it is a lost ball. In either case a provisional ball should have been played. NB the provisional must be abandoned if the ball can be seen.

33-8/35

Local Rule Treating Rough as a Lateral Water Hazard

Q. The areas immediately adjacent to the fairways consist of large embedded boulders, thick desert brush and prickly cactus. A player whose ball comes to rest in such areas has no opportunity to play a stroke. Would it be proper to make a Local Rule under which such areas would be treated as lateral water hazards?

A. No. There are many courses where the areas adjacent to the fairways are of such a nature that a ball therein is almost always lost or unplayable. Thus, such a situation is not abnormal.

[rustyredcab]

If you ask in the pro shop the odds are the canyon gets to drop in the drop area. Most courses I know that have drop areas do it for the sake of pace of play and for golfer's sanity. Otherwise they would just let you hit ball after ball in the water, canyon, whatever until you finally clear the hazards. My old boss played in a member-member event at Medinah and his 2 handicap partner hit seven balls in the water on (the then) 17th hole in the final match. On my course, there would have been a drop area to ease frustration and speed play.

As said in other posts, if the canyon does not get drop zone relief, you keep reloading.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Rulesman

If the committee have marked it with red stakes, then however wrong they are (qv), you should play it as a lateral water hazard.

If it is not marked you have two choices. If you can see the ball and consider it unplayable, take a penalty and drop under rule 28, otherwise it is a lost ball. In either case a provisional ball should have been played. NB the provisional must be abandoned if the ball can be seen.

33-8/35

Local Rule Treating Rough as a Lateral Water Hazard

Q.The areas immediately adjacent to the fairways consist of large embedded boulders, thick desert brush and prickly cactus. A player whose ball comes to rest in such areas has no opportunity to play a stroke. Would it be proper to make a Local Rule under which such areas would be treated as lateral water hazards?

A.No. There are many courses where the areas adjacent to the fairways are of such a nature that a ball therein is almost always lost or unplayable. Thus, such a situation is not abnormal.

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

If you ask in the pro shop the odds are the canyon gets to drop in the drop area. Most courses I know that have drop areas do it for the sake of pace of play and for golfer's sanity. Otherwise they would just let you hit ball after ball in the water, canyon, whatever until you finally clear the hazards. My old boss played in a member-member event at Medinah and his 2 handicap partner hit seven balls in the water on (the then) 17th hole in the final match. On my course, there would have been a drop area to ease frustration and speed play.

As said in other posts, if the canyon does not get drop zone relief, you keep reloading.

Thanks to you both for the clarification.

I guess the real answer would be to get better at controlling my clubface so I don't ever hit the ball into these canyons and lakes!

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I tried to find an old thread where this might already be covered but no luck.  2 questions ...

1)  I played a course yesterday with a par 3 hole that has a pond short of the green, AND a canyon area to the right of the hole that is a hazard.  There is a designated drop area up near-ish the green and I am wondering if it is intended solely for the use of those who hit their balls in the water, or can I use it when I hit into the other hazard?

2)  The drop area obviously has not been moved in weeks because the 12' or so diameter circle was littered in divots.  It was almost impossible to drop in that circle and not end up in a divot.  So what options do I have there?  I'm assuming that if the drop area is clearly marked (this one was - with a painted line) then I HAVE to drop inside of it, but does the ball have to remain in the area?  I mean, if I dropped my ball right on the line on the low side (it wasn't perfectly flat) it probably would have bounced out a little bit into the rough but at least it wouldn't have been in a divot.

For the record, since I was playing in a casual round, I dropped it (in a divot) but then illegally nudged it onto some green grass.

Thanks!

Here is the hole.  You can see the the drop zone in the red circle.  Yellow line represents the tee shot.  Blue line represents the drop zone shot.

Golfingdad, I may have the line of flight on the tee shot off?  But it's pretty close.  I can't remember... Did the course have the canyon marked with red stakes?  I thought they did...

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I guess the real answer would be to get better at controlling my clubface so I don't ever hit the ball into these canyons and lakes!

Yes my friend! You are so close... Keep at it.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Here is the hole.  You can see the the drop zone in the red circle.  Yellow line represents the tee shot.  Blue line represents the drop zone shot.

Golfingdad, I may have the line of flight on the tee shot off?  But it's pretty close.  I can't remember... Did the course have the canyon marked with red stakes?  I thought they did...

Nice markup Beach!  Sadly, my shot was even further right than your yellow line ... shorter and on the opposite side of the cartpath.  And I do not remember if it was marked red or not.  The more I think about it, its possible I played those areas wrong all day long.  Of course, if I had to re-tee on all of those errant shots, I would have been done after about 11 holes, because I would have run out of balls!

Oh well.  Good news is I got a new Evolvr lesson yesterday, so I'm heading out to the range at lunch today to work on some drills.  I will have that swing straightened out - pun intended - before too long.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Nice markup Beach!  Sadly, my shot was even further right than your yellow line ... shorter and on the opposite side of the cartpath.  And I do not remember if it was marked red or not.  The more I think about it, its possible I played those areas wrong all day long.  Of course, if I had to re-tee on all of those errant shots, I would have been done after about 11 holes, because I would have run out of balls!

Oh well.  Good news is I got a new Evolvr lesson yesterday, so I'm heading out to the range at lunch today to work on some drills.  I will have that swing straightened out - pun intended - before too long.

Many of the canyons were marked with red stakes.  So I believe you played them correctly??