Entire course marked lateral water hazard?

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I know there is always a discussion about areas that some courses mark as a lateral water hazard even though there is no water anywhere in the area. Well, here's one for you. This is posted on every cart of a local golf complex. It's a pretty large complex in this area with 3 separate 18 hole courses, all of which are very nice. This "local rule" applies to all 3 courses. I'm asking about this, because I find it hard to believe the USGA would be ok with this type of local rule. Any thoughts? I'm referring to the final local rule at the bottom.

[iacas]

I think they're just trying to keep the pace of play moving. Myrtle Beach is a bit more of a "factory" than a lot of golf courses.

It's not right, and I wouldn't play that way, but that's likely the reason they're doing that.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

The way it's set up with this local rule, there's almost no spot on the course where you need to take a stroke and distance penalty. Would this local rule change the course rating and slope?

[Fourputt]

The way it's set up with this local rule, there's almost no spot on the course where you need to take a stroke and distance penalty.

Would this local rule change the course rating and slope?

No, because that local rule would not be considered by a rating team, since it contradicts the Rules of Golf.

[iacas]

No, because that local rule would not be considered by a rating team, since it contradicts the Rules of Golf.

And nobody playing those rules should turn in scores for handicap.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

No, because that local rule would not be considered by a rating team, since it contradicts the Rules of Golf.

That's kinda why I'm asking. The rule seems very odd to me. Contradictory to the actual rules.

[turtleback]

Sounds like the kind of course(s) I would avoid.

[luu5]

The local rules uses word "may". This sounds like a suggestion to those slower players. Especially if you keep up the pace you do not have to obey the rule anyway.

[tristanhilton85]

That's how my home course is as well.

This is local rule #7 on the score card:

Desert area options

a) Play the ball as it lies

b) From the spot whee the ball lies, or is reasonably believed to be lost, the player may drop on the nearest grass area of the hole being played. Penalty one stroke.

The starters just tell groups as they go off to treat the desert area as a lateral. The only reason they do this is to speed play up; on a busy day in season they'll push over 250 people through each one of their 18 hole courses (and you have to remember season out here is the winter, so less daylight hours).

I just ignore it though and play it as it should be played

[reedf]

It looks like you all feel the same way I do about a rule ilke this! But have you paid any attention to the courses the PGA has played this year? I have noticed ALOT of wooded areas marked as lateral hazards when there is no water. The wooded are between the fairway and a pond should not be a lateral hazard! I think they're scared of one of the well known pros having another Kevin Na 16 stroke hole!

[Asheville]

It looks like you all feel the same way I do about a rule ilke this! But have you paid any attention to the courses the PGA has played this year? I have noticed ALOT of wooded areas marked as lateral hazards when there is no water. The wooded are between the fairway and a pond should not be a lateral hazard! I think they're scared of one of the well known pros having another Kevin Na 16 stroke hole!

You're mistaken.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reedf

It looks like you all feel the same way I do about a rule ilke this! But have you paid any attention to the courses the PGA has played this year? I have noticed ALOT of wooded areas marked as lateral hazards when there is no water. The wooded are between the fairway and a pond should not be a lateral hazard! I think they're scared of one of the well known pros having another Kevin Na 16 stroke hole!

You're mistaken.

Yep.   Reedf is wrong about his one.  In fact the USGA actually recommends that any deep rough or brush near a water hazard be included within the boundary to make the decisions between using Rule 26 and rule 27 less difficult.  It's unnecessarily punishing to penalize stroke and distance because a 10 foot fringe of native rough makes it impossible to be virtually certain whether or not a ball is in the water hazard.

[Rulesman]

The reason for recommending that dense undergrowth etc is included in the WH is that having incurred a penalty to get out, the player should not have an impossible place in which to drop.

R&A;

......... if, for example, there is a large bush just outside the natural margin of the water hazard, it is suggested that the bush be included within the hazard margins.
Otherwise, a player whose ball entered the hazard in this area may not have a reasonable spot at which to drop. .

USGA

Stakes or lines should be so placed that they include in the hazard not only the water,
but also rough banks and unkempt growth related directly to it. In general, they should
be placed where the ground breaks down to form the depression containing the water.
If, however, there is a large bush or tree just outside the natural margin of a lateral water
hazard, it is suggested that the bush be included in the hazard. Otherwise, a player
whose ball entered the hazard in this area would not have a reasonable spot at which to
drop a ball. Small areas immediately adjacent to water hazards where balls could be a
risk of being lost should be included in the hazard where possible to enable players to
meet the standard of virtual certainty that their ball is in the hazard.

[That is Good]

I'm referring to the final local rule at the bottom.

My son graduated from The Golf Academy of America a couple of years ago and The Legends was the students home course/practice facility.

I would visit him during the fall & spring and played all three of those beautiful courses, $20.00 each for me as a guest, loved it.

Don't remember that sign on the cart, do remember being obviously OB (not even sure if there were white stakes), but we played stroke & distance.

Pretty certain iacas is correct on the pace of play thought.

This past March we played three of the Disney courses and each time the starter told us the entire perimeter of the course had red stakes, in order to keep things moving.

[colin007]

I like the line at the top, "your position is not in front of the group behind you"...

[Fourputt]

I like the line at the top, "your position is not in front of the group behind you"...

You haven't looked at my signature have you?

[colin007]

You haven't looked at my signature have you?

ah, no i havent.  but i agree 1,000%.

i actually have forum sigs turned off on my preferences.  along with avatars and whats in my bag.

[RickK]

And nobody playing those rules should turn in scores for handicap.

Yet, everyone one of us who played one or more of those 3 courses in a recent very large tournament will be expected by the tournament committee to report those score(s) to our handicap system.  I know I did...this year and last year, and all the years before.

Even more strange that that rule is the Local Rule at Tidewater in Myrtle Beach.  Housing along the fairways yet there are no OB stakes.  If you hit your ball into a yard or flower bed in a yard and can find it, you get free relief on the opposite side of the cart path away from the yard.  However, if you don't find it, then it is simply a lost ball and you must replay from whereever you hit the last shot.