Drop area for flower bed

[hometeamdawg]

Our 17th hole has out of bounds beyond the green. There is a large flower bed between the green and OB. The committee wants to adopt a local rule requiring a mandatory drop from the flower bed. Taking relief, no closer to the hole, will sometimes be a considerable distance from where your ball ends up in the flower bed. Questions: 1-Do USGA rules permit drop areas for this? 2-There obviously will be a local rule on the card and maybe a sign in the flower bed, but is it required for the bed to be marked with a line if it's clear where the bed begins (grass vs mulch)?

[hometeamdawg]

Should have also mentioned the committee does NOT want the flower bed to OB.

[Fourputt]

Our 17th hole has out of bounds beyond the green. There is a large flower bed between the green and OB. The committee wants to adopt a local rule requiring a mandatory drop from the flower bed. Taking relief, no closer to the hole, will sometimes be a considerable distance from where your ball ends up in the flower bed.

Questions:

1-Do USGA rules permit drop areas for this?

2-There obviously will be a local rule on the card and maybe a sign in the flower bed, but is it required for the bed to be marked with a line if it's clear where the bed begins (grass vs mulch)?

1) Yes

2) Not if they create a mandatory dropping zone.  If it is clear where the boundary is, then marking probably isn't a requirement aside from posting the sign.  I would say that a majority of players never read the local rules printed on the card.  Most players don't know how to drop correctly anyway, so unless you are talking about a tournament committee, the instruction won't matter.  All that will really matter is that the sign informs them that play from the flowers is not allowed.

[hometeamdawg]

Thanks. Good to know.

[hometeamdawg]

Also. If it's "known or virtually certain" the ball is in the flower bed but lost, you still drop without penalty, correct? AND The 2nd shot is uphill, so there will be times when no one in your group will see the ball go into the flower bed. If it's not found on such occasions, it's played as a lost ball, right?

[Fourputt]

Also. If it's "known or virtually certain" the ball is in the flower bed but lost, you still drop without penalty, correct?

AND

The 2nd shot is uphill, so there will be times when no one in your group will see the ball go into the flower bed. If it's not found on such occasions, it's played as a lost ball, right?

Yes.  It must known or virtually certain that the ball lies in the bed or the ball is "lost".